Solution Architect

Job Description

Job Purpose and Primary Objectives:

• The Solution Architect creates High Level and Detailed system designs that meet the requirements of the business and align with the overall IT architecture strategy.
• They support the Portfolio Architect to take designs through the Design Governance process and ensure that all their designs are approved promptly without delay to the project.
• They will design solutions that require multiple technologies and may work with solution architects from other teams and shared services.
• They act as the accountable end-to-end solution architect for complex cross platform designs, depending on experience and skills, including ensuring the overall solution integrates effectively.
• As the accountable solution architect, they are involved in the full project lifecycle and will ensure that the solution developed is true to the agreed design and/or will manage changes to the design. They will assist the Portfolio Technical Lead and Project Manager to resolve technical issues.   
• The role may also provide direction to other Solution Architects within the portfolio team evaluating and articulating recommendations on solutions.
• This is a Work Level 5 role which involves working within a team, largely on their own initiative on low complexity projects and under limited supervision on medium and high complexity projects

Key Responsibilities:

Development of Product roadmaps/Planning

• Working with the Portfolio Architect and the Technical Product Manager(s), assist in the assessment of new and enhanced product ideas, project scoping, the feasibility of proposed new and enhanced products and very rough order of magnitude estimates for solution options.
• Support the Technical Product manager and Portfolio Architect to produce the product roadmap and projects required to deliver it advising on architecture aspects of the sequencing, phasing, technical dependencies and constraints and deliverability of the roadmap
• Work with the Technical Product Manager and Business Analysts to investigate and capture the high-level requirements/epics for the projects in the roadmap specifically ensuring that non-functional, operational (run) and technical requirements which will be required to be able to cost and design the solution are included.
• Provide technical/architectural input into the 3/1-year planning process and ongoing portfolio planning
• Liaise with Solution Architects from Shared Services teams to and gain their expertise, input and estimates where required
• Ensure all technical and platform dependencies have been considered and addressed in the roadmap and associated portfolio plan 

Knowledge, Experience & Qualifications:

• A broad and balanced understanding of IT capabilities, methods, and technologies
• Strong experience of the design and development of IT solutions
• Experience of influencing stakeholders on the solutions for proposed initiatives
• Experience of working in a team comprised of onshore and offshore resources
• Experience of a retail organisation
• Expert knowledge of processes in relevant business areas (e.g., Finance, Supply Chain)