Senior Architect - Knowledge Platforms

We have an exciting opportunity for a Senior Architect to join our Enterprise Architecture and Technology Platforms team, based in A&O Shearman’s Belfast office.

This is a senior architecture role with the opportunity to help shape the technology that enables our people to access knowledge, manage documents, collaborate and work more effectively across a global firm.

Working across our knowledge and productivity technology landscape, you will help define the architecture and future direction of key platforms, working closely with technology teams, business stakeholders and strategic suppliers. You will bring together expertise across areas such as Microsoft 365, document and content management, knowledge systems, enterprise search, integrations, and emerging AI capabilities. You will play a key role in ensuring these platforms are secure, scalable and well integrated, while helping us evolve our technology landscape to take advantage of new capabilities and ways of working.

• Define and evolve the architecture and technology roadmap for our knowledge and productivity platforms.
• Design secure, scalable, and integrated solutions across Microsoft 365, document and content management, knowledge and search platforms.
• Provide architectural leadership for new technology initiatives, upgrades and platform transformation.
• Work with business and technology stakeholders to translate requirements into practical, sustainable technology solutions.
• Shape integration approaches across cloud, SaaS and enterprise platforms, including APIs and identity services.
• Partner with Information Security, Enterprise Architecture and other technology teams to ensure solutions meet the firm's architecture, security and governance standards.
• Explore how AI and emerging technologies can enhance knowledge, collaboration and productivity across the firm.
• Provide technical direction and guidance to engineering and delivery teams.
• Work with strategic technology partners and suppliers, helping to influence product roadmaps and ensure solutions continue to meet the firm's needs.
• Contribute to wider architecture standards, principles and continuous improvement across our technology environment.

• Experience working in complex enterprise technology environments, with experience in solution, platform or enterprise architecture.
• Strong experience designing and evolving enterprise platforms, with the ability to create target-state architecture and technology roadmaps.
• Experience across one or more areas such as Microsoft 365, SharePoint, document management, content services, knowledge management, or enterprise search.
• A good understanding of modern integration approaches, including APIs, cloud/SaaS platforms, identity and security.
• Experience working with business and technology stakeholders to understand complex requirements and translate them into effective technical solutions.
• Strong understanding of architecture governance, information security, and technology risk.
• An interest in emerging technologies, including Microsoft Copilot and AI-enabled productivity and knowledge solutions.
• Strong communication and stakeholder management skills, with the ability to explain complex technical subjects clearly to technical and non-technical audiences.
• Experience within a legal or professional services environment would be advantageous, as would exposure to document management platforms such as iManage or NetDocuments.

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