Full Time Permanent positionHybrid role based in our City Centre officesWhat we offerWe have embraced a hybrid working model for most of our positions, which means that you can enjoy a balanced approach of working from home for part of the week and working from the office for the remainder of the week.We offer a comprehensive benefits package including competitive salaries and bonuses, robust Learning and Development support, excellent Defined Contribution pension and comprehensive Wellbeing initiatives and support to name but a few. Further details on our benefits package can be accessed here Benefits (life-)At Irish Life, our purpose is to help people build better futures. Our company values shape everything we do and underpin our vision of being the driving force behind Ireland's financial, physical, and mental well-being.We believe in doing the right thing—acting with integrity and making fair, responsible decisions. We aim high, setting ambitious goals and find better ways to innovate and improve. Our customers are at the heart of everything we do and we are dedicated to understanding their needs and exceeding their expectations. Achieving this this is only possible when we work best together—in a supportive, collaborative environment where every idea and contribution is valued.
Role Overview:
The Solutions Architect works with business partners and clients to research, evaluate, and recommend technology solutions that best meet organisational requirements. This role is responsible for designing solutions aligned with business strategies and operational needs, ensuring quality and compliance with defined roadmaps and standards. They will be expected to conform to the approved methodologies and standards in delivering architecture that is compliant with Enterprise Architecture direction.
The Role:
As a Solution Architect, you will: Strategic Leadership & DirectionStay current with technology advancements to optimally leverage new and existing technology for the business.Provide strategic input to senior IT leadership to drive improvements in delivery, technology, and organisational structure.Undertake any other duties as assigned by your manager.Define & Evolve ArchitectureDesign architectures for Customer Solutions, prioritising Cloud solutions for new initiatives.Ensure solution designs meet operational requirements, strategic roadmaps, and quality standards.Embed AI Governance & Regulatory ComplianceProvide oversight and governance to projects, ensuring adherence to best practices and industry standards.Implement robust Risk Management practices by identifying potential technical risks and architectural challenges within the Customer Solutions domain, and by proposing mitigation strategies to ensure system stability, scalability, and optimal performance.Shape the AI Use Case PortfolioConsult with business and clients to understand requirements and design solutions that support strategic objectives.Engage with external vendors and technical experts to identify optimal solutions for business needs.Lead Architecture of Azure AI & Cloud Native SolutionsFoster proactive Stakeholder Engagement by routinely liaising with business leaders, vendors, and fellow architects to comprehend business needs and effectively communicate the technical possibilities and limitations within the Customer Solutions framework.Contribute to Governance ForumsServe as a member of the Customer Solutions Design Authority to efficiently review solution designs against established principles.Cross Functional CollaborationBuild and maintain strong relationships with key stakeholders.Continuous Improvement & InnovationMaintain and develop architectural practices within the business, supporting and guiding team members.Commercial Awareness by DesignExercise Commercial Awareness by Design, ensuring that Solution Architects within the Customer Solutions team are driven by business value and fully consider the Total Cost of Ownership (TCO) in all design decisions.
Key Skills and Capabilities:Excellent collaboration skills, essential for working within your team and engaging with peers across the IS organisation. Ability to influence and provide effective support to Senior IS and Business leaders. Proficient in partnering with senior management both within Irish Life and across the wider group. Proven track record of delivering high-quality, complex technical solutions within a large enterprise environment. Good knowledge of Application Engineering, complemented by experience with DevOps and Agile practices. Capable of producing high-quality architectural and design documentation, along with delivering insightful presentations to senior management and project teams. Excellent problem-solving and decision-making abilities. Experience in designing solutions that drive business value and address complex issues. Significant experience with integration patterns, security best practices, and applications development environments. Versatile experience working with various deployment models, including On-Premises, Private Cloud, Hybrid Cloud, and Public Cloud. Skilled in aligning non-functional aspects of solutions with the business's risk appetite.
Essential Requirements:Minimum of 5 years of experience in technical design of strategic solutions. Strong understanding of best practices in Architecture. Familiarity with Agile methodologies and collaborative team practices. Strong stakeholder management and communication skills, necessary for articulating complex ideas and demystifying technology and systems. Sound understanding of current Application, Infrastructure, and Security Frameworks.
Desirable Skills:An understanding of Microsoft Azure technologies with the technical capability and experience to learn new technologies and understand relevant cloud trends. Experience with Microsoft Azure IaaS, PaaS, and SaaS services. Experience in architecting and designing technical solutions for Microsoft-centric solutions based on industry standards using Azure IaaS, PaaS and SaaS capabilities. Experience in working within the financial services sector, preferably life assurance. Hold certification(s) for Azure Solution Architect Expert. About usIrish Life is one of Ireland's largest financial institutions with a presence across a range of financial services markets. We are one of Ireland's leading financial services groups with over 1.5 million customers. For over 80 years, we've been helping people to look after their life insurance, pension and investment needs, and more recently their health insurance.It is a subsidiary of Great-West Lifeco and a member of the Power Financial Corporation group of companies.We are proud of our culture of developing and supporting the growth and professional development of our people. The focus has resulted in a team of top talent with high standards, positioning us at the forefront of our industry.The company reserves the right to draw up a shortlist as part of the selection process. Where Agency assistance is required the Irish Life Recruitment Team will engage directly with suppliers. Unsolicited CVs / profiles supplied to Irish Life by Recruitment Agencies will not be accepted for this role.Irish Life is proud to be an Equal Opportunities employer. We have created an environment of inclusion and growth to help people achieve their potential, to ensure they can bring their whole selves to work and to feel valued. We celebrate diversity of thought and perspective and want all of our employees to feel valued, respected and supported. We have built a culture that promotes equality and inclusion for all of our current and future employees and strive to ensure that our behaviours, processes and practices are aligned to this culture.If you require any accommodations during the recruitment process please contact and we will be delighted to ensure you are fully supported to be your best. ILFS supports Equal Opportunity and is regulated by the Central Bank of Ireland.