Solution Architect

£670 per day, inside IR35
Initial 6-month engagement
2–3 days on site in London

Description

This engagement requires a highly experienced Solution Architect to lead the design and delivery of enterprise-scale API, Data and AI platform solutions. It is a strategic, hands-on architecture role focused on translating business requirements into scalable, secure, resilient and cost-effective technology solutions across Azure and AWS cloud environments.

The successful candidate will define end-to-end and target-state architectures, drive architectural decisions across complex enterprise landscapes, and work with business stakeholders, engineering teams and leadership on critical transformation initiatives.

Key Responsibilities

• Define and own end-to-end solution architecture for enterprise API, Data and AI platform initiatives.
• Translate business requirements into scalable, secure, resilient and cost-effective solutions across Azure and AWS.
• Design and govern API architectures and integration strategies, data architectures and data platform solutions, cloud-native and hybrid-cloud architectures, and AI and agentic solution capabilities.
• Develop solution options and recommend target-state architectures aligned with business and technology objectives.
• Establish integration patterns, data patterns, security frameworks, governance standards and architectural best practices.
• Define and oversee non-functional requirements, including performance, scalability, availability, resilience and security.
• Create technology roadmaps and provide architectural leadership across multiple programmes and delivery teams.
• Establish delivery guardrails and ensure architectural compliance throughout project lifecycles.
• Lead architecture reviews, risk assessments and key technical decision-making activities.
• Oversee the complete solution-architecture lifecycle for API and data-integration projects, from concept through implementation and production support.
• Collaborate with engineering, product, security and business teams to ensure solutions deliver measurable business value.

Required Skills & Experience

• 15+ years of experience in solution architecture, enterprise architecture or related technology leadership roles.
• Proven experience defining end-to-end solution architectures for enterprise API, Data and AI platforms.
• Strong expertise designing and delivering cloud solutions across Microsoft Azure and Amazon Web Services (AWS).
• Demonstrated ability to translate complex business requirements into practical and scalable technology solutions.
• Extensive knowledge of API-led architectures and integration platforms; data platforms, data management and analytics solutions; cloud-native architecture patterns; AI and agentic technology frameworks; and security, governance and compliance standards.
• Experience establishing target-state architectures, technology roadmaps and architectural standards.
• Strong understanding of non-functional requirements, including performance, reliability, resilience, scalability and security.
• Proven track record of influencing architectural decisions across multiple teams and stakeholders.
• Excellent stakeholder management, communication and leadership skills.

Preferred Experience

• Experience with enterprise AI, machine learning and agentic AI solutions.
• Familiarity with modern integration and event-driven architecture patterns.
• Experience working in large-scale transformation programmes and complex enterprise environments.
• Relevant cloud certifications in Azure and/or AWS.