Lead Architect & Non-Functional Testing

Our vision is to make Lloyds Banking Group the best bank for customers. As the UK's largest retail and commercial bank, we have a footprint that touches nearly every community and household in the UK. That gives us a big responsibility to support the UK economy, and to put customers at the heart of everything we do. To achieve this, we also need to be the best bank for our colleagues and our communities - and we have a clear strategy in place to make this a reality. We are building on our many strengths: iconic brands, strong heritages and great people. To unlock the great potential in our business, we are becoming more efficient, more transparent, and more responsive to customers. Already the UK's largest community investor, we are giving even more back. Above all, we are putting customers first.

Location: London or Copley

Key Responsibilities:

An exciting opportunity for a Lead Architect with significant Non-Functional Testing experience to lead the Strategy & Design function. The Lead Architect will drive through effective management of technical partner teams to undertake the day-to-day delivery of a comprehensive functional service and/or complex change projects, and to contribute to the development and implementation of the Function's Operating plan in line with the strategy of Group IT.

The Strategy and Design Lead is responsible for the creation and delivery of non-functional studies and strategies in complex IT environments.

Reporting into the Platform Lead, the Lead Architect will be accountable for the delivery of a significant portfolio of Testing Services. This may include the non-functional testing of large applications or a Test Service spanning multiple Platforms and Customers. To operate at this level the Lead Architect will have a strong background delivering complex projects and are recognized experts in their delivery field, contributing to the development of capability.

You will be responsible for project deliveries, strategy and design by managing dependencies, priorities and issues at all levels effectively. Due to the scale of responsibilities, you will take full delivery accountability for all business critical partner deliveries. They will be masters of technology delivery processes and adept at leveraging the global delivery model in-house, offshore and flex and have significant experience in leading the delivery of commercial outcomes

Accountabilities:

-Accountable for efficient planning and tracking of development/support/testing deliverables, ensuring Stakeholders are regularly informed of status and progress.
-Effective performance management of the global supply chain through regular review of overall partner and individual performances, and taking the necessary action.
-Responsible for task management of partner teams and/or the efficiency & effectiveness of teams working on related deliverables/products across other Platforms.
-Lead and motivate a global supply network of partner teams to deliver products / services which meet the customers' needs
-Able to work with high level of ambiguity to derive clear business unit or domain vision to engineering teams in -Application Development
-Accountable for ensuring the business needs are understood and delivered against in each step of the delivery lifecycle or Service delivery to ensure the end products meet the Business Customers needs.
-Accountable for driving commercial value from Partner teams, maximizing ROI and driving efficiencies whilst maintaining output and improving delivery quality.
-Accountable for the effective partner delivery of Application Support Services for critical banking processes within agreed service levels.
-Accountable for deployment of Program Management best practice within the Platform including Risk & Issue management, change control, estimating, resource planning.
-Manages and builds key stakeholder relationships across sphere of influence to improve the overall service provided by Platform and Function.
-Accountable for effective removal of delivery blockers and escalation at all levels.
-Accountable for performance against financial parameters, and monitors and reports on budgetary aspects within own area. Has significant input to budget setting/ financial proposals and reviews.
-Accountable for identifying and managing dependencies and risks within a work programme / service and effectively managing these across multiple Platforms and leading Partners as necessary to deliver mitigating activities.
-Accountable for the delivery quality of products and/or Services in accordance with established processes and standards. Ensures partner delivery teams are fully compliant to the Banks processes and guidelines in the line of delivery.
-Ensures that the delivery teams within area of responsibility fully follow the Application Development SDLC delivery processes and achieve full compliance.
Shares own knowledge and expertise across organisational boundaries by consulting, advising and coaching others and ensure others share their knowledge in order to build skills across Group IT.

Key Capabilities, Knowledge Areas & Personal Attributes

-Extensive knowledge of Technical delivery, Non Functional Testing and architecture
-Able to define the testing strategy and drive the delivery of complex IT projects
-Experience managing Teams in an onshore/ offshore environment
-Strong Leadership capabilities with the ability to influence senior stakeholders
-To be successful in this role, you need to be a strategic thinker with experience gained ideally in Banking or IT Consultancy organisation