Job Description As a Solution Architect, you'll partner with government, financial services, and private sector clients to design solutions that solve their most complex digital challenges.
You'll bring together technical capabilities, user needs, and business objectives through critical thinking that breaks down problems and identifies practical approaches, considering non-functional requirements from the outset.
Working closely with delivery teams, you'll tackle diverse solution challenges across the full lifecycle - from conducting options analysis for major system modernisation programmes and helping clients understand complex problems, through to facilitating design sessions with multi-disciplinary teams, creating solutions that balance user needs with business constraints, and presenting your recommendations to architectural review boards and senior stakeholders.
Whether that's evaluating options for a government department's citizen portal, designing integration approaches for a bank's digital transformation, or guiding development teams through implementation decisions, you'll bring both solution design expertise and practical problem-solving skills to every situation.
Your background designing and implementing enterprise-scale digital solutions means you can credibly advise clients on what architectural approaches work in practice, understanding the technical complexities and implications of different options.
You'll bring systems thinking that connects architectural decisions across broader service and business contexts, combined with proven experience collaborating with diverse teams including user researchers, product managers, software engineers, and senior business stakeholders.
Your approach balances strategic architectural thinking with hands-on implementation experience, taking a user-centred perspective that considers different viewpoints while meeting technical requirements and supporting business objectives.
As part of our central architecture team, you'll work alongside experienced Technology Principals and other Solution Architects who share your passion for solving complex challenges.
This gives you a strong support network to collaborate with, learn from different perspectives, and tackle problems together.
We recognise that architecture is as much about continuous learning as it is about applying existing knowledge - you'll bring your proven experience while staying current with industry trends, modern practices, and emerging technologies.
Your architectural expertise helps our clients deliver digital services that create meaningful outcomes for the people who use them.
Qualifications Essential Requirements Solution architecture experience - you have experience designing and validating solutions for enterprise-scale challenges, with involvement in successful implementations across multiple domains including cloud platforms, application architecture, data architecture, and system integration.
You can show evidence of taking responsibility for complex solution design with successful outcomes, whether through traditional career progression or other professional development paths.
Design and implementation experience - you have designed and delivered enterprise-scale digital solutions using modern approaches including microservices architectures, APIs, cloud platforms (particularly AWS and Azure), and application modernisation strategies.
You understand how to apply architectural patterns and design principles to real-world challenges, with sufficient technical depth to make informed decisions about technology choices, DevOps practices, and monitoring approaches while working with agile delivery teams.
Stakeholder engagement and problem-solving - you have experience working directly with clients and senior stakeholders to understand complex problems, facilitate discussions, and build consensus around solution approaches.
You can translate business requirements into solution designs and communicate complex concepts to both technical and non-technical audiences with strong written and verbal communication skills.
Highly Desirable Large organisation delivery experience - you have delivered solutions for government departments, major financial institutions, or large private sector organisations, understanding the complexities of enterprise environments including governance requirements, security constraints, integration challenges, and working effectively within multi-supplier delivery contexts.
Technology background experience - hands-on modern software development background that informs your solution design approach, or previous experience working with GOV.UK digital standards and practices, AWS or Azure cloud architectures, or GenAI/AI solution implementation and integration approaches.
Architecture community involvement - active participation in technical communities, staying current with technology trends, and contributing to professional development through knowledge sharing, presentations, or thought leadership.
Client sector expertise - specific experience in government digital services, financial services transformation, or large-scale private sector modernisation programmes with understanding of sector-specific requirements and constraints.
Additional Information Why Version 1?
At Version 1, we believe in providing our employees with a comprehensive benefits package that prioritises their wellbeing, professional growth, and financial stability.
Share in our success with our Quarterly Performance-Related Profit Share Scheme, where employees collectively benefit from a share of our company's profits.
Strong Career Progression mentorship coaching through our Strength in Balance Leadership schemes with a dedicated quarterly Pathways Career Development programme.
Flexible/remote working, Version 1 is tremendously understanding of life events and people's individual circumstances and offer flexibility to help achieve a healthy work life balance.
Financial Wellbeing initiatives including; Pension, Private Healthcare Cover, Life Assurance, Financial advice and an Employee Discount scheme.
Employee Wellbeing schemes including Gym Discounts, Bike to Work, Fitness classes, Mindfulness Workshops, Employee Assistance Programme and much more.
Generous holiday allowance, enhanced maternity/paternity leave, marriage/civil partnership leave and special leave policies.
Educational assistance, incentivised certifications, and accreditations, including AWS, Microsoft, Oracle, and Red Hat.
Reward schemes including Version 1's Annual Excellence Awards 'Call-Out' platform.
Environment, Social and Community First initiatives allow you to get involved in local fundraising and development opportunities as part of fostering our diversity, inclusion and belonging schemes.
And many more exciting benefits... drop us a note to find out more.
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