Head of AI Architecture

Hastings Direct is an agile, data and digitally focused general insurance provider to the UK market, offering a full range of car, van, bike and home insurance products. But it’s our attitude and the way we run our business that makes us different.  

It’s a dynamic, flexible, fun and constantly changing environment, so it takes a certain kind of individual to thrive here - just ask any of our ~4700 colleagues. If you’re clearly a Hastings Direct person, you’ll enjoy the scope to make a real difference for our customers, influence our company, benefit the communities we work in and have some fun along the way!    

About the role

As a member of the Group Architecture Leadership Team, the role contributes to enterprise-wide architecture strategy, governance, technology investment decisions, talent development and the evolution of architecture practice across Hastings Direct. The Head of AI Architecture is accountable for turning AI ambition into safe, scalable and value-led technology choices that support CIO priorities and deliver measurable value for customers, colleagues and the business. The role provides architecture leadership across CIO, business functions and technology partners, ensuring AI capabilities and solutions are aligned to business priorities and the target architecture, including effective use of Azure, Snowflake, third-party AI and SaaS-based AI capabilities. 

​About you

You will bring strong AI architecture expertise, senior technology leadership and the ability to turn business strategy into practical architecture direction. 

• Strategic vision and alignment: Strong track record of defining current state, target state, transition roadmaps, standards, patterns and architecture guardrails that guide AI delivery at scale using Azure, Snowflake, third-party AI and SaaS-based AI capabilities. 
• AI solution and platform architecture: Strong understanding of how AI solutions are designed, integrated, monitored and operated across enterprise platforms, including Azure, Snowflake, APIs, data pipelines, orchestration, observability, model lifecycle management and production support. 
• Generative AI and automation delivery: Experience shaping architectures for generative AI, automation, agentic AI and AI-assisted capabilities, including retrieval augmented generation, tool use, orchestration, knowledge grounding, guardrails and secure use of third-party AI services. 
• Cross-functional collaboration: Ability to build strong partnerships across business, technology, delivery, data, risk, compliance and supplier teams, creating shared accountability and integrated problem-solving. 
• Change leadership: Proven ability to lead architecture in a large, complex, fast-moving organisation, balancing business ambition with risk, resilience, cost and long-term technology health. 
• Innovation and market awareness: Strong awareness of AI trends, supplier capability, architecture practices and innovation opportunities that can improve business, customer and colleague outcomes. 
• Culture and talent development: Experience building, leading, coaching and improving architecture teams, creating clear standards, strong collaboration and a high-performance culture. 
• Risk and governance oversight: Strong understanding of AI governance, model risk, privacy, explainability, auditability, human oversight, resilience, security and ethical delivery, with the judgement to apply controls pragmatically. 

Regrettably we are unable to offer sponsorship for this role
 

Benefits:

• Competitive salary and £6k car allowance
• Flexible working – we champion a flexible hybrid working approach – please speak to your recruiter to discuss in more detail
• Competitive bonus scheme - all colleagues are eligible for our annual 4Cs performance bonus
• Physical wellbeing – as a Band 5 colleague, Hastings pay for you to receive private medical Insurance (also known as PMI). This gives you flexibility and convenience to see a specialist or consultant and allows you to decide when and where you will be seen
• Financial wellbeing – as well as providing you with 4x your salary with our life assurance cover, income protection at no extra cost, and matched pension contributions up to 10%, we are proud to provide you with an award winning package which includes – discounts, cashback, free independent m