Solution Architect

Vacancy ID: 48490 Role overview: Solution Architect Waterloo - Hybrid Working Full Time Fixed Term Contract (12 Months) Grade 5 We are a leading omni channel retailer operating across the UK, Ireland and Scandinavia, with a workforce of more than 30,000 colleagues. As part of our strategic technology transformation, we are introducing a number of key solutions to support our long term business vision. To enable this, we are seeking an experienced Solution Architect to shape, deliver, and evolve technology solutions across a portfolio of business critical initiatives. The Solution Architect will take ownership of solution architecture design and associated technology roadmaps. The role requires evaluating business needs, collaborating with delivery partners, and ensuring technology solutions are well aligned, cost effective, and architecturally sound. You will work closely with business, engineering, and partner teams to translate business goals into effective, scalable, and secure technical solutions. You will lead the design of major programmes and initiatives, ensuring that solutions meet business requirements and align to architectural standards. The successful candidate will demonstrate strong stakeholder engagement, be confident in supporting and guiding other architects, and work effectively in a fast paced, change oriented environment. Collaboration will span teams including Omnichannel, Commercial, Finance, IT, and Analytics, with delivery teams located both in the UK and overseas. Role overview: Lead creation, analysis, and review of solution architectures across a diverse portfolio of projects and programmes. Own the end to end design of solutions, ensuring alignment between business requirements and technical needs, using best practices, reference architectures, and reusable assets. Define system components, services, technologies, and designs spanning Business, Information, Application, and Technology architecture domains. Contribute to multiple complex or large scale programmes in a matrixed environment. Support the development and evolution of technology standards, architectural principles, and delivery processes. Oversee and guide the development of solutions across hardware, software, operability, scalability, and associated business processes. Provide architectural leadership and oversight to delivery teams and engineering partners. Review software designs, architectural documentation, and technical capabilities to ensure alignment with strategy and standards. Maintain the architecture repository, ensuring quality and completeness of technical artefacts. Ensure solutions meet business, operational, and end user needs. Stay informed of emerging technologies and propose opportunities to innovate and optimise delivery Partner with Enterprise Architecture to influence future technology choices. Validate testing approaches and ensure technical completeness across owned areas. Provide technology advisory services to business and IT leadership to help shape solution approaches. Author white papers, guidance notes, and supporting documentation to drive architectural clarity and innovation. Offer technical mentorship, guidance, and support to team members. Support smooth delivery of projects, enhancements, and BAU activities, contributing to strong cross team collaboration. Act as a role model for high standards of delivery, accountability, and professional conduct. Required Skills & Experience: Minimum 5 years’ experience in an IT architecture role with accountability for solution design and technology delivery. Strong expertise across solution architecture domains: networks, data, application, systems, and integration. Demonstrated experience working in API first environments. Understanding of cloud hosting platforms (preferably Azure). Experience in complex, fast paced IT delivery environments. Ability to work with ambiguity and design pragmatic, workable solutions. Full SDLC experience across both Agile and Waterfall methodologies (Agile experience essential). Excellent written, verbal, and visual communication skills. Retail or e commerce experience advantageous. Why join us: Join our team and we'll be with you every step of the way, helping you develop the career you want with new opportunities, on-going training and skills for life. Not only can you shape your own future, but you can help take charge of ours too. As the biggest recycler and repairer of tech in the UK, we’re in a position to make a real impact on people and the planet. Every voice has a space at our table and we're committed to making inclusion and diversity part of everything we do, including how we strengthen our workforce. We want to make sure you have a fair opportunity to show us your talents during our application process, so if you need any additional assistance with your application please email [email protected] and we'll do our best to help.