Head of Business Design & Architecture

We are looking for a brand-new Head of Business Design & Architecture role to lead a newly formed, company-wide function at the heart of a major end-to-end organisational transformation. This is a senior, hands-on leadership position with genuine authority to shape outcomes, challenge decisions, and ensure high-quality design across the business.
The role will initially be supported by one Business Architect and will grow as the transformation progresses.

Role Purpose
You will be responsible for setting up and leading the Business Design & Architecture function, bringing together Business Architecture, a Business Analysis Centre of Excellence, and Service Design under a single, cohesive operating model. This is not an advisory role - you will be actively involved in delivery, assurance, and decision-making, with the mandate to push back where designs do not meet required standards.

Key Responsibilities

• Establish and lead the Business Design & Architecture function from the ground up.
• Provide strategic and hands-on leadership across Business Architecture, Business Analysis (CoE), and Service Design.
• Define and run a robust assurance function, ensuring designs align to strategy, outcomes, and delivery feasibility.
• Own and govern business design standards, principles, and decision-making across the organisation.
• Play a central role in a company-wide, end-to-end transformation programme, influencing change at scale.
• Act as a senior stakeholder partner with the credibility and confidence to challenge, approve, or reject designs.
• Build and develop the function over time, starting with one Business Architect.

• Significant depth and breadth of experience across Business Architecture, Business Analysis leadership, and Service Design.
• Proven experience leading or running assurance and governance functions.
• Strong transformation background, ideally within housing or similar complex, regulated environments (beneficial, not essential).
• Comfortable operating at senior leadership level while remaining hands-on and delivery-focused.
• Experience standing up new teams or functions within large-scale change programmes.