More about the role

Here, at New Look, everything that we do is for the love of fashion.

We’ve been bringing the latest fashion to the high-street since 1969.  We’re now a global, multichannel brand offering on-trend, value-fashion for women, men and teenage girls.  Even after 50 years we’ve stayed true to our original mission of delivering fabulous products at a price our customers can afford.

We invented fast fashion and it’s our colleagues today that continue our journey to create a New Look that everyone loves.

It’s our values that inspire us every day - we play to win, we are customer obsessed, we work as one…and it starts with you.

We are always on the lookout for talented, passionate people to join our New Look team.

What does our IT team do?

We keep all of our business technology and systems running, and do everything we can to safeguard us from cyber threats. We partner all areas of the business to help plan, build, and implement new technology for now and the future, whether that be a new website or even more automation in our distribution centre. Once implemented we make sure everything is running as it should and fix anything needed to keep our business going.

Key Tasks and Responsibilities

You will be responsible for:

Strategy, Governance & Planning

• Supporting the Head of Technology Planning in developing and communicating an IT strategy and technology plan for the next 5 years, with buy-in from the business and coordinated with other architects

• Supporting the definition and development of application architecture strategies

• Working with the Delivery Operations Manager on Solution Architect resource planning and forecasting – assigning resource based on task prioritisation, availability and skills

• Providing direction and guidance to the Solution Architects

• Acting as an escalation route for solution architects to help resolve architecture design issues

• Keeping the programme managers appraised of any changes to risks, issues or solution

Architecture

• Acting as Lead Solution Architect on major programmes of work

• Liaising with programme managers and lead business analysts to ensure solution options are recommended in line with the best fit against requirements

• Creating solution options and solution architectures that align with the EA standards and the IT roadmap

• Creating the Initial Project Evaluation document at the scoping stage of projects, in conjunction with the Principal Solution Architects

• Overseeing the project’s Prepare phase to build the high level ‘Solution Architecture and Design’.

• Contributing towards policies, standards and guidelines that direct the selection, development, implementation and use of technology across the company

• Supporting Solution Architects by providing advice on solution options and designs

• Taking an active role in vendor selection

Insight & Risk

• Keeping abreast with developments in the IT industry and retail market space to ensure that the solution architectures are kept in line with industry standard and only deviate for commercial benefit

• Supporting the Principal Solution Architect in identification and assessment of new and emerging technologies and promoting awareness among and beyond the team

• Working with external suppliers to ensure that the appropriate technology direction is set with respect to applications

• Ensure that the project by project solution design is aligned with the strategic technology direction

Advice & Guidance:

•Provides organisational leadership and guidelines to promote the development and exploitation of technical knowledge in the organisation

•In own areas of expertise, provides expert guidance and consultancy

Business Strategy & Planning:

•Sets research goals, makes effective proposals for the investment of funds in

•research

•Recognises potential strategic application of IT, and initiates investigation and

•development of innovative methods of exploiting IT assets, to the benefit of the

•organisation

•Leads the creation and review of a systems capability strategy which meets the

•strategic requirements of the business

•Uses consistent processes for identifying and quantifying potential risk events

•Co-ordinates the development of countermeasures and contingency plans

•Contributes to strategy formation by providing in-depth analysis

Technical Strategy & Planning:

•Co-ordinates the identification and assessment of new and emerging hardware, software and communication technologies, products, methods and techniques.

•Leads the development of architectures for complex systems, ensuring consistency with specified requirements

•Derives an overall strategy of data management, within an established information architecture, that supports the business model

•Establishes policy and strategy for the selection of systems architecture components, and co-ordinates design activities, promoting the discipline to ensure consistency, ensuring standards are adhered to

•Manages design, policies and standards, to maintain a stable, viable architecture and ensure consistency of design across projects within programmes

•Sets direction and leads the introduction and use of tools, methodologies and techniques to match overall business requirements

Supplier Management & Commercial:

•Evaluates and selects suppliers based on the specification and evaluation criteria

About You:

• Minimum 2 years Solution Architect experience (or equivalent)

• Ideally TOGAF certified, or equivalent.

• Ideally educated to degree level in a technical subject

• Significant experience of designing solutions that operate on the core technologies in use within New Look such as Oracle Retail (ERP), Supply Chain Visibility, B2B (Hybris) and PLM.

• Proven ability to deliver flexible, reliable, supportable, cost effective (packaged and bespoke) IT solutions

• Demonstrable experience in IT industry standards, services, design, architecture principles design, architecture views and viewpoint design, building block design, solutions modelling and systems behaviour

• Good experience of IT Architecture (and underlying frameworks such as TOGAF and SOA) including the development (and ensuring adherence to) architecture principles and standards

• Experience in using Architecture design tools such as Sprax, IBM Rational System Architect etc.

• Knowledge of relevant technologies including document management, CRM/case management, BPM, web applications, portals, messaging and integration (Middleware), data management, etc.

• Proficiency in methods and techniques for structured reviews, including reviews of non-functional requirements, technical documents, test plans, business cases and other key deliverables

Why New Look?

The amazing people, the love of fashion, the 4pm Friday finishes – there are so many reasons to love working at New Look.

We offer training to support you and your career progression, so that you can be at your absolute best.

You’ll also receive these amazing benefits:

• 40% staff discount

• Monthly 25% off  privilege vouchers for family and friends to enjoy

• Quarterly sample sales

• Season ticket loans

Apply now to find out more.