Hybrid Chief Architect

at Leonardo

• Job title: Chief Architect
• Job type: Full Time
• Experience level: Lead
• Salary: Not specified
• Degree requirement: Bachelor's Degree
• Tech skills: ERP
• Location requirements: Hybrid, Roma, Italy

About the role

• Chief Architect for GCAP HQ leading strategic architectural initiatives in a multinational defence programme. Building a high-performing architecture team to drive innovation and operational excellence.

Responsibilities

• Define and continuously evolve the enterprise and solution architecture strategy to enable the Joint Venture’s mission, focusing on modular open systems, digital engineering, zero trust security, and federated operations
• Partner with the Head of Technology to shape the forward-looking architecture roadmap, ensuring our digital strategy remains adaptive, innovative, and aligned with future threats, technologies, and mission needs
• Build and lead a high-performing architecture team, fostering deep collaboration with value stream leads, engineering authorities, and security teams
• Work closely with the Chief Engineer to ensure seamless integration of digital, product, platform, and mission system architectures, aligning digital and physical design domains into a unified engineering strategy
• Actively challenge traditional defence design approaches, bringing fresh thinking, commercial best practice, and emerging technologies to reimagine how defence architectures are designed, integrated, and evolved
• Champion a federated architecture approach that respects national sovereignty while enabling interoperability and collaboration at pace across three nations and multiple industrial partners
• Establish and lead architecture governance processes that focus on mission outcomes, value delivery, and design integrity
• Lead the definition and integration of Zero Trust principles and mission-assured architectures that meet the highest security and export control standards

Requirements

• 15+ years of experience in solution architecture roles
• Proven track record leading architectural transformation across large-scale defence, aerospace, or critical national infrastructure domains
• Strong understanding of digital engineering environments, including PLM, MBSE, ERP, and digital twin architectures
• Demonstrated experience in architecting modular, open systems and applying Zero Trust and secure-by-design principles
• Expert knowledge of architecture frameworks and methodologies (e.g. TOGAF, MoDAF/NAVAF, Zachman) and modern DevSecOps practices
• Exceptional leadership and communication skills, with the ability to influence senior stakeholders and lead diverse, cross-functional teams
• Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Engineering, Computer Science, Systems Architecture, or related field

Benefits

• Hybrid Working
• Professional development opportunities