Deal Architect

Version 1; Manchester; Hybrid; GBP 120,000 - 180,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Quarterly profit sharing

Flexible / remote working

Private healthcare

Job summary

Version 1 is seeking a senior Deal Architect to lead the design and governance of multi-million-dollar technology deals. You will orchestrate end-to-end solutioning across technical, commercial, and delivery streams, ensuring value, feasibility, and win-ability.

With 18+ years of experience, you will align governance, pricing, and stakeholder expectations while mentoring junior architects. The role requires global collaboration across Solution Architects, Finance, Legal, and Delivery teams to

Qualifications

• End-to-end architecture expertise across Cloud (AWS/Azure), Data Platforms, Integration, Modern Applications, DevOps, and Enterprise IT landscapes
• Cloud migrations and managed services
• Digital transformation programmes
• Multi-region delivery frameworks
• Security and governance overlays
• Understanding of cost structures, resource models, rate cards, GP/NP levers, and risk buffers
• Experience with managed service contracts including SLAs, XLAs, KPIs, and outcome-based models
• Proven track record on competitive RFPs, framework renewals, and large strategic deals
• Experience engaging with CxO stakeholders, procurement teams, and architecture governance boards
• Ability to run deal strategy cycles, competitive analysis, and bid optimisation

Responsibilities

• Lead the architecture of complex, multi-tower solutions covering cloud, data, digital engineering, service management, platforms, and application modernization
• Translate high-level business requirements into integrated technical, service, and commercial solution frameworks
• Govern solution integrity across technology, delivery, transition, pricing, and contractual streams
• Own and orchestrate end-to-end solution development for major RFPs, RFIs, and sole-source pursuits
• Gate progression of opportunities by evaluating strategic fit, solution feasibility, delivery risk, and commercial viability
• Drive and document win themes, value propositions, differentiators, and commercial levers
• Coordinate with Solution Architects, Technical Directors, Domain Advisors, Finance, Legal, Delivery, and Commercial teams
• Ensure all pursuit artefacts (SOWs, pricing sheets, TOM, SLAs/XLAs, transition plans) align to a cohesive solution
• Facilitate solution workshops, customer discovery sessions, and deep-dive technical/operational interviews
• Shape pricing models including T&M, Fixed Price, Outcome-based, or Managed Service constructs
• Ensure commercial solutions reflect risk-adjusted costing, transition/run budgets, and margin expectations
• Challenge cost inputs, optimise delivery models (onshore/nearshore/offshore), and improve deal competitiveness
• Lead internal solution reviews, Red Team/Black Hat sessions, and CXO sign-offs
• Ensure alignment with enterprise frameworks, risk controls, security standards, and architectural governance
• Validate compliance with customer-mandated standards, due diligence requirements, and regulatory expectations
• Act as a senior customer-facing solution leader in orals, workshops, and commercial negotiations
• Build executive-level trust by articulating solution rationale, trade-offs, delivery models, and roadmap visions
• Mentor junior architects and presales contributors
• Evolve solution patterns, playbooks, reusable assets, cost models, and value accelerators
• Contribute to thought leadership and industry-aligned solution frameworks
• Bachelor's / Master's degree in Engineering, Computer Science, or related field
• Experience in consulting, system integration, or managed services environments
• Experience engaging with global delivery models

Skills

Enterprise architecture

Cloud (AWS/Azure)

Digital transformation

Security governance

Cost modeling

RFPs & bids

Executive engagement

Deal strategy

Stakeholder management

Bid optimisation

Education

Bachelor's/Master's in Engineering or CS

Job description

Locations Belfast, Birmingham, Edinburgh, London, Manchester, Newcastle upon Tyne, United Kingdom

The Deal Architect is a senior strategic leader responsible for shaping, designing, and governing complex multi-million-dollar technology and managed services deals. This role is central to orchestrating end-to-end solutioning across technical, commercial, delivery, and contractual components of large strategic pursuits. With 18+ years of experience, the Deal Architect acts as the linchpin between customers, sales, delivery, and domain specialists—ensuring that the final solution is winnable, deliverable, cost-optimised, and aligned with the customer's business outcomes.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead the architecture of complex, multi-tower solutions covering cloud, data, digital engineering, service management, platforms, and application modernization.


• Translate high-level business requirements into integrated technical, service, and commercial solution frameworks.


• Govern solution integrity across technology, delivery, transition, pricing, and contractual streams.

2. Strategic Pursuit Ownership

• Own and orchestrate end-to-end solution development for major RFPs, RFIs, and sole-source pursuits.


• Gate the progression of opportunities by evaluating strategic fit, solution feasibility, delivery risk, and commercial viability.


• Drive and document win themes, value propositions, differentiators, and commercial levers.

3. Cross-Functional Orchestration

• Coordinate with Solution Architects, Technical Directors, Domain Advisors, Finance, Legal, Delivery, and Commercial teams.


• Ensure all pursuit artefacts (SOWs, pricing sheets, TOM, SLAs/XLAs, transition plans) align to a cohesive solution.


• Facilitate solution workshops, customer discovery sessions, and deep-dive technical/operational interviews.


• Shape pricing models including T&M, Fixed Price, Outcome-based, or Managed Service constructs.


• Ensure commercial solutions reflect risk-adjusted costing, transition/run budgets, and margin expectations.


• Challenge cost inputs, optimise delivery models (onshore/nearshore/offshore), and improve deal competitiveness.

5. Governance & Compliance

• Lead internal solution reviews, Red Team/Black Hat sessions, and CXO sign-offs.


• Ensure alignment with enterprise frameworks, risk controls, security standards, and architectural governance.


• Validate compliance with customer-mandated standards, due diligence requirements, and regulatory expectations.


• Act as a senior customer-facing solution leader in orals, workshops, and commercial negotiations.


• Build executive-level trust by articulating solution rationale, trade-offs, delivery models, and roadmap visions.


• Mentor junior architects and presales contributors.


• Evolve solution patterns, playbooks, reusable assets, cost models, and value accelerators.


• Contribute to thought leadership and industry-aligned solution frameworks.

Qualifications

Required Experience

Technical & Architectural

• End-to-end architecture expertise across Cloud (AWS/Azure), Data Platforms, Integration, Modern Applications, DevOps, and Enterprise IT landscapes


• Cloud migrations & managed services


• Digital transformation programmes


• Multi-region delivery frameworks


• Security & governance overlays


• Strong understanding of cost structures, resource models, rate cards, GP/NP levers, and risk buffers.


• Exposure to constructing managed service contracts with SLAs, XLAs, KPIs, and outcome-based models.


• Proven track record working on competitive RFPs, framework renewals, and large strategic deals.


• Experience interacting with CxO stakeholders, procurement teams, and architecture governance boards.


• Ability to run deal strategy cycles, competitive analysis, and bid optimisation.

Cross-Functional Skills

• Ability to orchestrate large virtual teams across sales, delivery, architecture, finance, and legal.


• Excellent communication, storytelling, and executive-level presentation ability.


• Strong stakeholder management and negotiation capabilities.

Core Competencies

Strategic

• Enterprise-level architectural thinking


• Market, industry, and competitive insight

Technical

• Data, integration, and automation frameworks


• Security & compliance frameworks

Behavioural

• Executive presence and gravitas


• Structured problem-solving


• Collaborative leadership


• High resilience under bid pressure


• Ability to navigate ambiguity and derive clarity

Preferred Qualifications

• Bachelor's / Master's degree in Engineering, Computer Science, or related field


• Experience in consulting, system integration, or managed services environments


• Experience engaging with global delivery models

Additional Information

Why Version 1?

At Version 1, we believe in providing our employees with a comprehensive benefits package that prioritises their wellbeing, professional growth, and financial stability.

• Share in our success with our Quarterly Performance-Related Profit Share Scheme, where employees collectivelybenefitfrom a share of our company's profits


• Strong Career Progression & mentorship coaching through our Strength in Balance & Leadership schemes with a dedicated quarterly Pathways Career Development programme


• Flexible/remote working, Version 1 is tremendously understanding of life events and people’s individual circumstances and offer flexibility to help achieve a healthy work life balance


• Financial Wellbeing initiativesincluding;Pension, Private Healthcare Cover, Life Assurance, Financialadviceand an Employee Discount scheme


• Employee Wellbeing schemes including Gym Discounts, Bike to Work, Fitness classes, Mindfulness Workshops, Employee Assistance Programme and much more. Generous holiday allowance, enhanced maternity/paternity leave, marriage/civil partnership leave and special leave policies


• Educationalassistance, incentivised certifications, and accreditations, including AWS, Microsoft, Oracle, and Red Hat


• Reward schemes including Version 1's Annual Excellence Awards & 'Call-Out' platform.


• Environment, Social and Community First initiatives allow you to get involved in local fundraising and development opportunities as part of fostering our diversity, inclusion and belonging schemes.

And many more exciting benefits… drop us a note to find out more.

Version1 is an equal opportunities employer.

We are committed to building a diverse,inclusiveand respectful workplace where everyone feels valued and able to thrive. We welcome applications from people of all backgrounds, identities and lived experiences, and we value the different perspectives people bring including those shaped by disability and neurodiversity.

We want every candidate to have a positive and accessible recruitment experience. If you need reasonable adjustments at any stage of the process, please contact your recruiter at Version 1. We will consider all requests carefully,respectfullyand confidentially.

Company Description

Version 1 has celebrated30 yearsinbusinessand continues to be trusted by global brands to delivertechnology and transformationsolutions that drive customer success. Ourdeepexpertiseenables our customers to navigate the rapidlyevolving technology landscape. We foster strong partnerships withglobal technology leadersincluding Microsoft, AWS, Oracle, Red Hat,OutSystems, Snowflake, ensuring that our customers are provided with the highest quality solutions and services.

We're an award-winning employer reflecting how our employees are at the very heartof whatwe do:

• 10+ years as a Great Place to Work in Ireland & UK


• Best Workplace for Women in the UK & Ireland by GPTW


• Best Workplace for Wellbeing in the UK by GPTW

We're a corevalues drivencompany, we hire people who share our values, and we reward those who display and foster them, it's deeply embedded within our DNA. Invest in us and we'll invest in you!.