Title:  Lead Architect - Domain Platforms & Infra - NESO

About the Role

National Energy System Operator (NESO) recognises the potential of bright and talented individuals, and we encourage you to join us as Great Britain’s energy system undergoes an ambitious, exciting, and vital transformation. Together with industry, we are creating a cleaner, more sustainable energy future.

The Lead Architect – Domain Platforms & Infra is responsible for setting the strategic direction, architectural governance, and technology standards across all on‑premises and hybrid hosting platforms. The role ensures the organisation’s data centre, infrastructure, network, and hybrid cloud capabilities are coherent, modern, secure, and aligned with long‑term business and transformation objectives.

The role includes architectural oversight and strategic alignment of the organisation’s OpenShift platform as part of the broader Domain Platforms & Infra remit. The role includes architectural oversight and strategic alignment of the organisation’s OpenShift platform as part of the broader Domain Platforms & Infra remit. The role shapes OpenShift platform guardrails, principles, platform charters, and adoption strategies to ensure consistent, secure, and scalable container platform services.

This role can be based from Wokingham or Warwick and we continue to offer hybrid working from office and home. We are open to full time and part time applicants, as well as flexible working arrangements.

Key Accountabilities

• Define and maintain the enterprise-wide Data Centre (DC) strategy, ensuring alignment with organisational resilience, scalability, and cost-efficiency goals.
• Lead architecture for all on‑premises infrastructure services including compute, storage, virtualisation, backup, monitoring, automation, and lifecycle management.
• Own and evolve on‑premises network architecture, covering campus networks, WAN, data centre fabric, load balancing, segmentation, and secure hybrid connectivity.
• Develop and govern on‑premises Reference Architectures and technology blueprints to ensure consistency, compliance, and reuse across programmes.
• Establish architectural guardrails and patterns that unify on‑prem and cloud platform integration, enabling a cohesive hybrid hosting ecosystem.
• Provide architectural leadership for major infrastructure and platform modernisation initiatives.
• Review, endorse, and guide technical designs, ensuring adherence to standards, NFRs, and architectural principles.
• Partner with Security, Network, Cloud Platform, and SysOps teams to drive cross-domain alignment and reduce technical debt.
• Represent the Domain Platforms & Infra architecture function in governance forums and assure delivery against architecture strategy.

About You

• Extensive experience leading architecture across data centres, infrastructure platforms, and hybrid environments.
• Deep knowledge of on‑premises technologies including VMware, storage systems, backup platforms, automation tooling, and enterprise networking.
• Strong understanding of cloud platform patterns (OpenShift, Azure, AWS, or GCP) and hybrid integration models.
• Experience defining reference architectures, roadmaps, and strategic technology direction at enterprise scale.
• Ability to govern complex technical landscapes, influence senior stakeholders, and shape cross‑domain technology decisions.
• Strong understanding of security principles, segmentation models, zero‑trust concepts, and compliance frameworks.
• Excellent communication and leadership skills, with the ability to articulate complex technical topics to varied audiences.

Leadership & Behaviours

• Strategic thinker with the ability to translate long-term vision into actionable architectural direction.
• Collaborative mindset, able to work effectively across infrastructure, cloud, security, and delivery teams.
• Proactive in identifying risks, architectural gaps, and opportunities for optimisation.
• Committed to simplification, standardisation, and continuous improvement across the technology estate.

Don’t meet every single requirement? Studies have shown that women and people of colour are less likely to apply for jobs unless they meet every single qualification. At NESO, we are committed to building a diverse, inclusive, and authentic workplace for everyone. So, if you’re excited about this role but your experience or qualifications don’t match the job description exactly, we encourage you to apply anyway. You might just be the right person for our growing business in this role or another one.

About What You'll Get

A competitive salary of circa £75,000 – £83,000 – dependent on experience and capability.

As well as your base salary, you will receive a bonus of up to 15% of your salary for stretch performance, 28 days annual leave as standard, and a competitive contributory pension scheme where we will double match your contribution to a maximum company contribution of 12%.

You will also have access to a comprehensive benefits package tailored to support your well-being and professional success. From a competitive salary to flexible work arrangements, we promote your work-life balance. Enjoy fit for purpose wellbeing and lifestyle offerings, ongoing skill development aligned to our Purpose and Values, and be part of a supportive community that values your individuality and where you can belong.

About Us

The creation of National Energy System Operator (NESO) is driven by an urgent need to unify and optimise our approach to energy. A more integrated and coordinated strategy is needed to meet the unprecedented challenges of climate change, ensuring secure energy supply, and keeping costs manageable for consumers.

Join us and empower your potential, energise our team, and be part of something bigger.

Our energy, our future, together.

About The National Energy System Operator (NESO)

In Autumn of 2024, the ESO transitioned to National Energy System Operator, or NESO for short. Previously denoted as the Future System Operator (or FSO), the new National Energy System Operator is the independent body responsible for planning Great Britain’s electricity and gas networks and operating the electricity system.

The ESO, including all of its existing roles, are now at the heart of the new National Energy System Operator. As NESO, we will build on our existing roles, capabilities, and ways of working significantly to create an organisation the energy system and its users’ need. Our new capabilities will enable us to look across vectors, including electricity, natural gas and hydrogen, and crucially consider the trade-offs between them.

The organisation is set up as a public corporation with its own Board of independent directors, with complete operational independence from government, the regulator and any and all commercial interest. As was the ESO, NESO will be licenced and regulated by Ofgem through price control agreements and obligated to identify optimal solutions to system operations and planning in the most sustainable, affordable and secure way for all.

The time to deliver is now. As part of our team, you won’t just be touching the lives of almost everyone in Great Britain – you’ll be shaping the way we use and consume energy for generations to come.

More Information

This role closes on 18/03/2026 at 23:59, however we encourage candidates to submit their application as early as possible and not wait until the published closing date as this can vary.

We work towards the highest standards in everything we do, including how we support, value and develop our people. Our aim is to encourage and support employees to thrive and be the best they can be. We celebrate the difference people can bring into our organisation, and welcome and encourage applicants with diverse experiences and backgrounds, and offer flexible and tailored support, at home and in the office.

We're committed to building a workforce that represents the communities we serve, and a working environment in which each individual feels valued, respected, fairly treated, and able to reach their full potential.

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