Job Description

We are a values-led, charitable organisation that provides more than 60,000 people in Sunderland with a place they can call home. We have a clear vision and a social purpose. We believe that everyone has the right to live in a good quality home that they can afford. We invest millions of ponds every year to keep our existing homes safe and descent. We also play our part in helping to deal with the UK housing crisis by building hundreds of new, modern homes to rent in Sunderland. We'd love for you to join us achieve our vision.

Salary :

:

Job title:

Solutions Architect

Working hours: Mon - Fri

36 hours per week - 12.30 pm on Friday


We are recruiting an experienced Solutions Architect to join the IT Architecture team based at our Doxford Park, Sunderland head office. We believe in a dynamic and collaborative in-office experience. Our hybrid working arrangement offers the perfect blend of home and office work. You'll be required to work in the office for part of the week, to ensure you are part of our collaborative team culture. We also need you to be flexible to attend the office for on-site meetings as needed. Unfortunately, we are unable to offer remote working for this position


The IT architecture team are focused on realising the business strategy by tailoring the IT strategy and enterprise architecture of the organisation SA is focused on designing and delivering solutions that align with EA standards and advancing the architecture towards the target state.


In the role of solutions architect, you will proactively and holistically lead and support EA activities to guide the development and management of a portfolio of solutions. Solutions include projects and products, systems (including applications, technologies, processes and information), shared infrastructure services and shared application services. You will understand the concepts of our goals, objectives, outcomes, capabilities, value streams and processes and their importance in solution architecture. In this role, you will provide leadership, analysis and design tasks to support the development of technology solutions.

The role is subject to a basic DBS paid for by Gentoo.

Key responsibilities will include the following.

Interpret Business Needs

Translate business and technical requirements into an architectural blueprint to achieve business objectives and document all solution architecture design and analysis work.


Work closely with the product owners and systems owners to ensure a robust architectural runway to support future business requirements throughout the product life cycle.


Understand business drivers and business capabilities (future and current state) and determine corresponding enterprise solution designs and change requirements to drive the organisation's targeted business outcomes.

Assess Technology

Monitor the current-state solution portfolio to identify deficiencies through the aging of the technologies used by the application, or misalignment with business requirements.


Monitor micro- and macroscopic trends in EA including global currents, including economic, political, social/cultural, environmental, regulatory/legal and/or technological disruptions for effective decision-making.


Support product owners and systems owners in end-of-life product decisions to maintain, refresh or retire services or systems, including applications, technologies, processes and information.


Understand emerging technology trends and disruptions and their practical application to enable new and evolving business and operating models.

Apply Technology

Lead evaluation, design and analysis for the implementation of a solutions architecture across a group of specific business applications or technologies based on enterprise business strategy, business capabilities, value streams, business requirements and enterprise standards.


Work closely with the Enterprise Architect to develop a roadmap for the evolution of the enterprise solution portfolio from current to future state, as defined by the broader solutions roadmap.


Acts as a consultant on a broad range of technologies, platforms and vendor offerings to drive targeted business outcomes


Create architectural designs, standards and patterns to guide and contextualise solution development across products, services, projects and systems, including applications, integrations, technologies, processes and information.

Provide Enterprise Guidance

Provide deliverables like standard definitions, reference models and architecture designs to support architectural governance to assess the impact of new and ongoing technology investment on the business and IT estate.


Support a community of practice (CoP), guiding and helping teams, product owners/system owners to align with the overall enterprise architecture governance and assurance.


Design and direct the governance activities associated with ensuring solutions architecture assurance and compliance


Define the principles, guidelines, standards and solution patterns to ensure solution decisions are aligned with the enterprise's future-state architecture vision.

What we are looking for:

A bachelor's degree in computer science, information technology, engineering, system analysis or a related study

OR

the equivalent experience in a role at the same level.


Extensive experience in at least 2 IT solution development disciplines' including technical or infrastructure architecture, application development, middleware/integrations, network management, database management or cloud development.


Experience developing architecture blueprints, strategies and roadmaps


Experience in creating and driving technical solutions to delivery.


Experience delivering presentations to senior-level executives and technical audiences


Exposure to multiple diverse technologies, platforms and processing environments


Good understanding of strategic and emerging technology trends and the practical application of existing and emerging technologies to new and evolving business and operating models


Good understanding of product/system management, agile principles and development methodologies and capability of supporting agile teams by providing advice and guidance on opportunities, impact and risks, taking account of technical and architectural debt


Experience working in a relevant industry is desirable but not essential.


Some of our great benefits include;


31 days annual leave (plus bank holidays) with an option to purchase up to 5 additional days per year. Early finish on Fridays Flexible and hybrid working. Free Health Cash Plan, with cashback for dental, optical, physio, wellbeing therapies and more, with some free child cover. Access to private healthcare through the Health Cash Plan. Competitive Aviva pension scheme - Gentoo will contribute up to 10% based on your personal contribution. Salary sacrifice electric vehicle scheme Enhanced family-friendly leave Car mileage allowance if you use your personal vehicle for business purposes. * Life assurance cover to the value of 3 times your annual salary