Business Architect

Business Architect

Fixed Term, Full Time

£60,049 to £70,645 per annum

Location: Chelmsford

Working Style: Anywhere worker

Please note this vacancy is available as a fixed term contract or secondment opportunity for up to 6 months.

Join a Council Shaping the Future of Public Services

Essex Digital Service is at the forefront of supporting Local Government Reorganisation across Essex - shaping how services are delivered not just within Essex County Council, but across the entire public sector landscape. We’re building digital foundations and shared capabilities that make it easier, safer, and more joined‑up for residents and colleagues to get things done, wherever they are in Essex.

We design and deliver modern, user‑centred digital solutions that work seamlessly across organisations, enabling better outcomes in social care, education, transport, the environment and beyond. Our vision is to create digitally empowered, 21st‑century public services that operate across boundaries, strengthen collaboration, and deliver lasting value for every community in Essex.

In this strategic, timebound role, you’ll play a pivotal part in shaping how public services are delivered across the whole of Essex as part of Local Government Reorganisation (LGR). You’ll help design the future operating model for a more integrated, efficient, and citizen focused local government system. As a Business Architect, you’ll lead a complex portfolio of cross organisation architecture and design work that enables collaboration, simplifies how services operate across boundaries, and supports Essex’s ambition to build a modern, coherent, and digitally enabled public service landscape.

You’ll bring expert insight, challenge assumptions, and foster innovation- bridging the gap between strategy and delivery to help Essex partners make informed decisions and implement meaningful, system‑wide change.

To read more about our business area, please visit: Corporate Services

Key Responsibilities

• Act as a trusted advisor to senior leaders across ECC and the wider Essex system, providing expert guidance on current and future operating models that support evidence‑based decision‑making for Local Government Reorganisation.
• Develop a shared, system‑wide view of business needs, capabilities and end‑to‑end processes to inform strategic investment, integration and change planning across LGR partners.
• Create scalable business models and architectures using recognised frameworks to ensure alignment across councils and service areas involved in LGR.
• Analyse complex, cross‑organisational business and user challenges, assess digital and organisational maturity, and recommend solutions that drive system‑wide transformation and value.
• Lead the business architecture elements of high‑level business cases, ensuring they reflect LGR priorities, shared outcomes and collective funding considerations.
• Deliver a portfolio of business architecture and service design work, including future operating models and service structures, that strengthen consistency, efficiency and user experience across the Essex system.
• Collaborate with HR, organisational development teams and LGR workstreams to assess transformation impacts and ensure change is well‑managed across multiple organisations.
• Explore and advocate for emerging technologies and shared digital capabilities that can enhance services and improve the operating model across Essex.
• Define and maintain principles, patterns and standards that guide a consistent, Essex‑wide approach to business architecture aligned with LGR ambitions.

The Experience You Will Bring

• Educated to degree level or equivalent in a relevant subject, with extensive experience in business architecture within digital services or public sector environments.
• Accredited in TOGAF 9.2 (or similar), with working knowledge of frameworks such as ArchiMate, BPMN, COBIT, and IT4IT.
• Proven ability to analyse complex business problems and develop strategic, scalable solutions.
• Strong communication and interpersonal skills, with the ability to influence and inspire stakeholders at all levels.
• Experience leading enterprise business solutions, including process reengineering and organisational design programmes.
• Knowledge of change management tools and techniques, with experience supporting transformation initiatives.
• Keen interest in emerging technologies and their application in digital service delivery.
• Committed to continuous professional development and staying current with evolving delivery models and methodologies.

Why Essex?

As one of the largest and most dynamic UK local authorities, Essex offers a stimulating public service environment. Covering over 1,420 square miles and serving 1.8 million residents, we’re committed to transformational change and delivering better quality at lower cost. Recognised in the top three of the latest IMPOWER index for productivity, we ensure everyone matters in Everyone's Essex. With flexible working options and a focus on innovation, whether you are looking to develop your career or contribute to the local community, Essex is the ideal place for you.

In February 2025, Greater Essex was accepted onto the Government’s devolution priority programme, which will see local authorities in Essex work towards establishing a Mayoral Combined County Authority by May 2026. You can read more about devolution and local government reorganisation (LGR) on our careers site.

Essex County Council is proud to be a Disability Confident Leader. We’re committed to interview all disabled applicants who choose to apply under our Job Interview Scheme if they meet the minimum requirements of the job. Please speak to our Recruiters if you require any reasonable adjustments during the process. We’re also committed to interview all veterans and care leavers, who meet the minimum requirements of the role for which they are applying.

Once you’ve secured your role within Essex County Council you will receive many great employee benefits, including support for unpaid carers and flexible working arrangements to accommodate their needs.

At Essex County Council, we value integrity and ethical behaviour. We kindly ask that you embrace our code of conduct and the Nolan principles, including throughout the recruitment process. Your commitment to these standards helps us maintain a positive and respectful workplace for everyone.

As part of employment with Essex County Council (ECC) should your role require a DBS check you will be required to register with the DBS update service. The DBS update service ensures all registered DBS certificates are kept up to date and allows authorised parties to view the status of your certificate. This is an annual subscription, and you will be responsible for ensuring this is maintained. For further information on the DBS update service please go to https://www.gov.uk/dbs-update-service

Essex County Council is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and vulnerable adults, and expects all employees and volunteers to share this commitment.

If you would like to be kept up to date on other relevant opportunities, blogs, news, events and industry related news at Essex County Council, please join The Essex Talent Community

If you have queries on this role or require anything further, please email resourcing.team@essex.gov.uk

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