Solutions Architect

Our Role

Reporting to the Head of Technology, the Solution Architect is a senior, hands‑on role responsible for leading the design and delivery of technology solutions across the application, integration, and data landscape.

You will work closely with senior stakeholders across IT, digital, data, infrastructure, and delivery teams to ensure solutions align with business strategy while remaining pragmatic and delivery-focused. This role balances strategic architectural direction with direct ownership of solution design for priority initiatives.

You will act as a design authority across the portfolio while staying close to delivery teams to ensure solutions are implementable, scalable, and commercially sound.

• Personally design and own solution architectures for priority initiatives, covering applications, integrations, and high‑level data designs
• Translate business requirements into clear, pragmatic architecture artefacts through direct engagement with business and delivery teams
• Provide architectural leadership across the full delivery lifecycle, from feasibility and design through delivery and transition to support
• Remain actively engaged with delivery teams to adapt designs as delivery realities evolve

• Design solutions across core retail systems and processes, including ERP, eCommerce, and surrounding operational systems
• Architect integrations using API‑led, event‑driven, and asynchronous patterns across a distributed application landscape
• Design solutions supporting core retail capabilities such as order management, fulfilment, stock, pricing, promotions, and customer data

• Lead and contribute to architecture governance forums, including design authority and architecture review boards, for key initiatives.
• Own and operate architecture governance forums, including design authority and architecture review boards
• Review and assure solution designs produced by internal teams and delivery partners
• Clearly articulate the long‑term implications of design decisions to support informed trade‑offs

• Work closely with the Head of Technology to shape and evolve application, integration, and data architecture strategy.
• Produce architecture feasibility and impact assessments at initiative inception
• Support vendor and product selection, ensuring solutions are scalable, cost‑effective, and fit for purpose
• Provide guidance and mentoring to solution and technical architects across the portfolio

• Provide guidance and mentoring to other solution and technical architects across the portfolio
• Work effectively with third‑party vendors, software providers, and systems integrators
• Engage confidently with senior stakeholders, translating complex technical concepts into clear business outcomes

Essential - if this is not clear on your CV application, it will not be progressed to the next stage

• Significant and extensive hands‑on experience as a Solution Architect, with broader experience across engineering or integration roles
• Proven experience designing solutions across ERP, eCommerce, and integration landscapes (technology‑agnostic experience acceptable)
• Proven experience producing clear, structured architecture documentation (e.g. solution design documents, system and integration diagrams)
• Strong hands‑on solution design capability, including application architecture, integration flows, and high‑level data models
• Solid understanding of cloud‑based architectures and modern integration patterns (API management, event‑driven, orchestration)
• Experience designing solutions across core retail processes (order lifecycle, stock, fulfilment, pricing, customer data)
• Experience working across multiple delivery methodologies
• Strong stakeholder engagement skills with the ability to communicate complex concepts clearly
• Experience working with third‑party vendors and delivery partners
• Strong commercial awareness and ability to operate effectively in a fast‑paced environment

• Experience working in retail and/or commerce environments
• Experience with ERP and commerce…