Lead Enterprise Architect, Professional Services

Intelance helps organisations make clear, evidence based decisions about technology. We are looking for a freelance Lead Enterprise Architect to run a fixed scope enterprise architecture review for a large UK professional services firm, and to stay on as the firm’s interim architect if the client takes the follow on work. You will lead the work day to day. Intelance’s engagement partner stays accountable for the engagement and the client relationship.

The review runs over four to six weeks from November 2026 and needs around 18 days. The optional follow on is two days a week for eight weeks, then a short check around 90 days after the review, finishing around early March 2027. The work is mainly remote within the UK, with some days at client offices in England agreed in advance.

Tasks

• Lead the review from the first meeting to the final presentation, as the client’s day to day contact.
• Start from the records the client already keeps, such as integration documents, system lists and project records.
• Run eight to ten one hour conversations with the heads of applications, IT operations, data, client solutions and the project office.
• Build one clear picture of the whole technology estate: systems, connections, data flows and owners.
• Trace two or three recent technology decisions from the first request to the current owner.
• Write a priority risk report and three costed options for how the firm should own technology decisions, always including keeping its current model.
• Present the findings and options to the Chief Operating Officer with Intelance’s engagement partner.
• If the follow on goes ahead, act as the firm’s interim architect two days a week. Set up a technology decision forum, prepare the first three decisions for it and hand over the estate map as a working tool.

Requirements

• Experience as a lead or head of enterprise architecture in a UK law firm, or in another professional services partnership of around 1,000 people or more.
• You have set up an architecture function, design authority or technology decision forum from scratch.
• Strong working knowledge of Microsoft Dynamics 365 and the Power Platform. Knowledge of Aderant, InterAction or legal document management systems is a strong plus.
• You write costed options papers yourself and present them with confidence to a Chief Operating Officer or board.
• You work well alongside capable internal teams and build on what they already have.
• Independent of software vendors. You must not currently work for, or resell products from, a legal software supplier, a Microsoft partner or an IT services provider to the client.
• Available from early November 2026 to early March 2027, at three to four days a week during the review.
• Based in the UK with the right to work here, and willing to complete the background checks the client requires.

Benefits

• £750 to £850 per day, depending on relevant experience. Rates exclude VAT where applicable. Contracting route and tax status are confirmed before work starts.
• Around 18 days for the review, plus around 16 days and a day 90 check if the follow on goes ahead.
• A defined scope, clear outputs and Intelance templates, so your time goes on the work itself.
• Direct work with Intelance’s engagement partner, with a Data and AI Architect alongside you.
• The possibility of an ongoing part time architect role with the same client, by mutual agreement. No minimum volume of work is guaranteed.

Apply with your CV and answer the short screening questions. No cover letter is needed. Shortlisted candidates will join a working session with our engagement partner to talk through how they would run the review. The work starts once the client confirms the engagement. We will agree availability, rate and contract terms in writing before then. Please do not include confidential client documents.