Solution Architect

Solutions Architect / Solution Architect Bristol or London Hybrid working 6 months rolling Inside IR35 Join our team as a Solution Architect and take the lead in designing and developing cutting-edge legal productivity and information systems for a leading international law firm. Your expertise will be pivotal in overseeing the technical aspects of IT systems, aligning them with the firm's business plan. Responsibilities: Lead the technical design and development of legal productivity and information systems. Oversee the technical aspects of IT systems design and delivery, providing guidance to project teams. Analyze technology and operational processes to recommend application designs and strategies for improved service and cost reduction. Provide high-level design and guidance for project delivery. Understand and document global technical architecture, including system integrations. Define, design, and deliver solutions to address business requirements, ensuring optimal integration with the enterprise environment. Work closely with stakeholders to define technology acceptance criteria and align with IT strategy. Translate business needs into system solutions for long-term supportability. Evaluate and recommend solutions based on user outcomes, architecture, and cost. Collaborate with IT Security and Infrastructure Architects to develop systems in line with security requirements. Own the applications roadmap for continuous improvement, innovation, and suitable replacement when necessary. Define and own architectural best practices for existing products and new innovations. Develop a detailed understanding of system components for high-performing systems. Ensure adherence to architectural, security, and scalability best practices. Skills & Experience: Strong commercial experience of IT applications engineering/architecture experience. Certified in or experienced with EA frameworks/methods (e.g., TOGAF). Experience with legal information systems, including iManage, Litera, and Knowledge Management solutions. Experience implementing legal innovation technology. Deep understanding of Microsoft technology stack (M365). Knowledge of On-Prem, Hybrid, and Public Cloud Infrastructure services. Experience with public/hybrid cloud solutions (e.g., Azure, AWS, VMware, Cisco). Familiarity with hypervisors (VMware, Hyper-V), operating systems (Linux, Windows), middleware, and containers (Kubernetes, Docker). Proactive with strong analytical and problem-solving skills. Experience in the services sector, preferably within legal, professional, or financial services.