Job Ref: 213184317

Date: 2021-02-15 11:43:51

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Solution Architect

Location – Milton Keynes

Reports to – Head of Business Solutions & Technology

Hours – Monday to Friday 08:45 to 17:00

Salary – Competitive + Excellent Benefits Package

Due to our continued success as one of the country’s leading suppliers of heavy commercial vehicles we have a new and exciting opportunity for Solution Architect to join the team based at our Head Office in Milton Keynes.

Essential Duties and Job Responsibilities

Strategy & Planning

Ensure that the project level architecture is documented and implemented, design meets the project objectives and technical requirements
Ensure that they own the high-level design and signs-off low level design.
Provide input into the project planning stage for the component cost estimates as defined by the new architecture
Review component level change requirements, proposals and design to ensure their compliance to architectural principles and standards
Create strategic solution architectures including target blueprints, options, roadmaps, business cases and impacts

Solution Architecture

Work with the Business Analyst to understand the business requirements so that solution options that are recommended provide the best fit against the requirements
Use appropriate tools, including logical models of components and interfaces, to develop the high-level solution architecture for programmes and projects
Produce detailed component specifications and translate these into detailed designs for implementation using selected products
Work with the Design Review Team to develop the detailed system designs ensuring it aligns to the solution architecture
Implement the Architecture Standards & Principles in relation to solutions deployed
Ensure that the component architecture meets the non-functional requirements such as reliability, scalability, performance and resilience. This includes being accountable for the end-to-end integrated solution
Work at project level and accept work packages identified and scoped
Willing to work with enterprise architects and external stakeholders such as technical architects
Assist with transition planning as part of Architecture Life cycle.
Awareness of current architectural trends and developments within the market, particularly patterns and technologies
Provide governance and technical leadership to ensure the projects and systems/services are aligned with the design goals.

Solution Quality Assurance & Testing

Ensure that all documentation to support the various phases and level definitions is provided and show all auditable reviews
Analyse the current environment to detect critical deficiencies and recommend solutions for improvement
Provide High and Low level technical and architectural documentation, this includes: applications design and definition documents, infrastructure documents (sizing, reference architectures, growth estimates, throughput etc.), live migration documents and the clear definition of external and internal interfaces to other products and services
Ensure solutions defined is aligned with Architectural principles including Business, Data, Application and Technology

Communication & Relationships

Provide advice on technical aspects of system development and integration (including requests for changes, deviations from specifications, etc.) and ensure that relevant strategies, policies, standards and practices (including security) are applied correctly
Principle point of escalation for solution driven architecture matters within assigned business areas
Engage with assigned business area teams to understand the business and commercial landscape within which the solution will be used
Communicate proposed architecture within projects and gain project approval from Design Review Committee

This job description provides an indication of the role and responsibilities but should not be construed as an exhaustive list of duties that the post holder may be asked to undertake.

Candidate Requirements

Minimum undergraduate degree (Computing background preferable).
TOGAF or equivalent
Ability to work with staff and individuals from different areas of the organisation and at different levels of seniority.
Excellent oral, written and presentation communication skills.
The ability to converse confidently with both technical and non-technical people.
Some European Travel

Experience / skills regarded as ideal but not essential

Experience of several technology platforms (e.g. not just a single technology stack) including legacy technologies
Front end, middleware and back end technologies
Physical/virtualised on premise, managed service provider (MSP) and cloud (IaaS, PAAS, SAAS and iPaaS) solution architectures
Strong modelling skills in UML (BPMN beneficial) using a standard modelling tool
Experience of working with third party suppliers; exposure to industry-standard commercial processes and practices
Proven track record of Service Oriented Architecture (SOA) and its application in a business (non-technical) context; clear understanding of the differences between SOA and its implementation
Clear understanding of the key differences between COTS and bespoke solutions
Experienced in both agile and waterfall management practices within the full software development lifecycle
Experience of working in both programmes and projects (and a clear understanding of the difference between these)
Experienced in Enterprise Service Bus (ESB) architecture and interfaces
Excellent written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to engage and communicate with senior business-leaders, transformation Leadership and wider business transformation team

Desirable Knowledge

Exposure to one or more architecture frameworks (e.g. TOGAF, Zachman)
Exposure to IT governance structures
Exposure to Micro services Architecture

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