Senior Solution Architect

Role Summary:

• Role: Senior Solution Architect
• Location: UK
• Job Type: Permanent / Contract
• Industry: Insurance / Financial Services
• Work Model: Hybrid / UK

About:

Our client is a leading global organisation within the insurance and financial services sector. They are looking for a Senior Solution Architect to join their technology architecture team supporting their UK operations.

This is a senior architecture position combining solution architecture, cloud, infrastructure, security and enterprise technology. The successful candidate will be responsible for designing end-to-end IT solutions, establishing architecture patterns, providing technical leadership and ensuring solutions align with business and enterprise technology strategies.

The role involves working with senior business stakeholders, technical teams, architects and external suppliers in a highly regulated environment.

Key Responsibilities

• Design and deliver end-to-end IT solution architectures for complex projects and programmes.
• Develop reusable architecture patterns, solution designs and technical infrastructure designs.
• Lead Architecture Design Authorities and contribute to enterprise architecture governance.
• Ensure solutions align with the organisation's target architecture and technology strategy.
• Translate business requirements into technology, service and security solutions.
• Identify architectural, technical and security risks and define appropriate mitigation plans.
• Provide architecture assurance throughout implementation and ensure solutions meet agreed standards.
• Produce technology proposals, business cases and recommendations for senior stakeholders.
• Research emerging and market-leading technologies and assess their suitability.
• Support technology selection, RFI/RFP processes, supplier assurance and technical due diligence.
• Review vendor Statements of Work and technical proposals.
• Communicate architecture decisions, risks and trade-offs to both technical and non-technical stakeholders.
• Provide technical leadership and mentoring to other architects.
• Work closely with Enterprise, Solution, Technical and Integration Architects.

Essential Skills & Experience

• Significant experience as a Senior Solution Architect, Solution Architect or Technical Architect.
• Strong experience across cloud, infrastructure and application architecture.
• Experience designing solutions across hybrid, on-premise and public cloud environments.
• Strong experience with AWS and Azure, ideally both.
• Experience with core infrastructure technologies including:
• Windows
• Linux
• VMware / Hyper-V
• Web and database technologies
• Security gateways
• LAN/WAN networking
• Strong understanding of architectural patterns including:
• Microservices
• Event-driven architecture
• Serverless
• SOA
• Layered architecture
• Experience with middleware and integration technologies such as JBoss, WebLogic, RabbitMQ, MuleSoft, Boomi and Kafka.
• Strong understanding of IT security, architecture risk and highly available/resilient solutions.
• Experience working within Architecture Design Authorities and governance frameworks.
• Experience with RFI/RFP, supplier assurance and technical due diligence.
• Experience working in a regulated environment, preferably Financial Services or Insurance.
• Experience with both Agile and Waterfall delivery methodologies.
• Knowledge of CI/CD and DevOps practices.
• Strong stakeholder management and communication skills, including experience engaging with senior leadership/C-suite and technical teams.

Desirable Skills

• Experience with Jira and Confluence.
• Knowledge of architecture tools such as draw.io, Sparx, ADOIT, ArchiMate, Mermaid or C4.
• Experience with enterprise architecture and portfolio governance.
• AWS or Microsoft certifications.
• TOGAF or ITIL certification.
• Experience with AI/LLM technologies, including AI-assisted technology or architecture delivery.

Qualifications

• Degree/HND in Information Technology or equivalent professional experience.
• Relevant technical or architecture certifications are desirable.
• Demonstrable commitment to continuous professional development.