Digital & Data Enterprise Architect (Outside IR35)
Role details
Job location
Tech stack
Job description
Costello & Reyes Group Ltd has been engaged by a central Government Agency to identify a Digital & Data Enterprise Architect for a 12 month contract.
As a Digital & Data Enterprise Architect, you will be a senior member of the Enterprise Architecture community, responsible for guiding the strategic direction of data and digital platforms across the organisation. You will lead the development of reference architectures, data blueprints, and digital frameworks, ensuring that systems are designed to be secure, interoperable, and insight-driven.
Your work will influence multi-billion-pound services, helping manage technical and data-related risks, reduce complexity, and accelerate digital transformation across a large and critical technology estate. This is a high-impact, highly visible role where your expertise in data architecture, digital platforms, and enterprise governance will shape the way technology supports millions of citizens.
Key Responsibilities
Enterprise Digital & Data Architecture Strategy
Develop and maintain the Digital & Data Enterprise Architecture framework, ensuring alignment with organisational strategy, digital transformation goals, and service delivery objectives.
Define and maintain reference architectures, data models, standards, and design principles that guide development across programmes and delivery teams.
Provide strategic leadership to ensure cohesion across digital platforms, data systems, and analytics capabilities.
Data & Integration Leadership
Act as the subject matter expert in enterprise data and integration architecture, shaping how data flows across systems and platforms.
Define integration and data patterns including:
o APIs, data streaming, and event-driven pipelines
o Messaging and ETL processes
o Cloud and on-premise data integration
o Secure, governed data exchange between internal and external systems
Ensure data governance, quality, and interoperability across diverse platforms and services.
Data-Driven Digital Transformation
Enable the organisation to leverage data and digital platforms for insight and innovation, supporting analytics, AI/ML, and reporting initiatives.
Support modern digital initiatives including:
o Cloud-based data platforms
o Data lakes and warehouses
o Microservices and API-first architectures
o Event-driven and Real Time data systems
Align architecture with business intelligence, data science, and citizen-focused service delivery.
Strategic Governance & Risk
Lead enterprise-level architecture and data governance, ensuring decisions are consistent, risk-aware, and aligned with organisational standards.
Chair design authority or review boards for digital, data, and analytics initiatives, providing expert guidance on technical risk, trade-offs, and investment decisions.
Advise on regulatory, security, and compliance considerations, including GDPR, public sector data regulations, and information security frameworks.
Stakeholder Engagement & Influence
Act as a trusted advisor to senior leaders, executives, and programme boards, communicating complex digital and data architecture concepts clearly.
Represent the organisation in cross-government or sector-wide data and digital initiatives.
Collaborate across teams, portfolios, and external partners to ensure aligned and coherent digital and data strategies.
Mentoring & Community Leadership
Mentor and develop enterprise, solution, and data architects within the organisation.
Promote best practices in data architecture, governance, and digital platform adoption.
Help ensure a cohesive enterprise-wide architecture that enables innovation, efficiency, and resilience.
Requirements
Extensive experience delivering enterprise-scale digital and data architectures in complex organisations.
Deep expertise in data modelling, data integration, API management, cloud-based data platforms, and analytics pipelines.
Proven ability to design and govern enterprise-wide digital platforms and ecosystems, not just individual solutions.
Strong understanding of modern digital architecture practices (microservices, APIs, cloud, event-driven systems) and Legacy environments.
Experience establishing and running architecture governance and data governance frameworks.
Exceptional ability to communicate technical and data concepts to senior leadership and cross-functional teams.
Desirable
Experience in public sector or regulated organisations, preferably delivering large-scale digital or data services.
Familiarity with government data standards, GDS principles, or enterprise data frameworks.
Experience with TOGAF, ArchiMate, or other enterprise architecture frameworks.
Understanding of cybersecurity, data protection, and risk management in enterprise systems.
Leadership Expectations
Provide strategic vision for digital and data architecture across the enterprise.
Influence without direct authority, bringing teams together behind a shared architectural and data vision.
Drive enterprise-level transformation that improves citizen services, operational efficiency, and digital capability.
