Application Architect

The role:

We are looking for an Application Architect to join our IT department in Bristol or London.

This key new role in the IT Applications team will help shape the future direction of the applications underpinning the critical processes supporting the operation of our next general law firm; how our lawyers record time, how new business opportunities are rapidly assessed and qualified, how our clients are billed.  The possibilities offered by AI and other emerging technologies mean the pace of change is faster than ever before.  Can you keep up and can you lead change at pace?

What will you do:

• Lead the technical design and development of the firm’s custom off-the-shelf application estate, working with internal and third-party developers and covering application integration and enterprise service bus architecture using cloud technologies.
• Evaluate possible novel solutions and designs to establish best approach in terms of user outcome, architecture and cost; doing what we’ve always done incrementally better is not always the way forward.
• Lead the technical aspects of the design and delivery of IT systems underpinning the firm’s business plan, running technical workshops and taking responsibility for the delivery of technical specifications to project teams.
• Conduct analyses of technology and associated operational processes, with a view to recommending application designs and strategies that will improve service, lower costs, and prevent unforeseen operational issues.
• Provide conceptual high-level designs and guidance on high-level estimates for investment mandates prior to project initiation, then progress approved designs through technical workshops and delivery of the technical specifications.
• Own and maintain appropriate documentation for systems and the global technical architecture, including integrations between systems.
• Own the definition, design and successful delivery of solutions that meet business requirements and ensure optimal integration with the future enterprise environment.
• Work closely with business stakeholders to define technology acceptance and adoption criteria, ensuring alignment with IT strategy.
• Alongside our Business Analysts, translate business needs into system solutions and produce technical specifications for review and delivery by developers and integrators, ensuring long-term supportability of the architecture.
• Working with the IT Security Architect and Infrastructure Architect to develop systems in line with Cyber Essentials Plus requirements and the ongoing technical strategies.
• Own the overall applications roadmap for continuous improvement, innovation, evolution and suitable replacement, keeping platforms and solutions current and secure, forecasting release patterns and continually addressing obsolescence.
• Define and own architectural best practices design for solutions required for both extensions to existing products and new disruptive innovations alike.
• Develop and maintain a detailed understanding of system components, purpose, capacity and performance, monitoring these throughout the application lifecycle to identify opportunities to improve performance and reduce costs.
• Ensure adherence to architectural, security and scalability best practices.

What we are looking for:

• Technical bachelor’s degree or equivalent.
• Minimum of 3 years of experience of working in IT applications engineering/architecture.
• Certified in or good experience using EA frameworks and methods e.g TOGAF.
• Experience with Elite, Intapp, Workday and iManage (Cloud, Work 10) and other legal information systems.
• Deep understanding of the capabilities of the Microsoft technology stack (M365).
• Experience implementing legal Innovation technology.
• Understanding of On-Prem, Hybrid and Public Cloud Infrastructure services and Networking fundamentals, technologies and associated infrastructures.
• Experience with Public/hybrid cloud solutions and architectures ( e.g. Microsoft Azure, Amazon web services, VMware, Cisco).
• Knowledge of hypervisors (VMware, Hyper-V) operating systems (Linux and Windows) and middleware (appservers, webservers, databases and others) and Containers (Kubernetes, Docker, etc).
• An energetic and proactive approach, identifying and implementing opportunities.
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills.
• Experience of the services sector culture, ideally within legal, professional or financial services.
• A collaborative team player with excellent communication, networking, relationship building and business partnering skills.
• Able to obtain clarity from ambiguity.
• Able to work effectively as part of a diverse and inclusive team.
• Commercial and Service focused attitude.
• Confident and clear communication (verbal and written) with people at all levels of the business hierarchy.
• Able to respond quickly to requests, manage time effectively, and work under pressure.
• Proactive nature, organised, able to structure own work.
• Able to use initiative and make suggestions to change processes where required.
• High level of accuracy and attention to detail.

Career Level:

The career level assigned to this role is level 5. The career level framework provides a formal structure for the business services functions at the firm. The framework, which ranges from level 1 to level 7, clearly defines the responsibilities, skills and competencies required at each level.

Here at Simmons & Simmons:

At Simmons, we are proud of our collaborative, open and non-hierarchical culture, where everyone is treated with respect and dignity and the wellbeing of our people is paramount. Our dynamic minds work as one integrated team, partnering with leading organisations on inspirational and thought-provoking projects that matter. From day one, irrespective of job title, qualification or background, everyone’s voice is heard, and you are encouraged to have an enquiring mind and share ideas that drive the firm forward. Through innovative learning and development opportunities, you will have a platform to excel, exceed your career ambitions, and achieve things you never thought possible.

Some key information:

• We offer a competitive package including bonuses dependant on role/level, private medical insurance and pension contribution.
• Our global skills academy provides our people, regardless of their role and location, with excellent learning opportunities (including live workshops, podcasts, short videos and practical learning experiences).
• We have adopted a hybrid working approach with a requirement for a minimum of three days in the office with flexibility dependant on role/team/client demands.
• We are proud to rank as a Times Top 50 Employer for Gender Equality, a Stonewall Top Global Employer, and a Top 75 Employer for Social Mobility.
• We have a range of social and sports committees, summer and winter parties and monthly get togethers.
• We have a range of diversity networks to connect people and celebrate our differences which is integral to our inclusive culture.
• All UK offices have their own artwork collections – including Damien Hirst and Tracey Emin pieces in the London office. We have a long-standing history in supporting the art community especially up-and-coming artists.
• We have recently introduced a Strategic Advisory Council which is a mix of associates and business services who will propose strategic initiatives that align with our firm's mission and support the delivery of our business plan, shaping the future of our next-generation law firm.
• Our in-house generative AI tool, Percy, won the ‘Innovation in Automation and AI Tools’ category at the 2024 FT Innovative Lawyers Europe Awards. This achievement highlights our commitment to technological innovation and client service.
• We have been commended in The Times Best Law Firms 2026 across three categories: construction, employment, and intellectual property. Our profile is highly positive, highlighting our sector specialisms and notable case and transactional work.

Equal opportunities:

We are committed to fostering equality, diversity and inclusion within our firm and to ensuring equal employment opportunities. We believe that this commitment creates a vibrant and rewarding work environment. We are therefore committed to:

• Upholding equal opportunities, regardless of race, ethnicity, religion, belief, age, disability, sexual orientation, sex, gender reassignment, gender identity, marital status, or pregnancy, including maternity and paternity. This commitment extends to addressing any instances of perceived or associative discrimination and harassment. We also ensure fair treatment during recruitment and selection processes for those who are serving or have served in the armed forces, along with their families.
• Accommodating requests for flexible working arrangements whenever possible. We encourage you to discuss your needs with us if this is something you require.
• Making our roles accessible to individuals with diverse abilities. If you need any reasonable adjustments during the recruitment process, please let us know so we can meet your needs.
• We offer a range of employee networks to support our colleagues. More information about these networks can be found in the D&I Information booklet that candidates are sent when invited to interview.

We encourage you to apply even if you don't meet every single requirement. We are looking for individuals who are passionate and eager to learn and grow with us. Your unique experiences and perspectives could be a great addition to our team.

We reserve the right to close this vacancy early if we receive sufficient applications for the role. Therefore, if you are interested, please submit your application as early as possible.

If you’re interested in finding out more about this position, please contact the Recruitment Team. To apply for the role, click on the link at the top of the page or visit our careers page for more details.