The Solutions Architect is responsible for shaping and governing end-to-end architecture across complex transformation programs, bridging strategy and delivery to turn business ambition into executable reality. The role defines integrated solution designs across people, process, information, applications, integration, technology and security, and leads current-state assessment and target-state architecture design, producing practical build-ready blueprints and transition roadmaps that enable engineering teams to deliver with confidence and pace.
This role ensures continuity from concept to operation by embedding non-functional requirements (NFRs), controls, testability, deployment approach and operational readiness from the outset—designed in, not bolted on. By applying governed patterns, reference architectures and reusable assets, the role reduces rework and late surprises, shortens time to value, and supports resilient, artificial intelligence (AI)-ready operations.
Key Responsibilities
Client Vision, Outcomes and Options
- Frame the problem and intended outcomes defining viable solution options, trade-offs and recommended approach.
- Define scope boundaries, assumptions, dependencies, risks and customer-furnished items (CFIs) to improve delivery confidence.
- Shape commercially grounded roadmaps and delivery packages aligned to program pace and complexity.
- Assess current state (capabilities, processes, applications, data, integration and technology), define target state and run gap analysis to prioritise initiatives and inform sequencing.
Delivery Architecture and Assurance
- Maintain end-to-end architecture across domains and resolve cross-stream issues early (process, data, application, integration, technology, security).
- Produce build-ready artefacts including integration contracts, data flows, security model, environment strategy, sequencing and deployment approach.
- Embed NFRs, controls, testability and operational readiness from the outset (monitoring, access, auditability, support model).
- Maintain and update architecture baselines (current state and target state) as delivery progresses, ensuring changes are managed through governance and decision records.
Standards, Assets and Reuse
- Align to client standards and delivery methods; apply reference models where they improve clarity and assurance.
- Maintain a governed library of patterns, templates, accelerators and reference architectures (current/retired lifecycle).
- Convert engagement outputs into reusable assets to scale what works and reduce cost of change.
Architecture Innovation and Validation
- Run targeted prototypes to validate emerging technology, automation and AI patterns, and de-risk key design decisions.
- Assess feasibility, performance, security implications and scalability documenting findings and recommendations for governance.
Strategy to Execution Alignment
- Maintain a single narrative across the lifecycle from vision to investment to design to delivery to operation, ensuring coherence and actionable decision-making.
- Lead architecture governance, including decision records, guardrails and fit-for-purpose reviews scaled to risk, pace and complexity.
Skills, Experience and Competencies
Core Skills and Expertise
- Enterprise and solution architecture across business, process, data, application, integration, technology and security domains.
- Architecting for outcomes translating strategy into executable blueprints, roadmaps, sequencing and build instructions.
- Non-functional requirements (NFRs), controls and quality: performance, resilience, security-by-design, testability and auditability.
- Integration and data architecture fundamentals: interface contracts, data flows, information models and trusted data foundations.
- Establish and maintain governance and assurance architecture decision records, guardrails, reviews, and risk/issue/dependency management across streams.
- Operational readiness deployment approach with cutover, monitoring, support model and run books—continuity from concept to operation.
- Asset mindset building reusable patterns, templates and reference designs to remove friction and scale what works.
Experience
- 10–15+ years of experience across enterprise architecture, solution architecture, or large-scale technology delivery.
- Proven experience leading architecture across complex programs spanning multiple platforms, vendors, and delivery streams.
- Experience producing build-ready artefacts and providing delivery assurance (NFRs, controls, sequencing, environments, testability, operational readiness).
- Strong experience in consulting or systems integration organisations, including client shaping, governance and stakeholder management.
- Demonstrated ability to mentor and uplift capability across teams, embedding repeatable ways of working that persist beyond go-live.
Qualifications and Certifications
- TOGAF® Certified (mandatory) or equivalent architecture certification.
- Relevant delivery and governance frameworks (e.g. SAFe®, ITIL®) desirable.
- Broad technology exposure across enterprise applications, integration platforms, data platforms, identity and security, and cloud/hybrid environments.
