GIS Technical Architect

Manchester Digital; United Kingdom; On-site; GBP 60,000 - 85,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading digital transformation consultancy in the UK is seeking a GIS Technical Architect/Lead to shape innovative geospatial solutions. You will oversee architecture design and implementation, collaborate with clients, and promote best practices in a dynamic work environment. Join us to contribute to meaningful tech4good projects and advance your career in a nurturing workplace.

Benefits

Professional development

Health and wellbeing plans

Private healthcare

Pension contributions

Qualifications

• Experience with modern, open-standards based architecture patterns.
• Proven ability to collaborate with stakeholders on solution architectures.
• Experience working with cloud and hybrid-cloud architectures.

Responsibilities

• Oversee architectural vision and implement geospatial solutions.
• Collaborate with clients to achieve consensus on designs.
• Promote professional development within the engineering discipline.

Skills

Collaboration

Leadership

Communication

Attention to detail

Proactivity

Job description

We are seeking an experienced GIS Technical Architect/Lead to join our engineering discipline, where you will play a pivotal role in our delivery teams by shaping innovative geospatial solutions to meet clients' needs, aligning with their technology strategies, and championing best practices in GIS architecture.

Make a difference and advance your career by helping deliver some of the UK’s most important #tech4good projects, making the world a smarter, safer, cleaner, and healthier place.

You’ll join a talented team of dynamic and driven professional problem solvers; creative thinkers and solutions builders who thrive on helping clients meet the most exciting digital transformation challenges.

At a certified Great Place to Work, you’ll experience a dynamic and nurturing environment that rewards initiative and flexibility and enjoy a career path tailored to your own aspirations.

About Us

Founded in 1992, we are a successful, growing international digital transformation consultancy. We deliver multi-Queen’s Award for innovation-winning platforms and services that support large-scale digital transformation. Our digital, data, and technology solutions are used by globally recognized public and private sector brands operating in sectors including Civil Defence, Healthcare, Sustainable Environment and Land Asset Management, and Digital Democracy.

Key Accountabilities and Responsibilities

• A GIS Technical Architect/Lead oversees the architectural vision, technical design, and implementation of advanced geospatial solutions to solve business problems and meet user needs. This includes:
• Designing robust software and GIS architectures capable of meeting both functional and non-functional requirements in collaboration with clients and colleagues.
• Achieving consensus on solution designs, technology choices, and delivery approaches with client stakeholders.
• Providing expertise on solution architecture concepts, including GIS and geospatial technology, to both internal and client teams.
• Ensuring implementations remain aligned with the architectural vision and client outcomes across multiple project increments.
• Representing your team and your client in technical governance forums (e.g., Technical/Design Authorities).
• Influencing company-wide architecture standards, tools, and best practices, including those specific to GIS technologies.
• Promoting professional development within the engineering discipline and sharing best practices in GIS and software engineering.
• Supporting growth by helping recruit technical staff and contributing to InformedACADEMY.
• Engaging in industry events and forums to stay updated with the latest geospatial innovations and incorporating them into work.

Requirements

As a GIS Technical Architect at Informed, you will have:

• Experience with modern, open-standards based architecture patterns for enterprise-scale geospatial data and solutions.
• Proven ability to collaborate with client stakeholders to define and agree on solution architectures that meet business and geospatial requirements.
• An independent perspective on geospatial technology, services, and data.
• Experience leading collaborative design and architecture decision-making with clients.
• Knowledge of modern geospatially-enabled digital services, with familiarity in Earth Observation (EO) data and Geospatial AI being highly desirable.
• Experience working with cloud and hybrid-cloud architectures for hosting and scaling GIS services.
• Background in Agile delivery environments, working with cross-disciplinary teams.
• Understanding of modern programming languages, distributed systems (e.g., microservices), cloud technologies, and CI/CD pipelines in GIS environments.

Desirable skills and experience

• Experience with legacy system integration and modernization of GIS platforms and data stores.
• Ability to develop transitional architecture roadmaps for geospatial solutions.
• Designing architectures that operationalize geospatial data science, Earth Observation data processing, and Machine Learning components.
• Evaluating existing solutions using structured frameworks to identify improvements.
• Knowledge of designing architectures for sensitive data, including PII.
• Commercial awareness to optimize solution design and delivery.
• Ability to manage multiple projects across teams, ensuring quality and alignment.
• Professional certifications at an advanced level relevant to the domain.
• Awareness of the GOV.UK Digital Service Standard and Technology Code of Practice in public sector projects.

Personal Qualities

• Leadership, coaching, and mentorship skills.
• Ability to communicate complex concepts clearly and build trusted stakeholder relationships.
• Collaborative, proactive, and adaptable approach.
• Strong planning and time management skills.
• Attention to detail and reliability.

Our benefits include professional development, health and wellbeing plans, private healthcare, pension contributions, and more, supporting our commitment to our team’s wellbeing and career growth.

Culture

We foster a diverse, inclusive, and rewarding workplace culture that upholds values of Innovation, Excellence, and Integrity. We are passionate problem solvers committed to social, environmental, and economic sustainability in our communities.