Head of Engineering & Architecture | Vendor Solutions

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Key points

28/08/25
London, London
Market related
Contract
Product, Project Delivery & Transformation
Full time

Job role

Head of Engineering & Architecture - Vendor Assurance

Contract: 12 months (Inside IR35)
Rate: £800–£1,000 per day
Location: Remote-first, with meetings in London every other week
Start: ASAP (max 1-month notice period)
Openings: 2 roles

The Opportunity

We are seeking a highly experienced Head of Engineering/ Architecture with a strong solution architecture background. This is a hands-on, strategic role focused on vendor assurance, ensuring that external delivery partners meet technical, commercial, and business expectations.

Important: This role does not involve line management—you will not be leading teams. Instead, your focus is on:

Holding vendors accountable for quality and delivery.
Providing technical oversight across multiple domains (cloud, infrastructure, software, data).
Advising stakeholders and executives with credible solution architecture expertise.
Ensuring programmes deliver measurable business outcomes.

This role is broadly technical, not purely cloud-focused (AWS knowledge desirable but not essential), and ideal for someone who thrives as a technical leader and problem solver.

Key Responsibilities

Lead vendor assurance & quality control, ensuring delivery meets agreed standards.
Assess technical solutions, challenge assumptions, and mitigate risks.
Engage with executives, stakeholders, and vendors to drive clarity, accountability, and results.
Monitor KPIs and programme outcomes, ensuring delivery aligns with investment.
Operate as a technical advisor and quasi-Product Owner, guiding strategy without direct team management.

Required Experience

7+ years’ experience in solution architecture (essential).
10–15 years’ experience in technical leadership, programme management, or consulting.
Proven experience in vendor assurance / vendor quality management.
Broad technical knowledge across software, infrastructure, data, and cloud.
Strong stakeholder engagement—comfortable briefing executives and influencing decisions.
Consulting background (BCG, McKinsey, or similar) highly desirable.
Experience in startup/scale-up environments and/or large enterprise operations.
Technically astute, capable of deep-diving to assess vendor delivery and solution integrity.