Cambridge University Press & Assessment
Shaftesbury Road, Cambridge, UK
Job Title: Lead Software Architect
Salary: £68,600 to £91,700
Location: Cambridge, UK – Hybrid
Contract: Permanent
Hours: Full time, 35 Hours Per Week
Are you enthusiastic about shaping technology that delivers impact at scale?
As we continue to evolve our digital platforms to support learners, lecturers and researchers around the world, we are looking to appoint an experienced and motivated Lead Software Architect to join our Academic Technology group here at Cambridge University Press & Assessment, a world‑leading academic publisher and assessment organisation and a proud part of the University of Cambridge.
This is a fantastic opportunity to play a meaningful role in shaping the technical foundations of globally used digital products, ensuring they remain scalable, secure and fit for the future.
About the role
As Lead Software Architect, you will be accountable for owning the software architecture and engineering delivery across a product or platform vertical within our Academic Technology group.
Working at the intersection of solution architecture, product and engineering, you will translate solution designs and product priorities into well‑architected, shippable software, ensuring that technical direction is sound and delivery is sustained from planning through to production and live operation.
You will provide technical leadership across the full engineering lifecycle, including backend and frontend architecture, infrastructure, CI/CD pipelines and operational readiness. While this is not primarily a hands‑on coding role, it requires a strong engineering background and the ability to review code, challenge design decisions, unblock engineers and engage directly where it adds value.
A core aspect of the role is leading the adoption of AI‑enhanced engineering practices. You will shape how teams use AI‑assisted tooling across planning, development and quality assurance, focusing on responsible, practical use that measurably improves delivery quality, throughput and maintainability.
You will work closely with Solution Architects, Product Owners and UX colleagues to ensure requirements are technically feasible, well specified and correctly decomposed, acting as the key technical bridge between solution intent and engineering execution.
Additional responsibilities and accountabilities:
Owning the software architecture for an assigned product or platform area, ensuring solutions support both current delivery and future scalability.
Driving engineering delivery from planning through to production, translating solution designs into implementable engineering plans with clear scope, dependencies and sequencing.
Providing technical leadership and direction to distributed engineering teams, including Far shore, near shore and contract resources.
Removing technical blockers, making pragmatic trade‑off decisions and keeping delivery on track.
Defining and upholding technical standards, patterns and engineering conventions.
Leading the adoption of AI‑assisted software development practices and tooling across engineering teams.
Owning operational readiness, including infrastructure, CI/CD pipelines, monitoring and developer experience.
Evaluating technology and tooling choices, including build‑vs‑buy decisions, with clear and defensible rationale.
This position has been classified as a hybrid role, requiring the selected candidate to typically spend 40-60% of their time collaborating and connecting face-to-face at their dedicated location. Aside from our hybrid principles, other flexible working requests will be considered from the first day of employment, including other work arrangements should you require adjustments due to a disability or long-term health condition.
About You
As a senior software architecture or engineering leader, you will have a proven record of owning complex platforms or digital products end‑to‑end. You will be confident operating across technical and non‑technical audiences, bringing sound judgement, strong communication skills and a pragmatic approach to decision‑making.
You will have experience translating product and solution designs into engineering delivery, leading distributed teams, and balancing technical quality with delivery pace in complex environments.
If you meet the above minimum requirements, we encourage you to apply.
Your application will be even stronger if you can also demonstrate experience in content platforms, education technology, modern web technology stacks, or introducing new engineering tools and practices.
For a detailed job description, refer to the link at the bottom of the advert on our careers site.
We are a Disability Confident (DC) employer that is committed to equality and inclusion ensuring our recruitment process is accessible to all. The DC scheme's Offer of an Interview commitment applies to applicants who opt in, and disclose a disability or a long-term health condition, and best meet the minimum criteria for the role. In instances where interviewing all qualifying candidates is not practicable, we prioritise those who best meet the minimum criteria, as we would for applicants who do not have a disability or long-term health condition.
Cambridge University Press & Assessment is an approved UK employer for the sponsorship of eligible roles and applicants under the Skilled Worker visa route. Please refer to the gov.uk website for guidance to understand your own eligibility based on the role you are applying for.
Rewards and benefits
We will support you to be at your best in work and to live well outside of it. In addition to competitive salaries, we offer a world-class, flexible rewards package , featuring family-friendly and planet-friendly benefits including:
28 days annual leave plus bank holidays
Private medical, Dental and Permanent Health Insurance
Discretionary annual bonus
Group personal pension scheme
Life assurance up to 4 x annual salary
Green travel schemes
Ready to pursue your potential? Apply now.
We aim to support candidates by making our interview process clear and transparent. The closing date for all applications will be 8th May. We will review applications on an ongoing basis, and shortlisted candidates can expect interviews to take place shortly after it closes.
We aim to support candidates by making our interview process clear and transparent. If you are shortlisted and progressed through the stages, you can expect:
2 questions to answer at the application stage with a CV.
A 15-minute screening call with the Hiring Manager.
First stage interview, in person (if possible) with senior engineering and product colleagues.
Final stage interview: with Hiring Manager and Group Director, in-person at our offices in Cambridge.
If you require any reasonable adjustments during the recruitment process due to a disability or a long-term health condition, there will be an opportunity for you to inform us via the online application form. We will do our best to accommodate your needs.
Please note that successful applicants will be subject to satisfactory background checks including DBS due to working in a regulated industry.
We are committed to an equitable recruitment process. As such, applications must be submitted via our official online application procedure. Please refrain from sending your CV directly to our recruiters. If you experience technical difficulties or require additional support with submitting your online application, contact the Recruiter.
Why join us
Joining us is your opportunity to pursue potential. You will belong to a collaborative team that is exploring new and better ways to serve students, teachers, and researchers across the globe – for the benefit of individuals, society, and the world. Sharing our mission will inspire your own growth, development and progress, in an environment which embraces difference, change and aspiration.
Cambridge University Press & Assessment is committed to being a place where anyone can enjoy a successful career, where it is safe to speak up, and where we learn continuously to improve together. We welcome applications from all candidates, regardless of demographic characteristics (age, disability, educational attainment, ethnicity, gender, marital status, neurodiversity, religion, sex, gender identity and sexual identity), cultural, or social class/background.
We believe better outcomes come through diversity of thought, background and approach. We welcome applications from people from all backgrounds and communities, actively seeking to employ people from a wide range of different communities.
Job Title: Lead Software Architect
Salary: £68,600 to £91,700
Location: Cambridge, UK – Hybrid
Contract: Permanent
Hours: Full time, 35 Hours Per Week
Are you enthusiastic about shaping technology that delivers impact at scale?
As we continue to evolve our digital platforms to support learners, lecturers and researchers around the world, we are looking to appoint an experienced and motivated Lead Software Architect to join our Academic Technology group here at Cambridge University Press & Assessment, a world‑leading academic publisher and assessment organisation and a proud part of the University of Cambridge.
This is a fantastic opportunity to play a meaningful role in shaping the technical foundations of globally used digital products, ensuring they remain scalable, secure and fit for the future.
About the role
As Lead Software Architect, you will be accountable for owning the software architecture and engineering delivery across a product or platform vertical within our Academic Technology group.
Working at the intersection of solution architecture, product and engineering, you will translate solution designs and product priorities into well‑architected, shippable software, ensuring that technical direction is sound and delivery is sustained from planning through to production and live operation.
You will provide technical leadership across the full engineering lifecycle, including backend and frontend architecture, infrastructure, CI/CD pipelines and operational readiness. While this is not primarily a hands‑on coding role, it requires a strong engineering background and the ability to review code, challenge design decisions, unblock engineers and engage directly where it adds value.
A core aspect of the role is leading the adoption of AI‑enhanced engineering practices. You will shape how teams use AI‑assisted tooling across planning, development and quality assurance, focusing on responsible, practical use that measurably improves delivery quality, throughput and maintainability.
You will work closely with Solution Architects, Product Owners and UX colleagues to ensure requirements are technically feasible, well specified and correctly decomposed, acting as the key technical bridge between solution intent and engineering execution.
Additional responsibilities and accountabilities:
Owning the software architecture for an assigned product or platform area, ensuring solutions support both current delivery and future scalability.
Driving engineering delivery from planning through to production, translating solution designs into implementable engineering plans with clear scope, dependencies and sequencing.
Providing technical leadership and direction to distributed engineering teams, including Far shore, near shore and contract resources.
Removing technical blockers, making pragmatic trade‑off decisions and keeping delivery on track.
Defining and upholding technical standards, patterns and engineering conventions.
Leading the adoption of AI‑assisted software development practices and tooling across engineering teams.
Owning operational readiness, including infrastructure, CI/CD pipelines, monitoring and developer experience.
Evaluating technology and tooling choices, including build‑vs‑buy decisions, with clear and defensible rationale.
This position has been classified as a hybrid role, requiring the selected candidate to typically spend 40-60% of their time collaborating and connecting face-to-face at their dedicated location. Aside from our hybrid principles, other flexible working requests will be considered from the first day of employment, including other work arrangements should you require adjustments due to a disability or long-term health condition.
About You
As a senior software architecture or engineering leader, you will have a proven record of owning complex platforms or digital products end‑to‑end. You will be confident operating across technical and non‑technical audiences, bringing sound judgement, strong communication skills and a pragmatic approach to decision‑making.
You will have experience translating product and solution designs into engineering delivery, leading distributed teams, and balancing technical quality with delivery pace in complex environments.
If you meet the above minimum requirements, we encourage you to apply.
Your application will be even stronger if you can also demonstrate experience in content platforms, education technology, modern web technology stacks, or introducing new engineering tools and practices.
For a detailed job description, refer to the link at the bottom of the advert on our careers site.
We are a Disability Confident (DC) employer that is committed to equality and inclusion ensuring our recruitment process is accessible to all. The DC scheme's Offer of an Interview commitment applies to applicants who opt in, and disclose a disability or a long-term health condition, and best meet the minimum criteria for the role. In instances where interviewing all qualifying candidates is not practicable, we prioritise those who best meet the minimum criteria, as we would for applicants who do not have a disability or long-term health condition.
Cambridge University Press & Assessment is an approved UK employer for the sponsorship of eligible roles and applicants under the Skilled Worker visa route. Please refer to the gov.uk website for guidance to understand your own eligibility based on the role you are applying for.
Rewards and benefits
We will support you to be at your best in work and to live well outside of it. In addition to competitive salaries, we offer a world-class, flexible rewards package , featuring family-friendly and planet-friendly benefits including:
28 days annual leave plus bank holidays
Private medical, Dental and Permanent Health Insurance
Discretionary annual bonus
Group personal pension scheme
Life assurance up to 4 x annual salary
Green travel schemes
Ready to pursue your potential? Apply now.
We aim to support candidates by making our interview process clear and transparent. The closing date for all applications will be 8th May. We will review applications on an ongoing basis, and shortlisted candidates can expect interviews to take place shortly after it closes.
We aim to support candidates by making our interview process clear and transparent. If you are shortlisted and progressed through the stages, you can expect:
2 questions to answer at the application stage with a CV.
A 15-minute screening call with the Hiring Manager.
First stage interview, in person (if possible) with senior engineering and product colleagues.
Final stage interview: with Hiring Manager and Group Director, in-person at our offices in Cambridge.
If you require any reasonable adjustments during the recruitment process due to a disability or a long-term health condition, there will be an opportunity for you to inform us via the online application form. We will do our best to accommodate your needs.
Please note that successful applicants will be subject to satisfactory background checks including DBS due to working in a regulated industry.
We are committed to an equitable recruitment process. As such, applications must be submitted via our official online application procedure. Please refrain from sending your CV directly to our recruiters. If you experience technical difficulties or require additional support with submitting your online application, contact the Recruiter.
Why join us
Joining us is your opportunity to pursue potential. You will belong to a collaborative team that is exploring new and better ways to serve students, teachers, and researchers across the globe – for the benefit of individuals, society, and the world. Sharing our mission will inspire your own growth, development and progress, in an environment which embraces difference, change and aspiration.
Cambridge University Press & Assessment is committed to being a place where anyone can enjoy a successful career, where it is safe to speak up, and where we learn continuously to improve together. We welcome applications from all candidates, regardless of demographic characteristics (age, disability, educational attainment, ethnicity, gender, marital status, neurodiversity, religion, sex, gender identity and sexual identity), cultural, or social class/background.
We believe better outcomes come through diversity of thought, background and approach. We welcome applications from people from all backgrounds and communities, actively seeking to employ people from a wide range of different communities.
Queen Alexandra Charity
Harborne, Birmingham, UK
We are looking for a proactive and values driven IT Systems Engineer to design, secure, and maintain business-critical systems. To work closely with QACE and QAC to support the following environments;
1. QAC – Enterprises – All Formats, which is a transcription service with a separate IT infrastructure to maintain industry standards (e.g. PCI DSS, ISO27001, Cyber Essentials).
2. Queen Alexandra Charity– the wider organisation, which includes QAC College (education environment).
While the primary focus is expected to be on QACE, there may be periods where the emphasis shifts toward QAC, working with the QAC IT team to provide technical expertise, guidance and support depending on business needs.
Salary £41885.48 - £51,717.12 p.a* (PP22 – M9) *Dependant on qualifications, knowledge & experience.
Hours 37 hours per week/52 weeks per year These hours would be actioned any time between 7.00am to 19.00pm Participation in out of hours emergency work to support critical systems (out of hours work may include, evenings and/or weekends).
Interview Date - Monday 11th May 2026
Essential Criteria
Relevant industry qualifications (e.g., MSP, Security+, CCNA, Palo Alto)
5+ years' experience building, administrating, hardening, upgrades, troubleshooting; o Backup infrastructure o Network Infrastructure (inc network segmentation) o Servers (Hyper v, Windows, Linux) o Cloud Services (e.g. Entra, MS365) o On prem Services (Active Directory, SIEM, Print, Access Control, CCTV) o Perform hardware lifecycle tasks, including OS installation and upgrades, patch management, development, security hardening and testing compatibility (Windows 11, Windows server, NAS, Network Infrastructure) o Manage software licenses
Practical experience of: o Cyber Security best practices § SIEM, Identify Access Management, TLS, certificates, HSM/key management basics, and secure cipher suites, Endpoint Protection, vulnerability assessment and Patch Management.
Demonstrable knowledge of PCI DSS and ISO 27001 concepts
Security-first mindset, with strong problem-solving skills and attention to detail
Ability to interpret standards and translate them into practical, automated controls
Strong written and verbal communication skills
Able to produce high quality, clear documentation and guidance
Ability to manage key stakeholder relationships across a range of functions (Operations, Security, Audit)
Action-orientated, with the ability to take ownership. Comfortable operating in high-availability environments
Strong commitment to equality, diversity and inclusion. Identifies with and demonstrates QAC Vision and Values and FREDIE (Fairness, Respect, Equality, Diversity, Inclusion and Engagement)
Ability to work flexibly, including as part of out of hours cover
Car driver, clean current driving licence and access to own vehicle
For a full account please refer to the job description found on the QAC Website
We are looking for a proactive and values driven IT Systems Engineer to design, secure, and maintain business-critical systems. To work closely with QACE and QAC to support the following environments;
1. QAC – Enterprises – All Formats, which is a transcription service with a separate IT infrastructure to maintain industry standards (e.g. PCI DSS, ISO27001, Cyber Essentials).
2. Queen Alexandra Charity– the wider organisation, which includes QAC College (education environment).
While the primary focus is expected to be on QACE, there may be periods where the emphasis shifts toward QAC, working with the QAC IT team to provide technical expertise, guidance and support depending on business needs.
Salary £41885.48 - £51,717.12 p.a* (PP22 – M9) *Dependant on qualifications, knowledge & experience.
Hours 37 hours per week/52 weeks per year These hours would be actioned any time between 7.00am to 19.00pm Participation in out of hours emergency work to support critical systems (out of hours work may include, evenings and/or weekends).
Interview Date - Monday 11th May 2026
Essential Criteria
Relevant industry qualifications (e.g., MSP, Security+, CCNA, Palo Alto)
5+ years' experience building, administrating, hardening, upgrades, troubleshooting; o Backup infrastructure o Network Infrastructure (inc network segmentation) o Servers (Hyper v, Windows, Linux) o Cloud Services (e.g. Entra, MS365) o On prem Services (Active Directory, SIEM, Print, Access Control, CCTV) o Perform hardware lifecycle tasks, including OS installation and upgrades, patch management, development, security hardening and testing compatibility (Windows 11, Windows server, NAS, Network Infrastructure) o Manage software licenses
Practical experience of: o Cyber Security best practices § SIEM, Identify Access Management, TLS, certificates, HSM/key management basics, and secure cipher suites, Endpoint Protection, vulnerability assessment and Patch Management.
Demonstrable knowledge of PCI DSS and ISO 27001 concepts
Security-first mindset, with strong problem-solving skills and attention to detail
Ability to interpret standards and translate them into practical, automated controls
Strong written and verbal communication skills
Able to produce high quality, clear documentation and guidance
Ability to manage key stakeholder relationships across a range of functions (Operations, Security, Audit)
Action-orientated, with the ability to take ownership. Comfortable operating in high-availability environments
Strong commitment to equality, diversity and inclusion. Identifies with and demonstrates QAC Vision and Values and FREDIE (Fairness, Respect, Equality, Diversity, Inclusion and Engagement)
Ability to work flexibly, including as part of out of hours cover
Car driver, clean current driving licence and access to own vehicle
For a full account please refer to the job description found on the QAC Website
Node4
United Kingdom
Become a change maker and join Node4.
Node4 have a committed, talented, and diverse workforce that is growing all the time, but as we expand through our own growth and acquisitions, we never lose sight of the most important part of our business - our people. We want you to grow, learn, and evolve alongside us.
So, whether you're just starting out in your career or looking to progress as an industry professional, Node4 has a place for you.
About the role As a Public Cloud Second Line Engineer, you’ll provide advanced, customer‑facing technical support across Microsoft Azure and Microsoft 365 within a managed services environment. Acting as a key escalation point from 1st Line, you’ll take ownership of incidents and service requests end‑to‑end – from deep technical investigation through to resolution or structured escalation to 3rd Line engineering teams.
You’ll work hands‑on with cloud and productivity platforms, diagnose complex issues, apply permanent fixes where appropriate, and communicate clearly with customers throughout the incident lifecycle. You’ll also collaborate closely with internal teams to ensure services are delivered in line with agreed SLAs and customer expectations.
This role will also include providing on‑site cover when required at a customer site in West Yorkshire, as well as participation in an on‑call rota, including night shifts.
What you’ll be doing
Acting as a 2nd Line escalation point for Azure and Microsoft 365 incidents and service requests
Owning incidents from investigation through to resolution, keeping customers informed throughout
Providing advanced troubleshooting across Microsoft Azure, including:
Virtual Machines
Azure Storage, Backup and Recovery
Azure Monitor, Log Analytics and alerting
Azure Active Directory and RBAC
Supporting Microsoft 365 services, including:
Exchange Online (mail flow, mailbox issues, permissions and hybrid scenarios)
SharePoint Online and OneDrive for Business
Microsoft Teams (calling, meetings, integrations and client issues)
Microsoft 365 security and compliance features (where applicable)
Escalating complex or high‑impact issues to 3rd Line teams with clear technical detail and evidence
Supporting planned changes, maintenance and service improvement activities
Creating and maintaining technical documentation, knowledge base articles and known error records
Working closely with Service Desk, Cloud Engineering and wider teams to deliver a consistent support experience
Providing on‑site support when required
What will you bring?
2–3 years’ experience supporting Microsoft technologies in a production environment
Strong hands‑on experience with Microsoft Azure
Strong experience supporting Microsoft 365 workloads
Experience supporting hybrid environments (on‑premises integrated with Azure and M365)
Working knowledge of ITIL‑aligned support environments
Excellent customer service skills with the ability to manage multiple priorities
Strong troubleshooting, analytical and problem‑solving capability
Clear written and verbal communication skills, including technical documentation
Ability to achieve and maintain NPPV3 with SC clearance
Desirable:
Valid UK driving licence and access to a car
Microsoft certifications such as AZ‑900 and AZ‑104
Experience supporting large or complex tenant environments
What can we offer you?
Hybrid Working
Private Medical Insurance or Company Paid Health Cash Plan
Employee Assistance Program
25 days holidays plus your birthday off
Option to purchase additional holiday (up to 5 days)
Company Pension Scheme
Life Assurance x 4
A diverse workforce
Employee investment with Node4 training Academy
Family savings and shopping discounts through the Node4 benefits portal.
Discounted Gym Membership
Modern facilities with open and welcoming breakout areas
Company Social events
Never ending supply of hot and cold drinks, biscuits, sweets, and fruit
Why join Node4?
Founded in 2004, Node4 has experienced exceptional growth and success over the years. From an office in Derby to locations nationwide. From three people to a workforce of over 1200. We believe that our people are the driving force behind our success. We are a vibrant, passionate, and diverse team committed to providing exceptional service as standard. We are proud of our employees and the environment that reflects our core business values of Passion, Innovation, and Trust.
Become a change maker and join Node4.
Node4 have a committed, talented, and diverse workforce that is growing all the time, but as we expand through our own growth and acquisitions, we never lose sight of the most important part of our business - our people. We want you to grow, learn, and evolve alongside us.
So, whether you're just starting out in your career or looking to progress as an industry professional, Node4 has a place for you.
About the role As a Public Cloud Second Line Engineer, you’ll provide advanced, customer‑facing technical support across Microsoft Azure and Microsoft 365 within a managed services environment. Acting as a key escalation point from 1st Line, you’ll take ownership of incidents and service requests end‑to‑end – from deep technical investigation through to resolution or structured escalation to 3rd Line engineering teams.
You’ll work hands‑on with cloud and productivity platforms, diagnose complex issues, apply permanent fixes where appropriate, and communicate clearly with customers throughout the incident lifecycle. You’ll also collaborate closely with internal teams to ensure services are delivered in line with agreed SLAs and customer expectations.
This role will also include providing on‑site cover when required at a customer site in West Yorkshire, as well as participation in an on‑call rota, including night shifts.
What you’ll be doing
Acting as a 2nd Line escalation point for Azure and Microsoft 365 incidents and service requests
Owning incidents from investigation through to resolution, keeping customers informed throughout
Providing advanced troubleshooting across Microsoft Azure, including:
Virtual Machines
Azure Storage, Backup and Recovery
Azure Monitor, Log Analytics and alerting
Azure Active Directory and RBAC
Supporting Microsoft 365 services, including:
Exchange Online (mail flow, mailbox issues, permissions and hybrid scenarios)
SharePoint Online and OneDrive for Business
Microsoft Teams (calling, meetings, integrations and client issues)
Microsoft 365 security and compliance features (where applicable)
Escalating complex or high‑impact issues to 3rd Line teams with clear technical detail and evidence
Supporting planned changes, maintenance and service improvement activities
Creating and maintaining technical documentation, knowledge base articles and known error records
Working closely with Service Desk, Cloud Engineering and wider teams to deliver a consistent support experience
Providing on‑site support when required
What will you bring?
2–3 years’ experience supporting Microsoft technologies in a production environment
Strong hands‑on experience with Microsoft Azure
Strong experience supporting Microsoft 365 workloads
Experience supporting hybrid environments (on‑premises integrated with Azure and M365)
Working knowledge of ITIL‑aligned support environments
Excellent customer service skills with the ability to manage multiple priorities
Strong troubleshooting, analytical and problem‑solving capability
Clear written and verbal communication skills, including technical documentation
Ability to achieve and maintain NPPV3 with SC clearance
Desirable:
Valid UK driving licence and access to a car
Microsoft certifications such as AZ‑900 and AZ‑104
Experience supporting large or complex tenant environments
What can we offer you?
Hybrid Working
Private Medical Insurance or Company Paid Health Cash Plan
Employee Assistance Program
25 days holidays plus your birthday off
Option to purchase additional holiday (up to 5 days)
Company Pension Scheme
Life Assurance x 4
A diverse workforce
Employee investment with Node4 training Academy
Family savings and shopping discounts through the Node4 benefits portal.
Discounted Gym Membership
Modern facilities with open and welcoming breakout areas
Company Social events
Never ending supply of hot and cold drinks, biscuits, sweets, and fruit
Why join Node4?
Founded in 2004, Node4 has experienced exceptional growth and success over the years. From an office in Derby to locations nationwide. From three people to a workforce of over 1200. We believe that our people are the driving force behind our success. We are a vibrant, passionate, and diverse team committed to providing exceptional service as standard. We are proud of our employees and the environment that reflects our core business values of Passion, Innovation, and Trust.
