Lead Solution Architect

Vanrath; Northern Ireland; Hybrid; GBP 90,000 - 120,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Hybrid work model

Private medical cover

Enhanced pension contributions

Annual leave enhancements

Job summary

Vanrath seeks a Lead Solution Architect to own end-to-end architecture across complex projects in the energy and critical infrastructure sector. You will shape IT strategy, design secure, scalable solutions and provide technical leadership to cross-functional teams.

The successful candidate will drive architecture governance, engage with stakeholders, and influence procurement decisions while ensuring cost-effective, available and resilient systems. Hybrid work arrangement offered.

Qualifications

• A degree in a relevant discipline, professional qualification or equivalent experience.
• Significant experience in Solution Architecture or a similar senior technology design role.
• Strong understanding of application, data, integration, infrastructure/cloud and cyber security technologies.
• Demonstrable experience designing end-to-end solutions across complex programmes or business-critical environments.
• Experience overseeing technology solutions from initial requirements and options assessment through design, implementation and transition into service.

Responsibilities

• Lead the development of end-to-end solution architectures and technical designs, ensuring alignment with business requirements, technology strategy, security standards and enterprise architecture principles.
• Engage with business, operational and technology stakeholders to understand requirements and develop solutions that meet current and future needs.
• Evaluate solution options and provide recommendations on architecture, technology choices, risks, dependencies and trade-offs.
• Provide architectural leadership across complex, business-critical technology projects, considering security, resilience, availability and operational continuity.
• Develop target architectures, technology roadmaps and recommendations around technology investment and lifecycle decisions.
• Lead the architectural and technical aspects of technology procurement, including requirements definition, supplier proposal evaluation and solution selection.
• Provide architectural oversight and assurance throughout project delivery, ensuring solutions remain aligned with approved designs.
• Support the development and maintenance of architecture principles, standards, patterns and best practices.
• Assess emerging technologies and industry developments, recommending opportunities for their application within the organisation.
• Present architecture recommendations and solution designs to senior management and governance forums.
• Build strong relationships with technology partners, suppliers and organisations across the wider energy sector.
• Assess existing hosted technology solutions, documenting current architecture across applications, infrastructure, data, integrations and dependencies.
• Develop and evaluate migration and transition options, identifying architectural impacts, risks and recommended approaches.

Skills

Solution Architecture

Technical leadership

Stakeholder management

Security architecture

Enterprise architecture

Education

Degree in a relevant discipline

Professional qualification

Tools

EMS

SCADA

Control centre

Energy market

Job description

Lead Solution Architect

An established organisation operating within the energy and critical infrastructure sector, this company plays an important role in supporting essential services across Northern Ireland. As part of an ambitious technology transformation programme, they are investing in their future technology landscape and are now seeking an experienced Lead Solution Architect to join their Technology Strategy & Delivery team.

This is an exciting opportunity to take ownership of complex architecture initiatives, influence technology strategy and help shape the delivery of secure, scalable and resilient business-critical systems. As well as working with cutting edge technolgoies on interesting projects, this company invest in their employees and have recently received an award for the importance they put on mental health.

Salary / Benefits

• Competitive salary
• Performance-related bonus.
• Private medical cover and enhanced pension contributions.
• Hybrid working - typically 3 days in the office and 2 days from home.
• Enhanced annual leave, maternity and paternity benefits and additional wellbeing days.
• Comprehensive wellbeing support and employee assistance initiatives.
• Salary sacrifice schemes, including cycle to work and electric vehicle options.
• Free parking, onsite electric vehicle charging and complimentary lunch facilities.
• Professional development opportunities and clear career progression pathways.

About your next employer

Our client is an established organisation within the energy and critical infrastructure sector, operating a complex technology environment that supports essential business and operational services.

The business is undertaking a significant technology transformation programme, creating the opportunity to develop a more independent, scalable and future-focused technology estate.

The successful candidate will join the Technology Strategy & Delivery function, helping shape IT strategy, architecture and solution design while establishing best-practice standards and supporting the adoption of new and emerging technologies.

You’ll play a key role in guiding complex technology projects, making architectural recommendations and ensuring solutions are secure, resilient, scalable and cost-effective.

About you

The successful candidate will have:

• A degree in a relevant discipline, professional qualification or equivalent experience.
• Significant experience in Solution Architecture or a similar senior technology design role.
• Strong understanding of application, data, integration, infrastructure/cloud and cyber security technologies.
• Demonstrable experience designing end-to-end solutions across complex programmes or business-critical environments.
• Experience overseeing technology solutions from initial requirements and options assessment through design, implementation and transition into service.
• Knowledge of secure, resilient and highly available technology environments, including availability, recoverability, performance and operational continuity.
• Strong understanding of architecture principles, standards and governance.
• Ability to translate complex business and technical requirements into practical solution designs.
• Confidence providing technical leadership, influencing decisions and constructively challenging stakeholders.
• Experience working with business stakeholders, technical specialists and third-party suppliers.
• Excellent communication and presentation skills, with the ability to explain technical concepts to both technical and non-technical audiences.

It would be advantageous to have:

• Experience within the electricity, utilities, energy or wider critical national infrastructure sector.
• Understanding of energy transmission operations and associated technology environments.
• Experience with EMS, SCADA, control centre, energy market or other operational technology environments.

What you'll do

• Lead the development of end-to-end solution architectures and technical designs, ensuring alignment with business requirements, technology strategy, security standards and enterprise architecture principles.
• Engage with business, operational and technology stakeholders to understand requirements and develop solutions that meet current and future needs.
• Evaluate solution options and provide recommendations on architecture, technology choices, risks, dependencies and trade-offs.
• Provide architectural leadership across complex, business-critical technology projects, considering security, resilience, availability and operational continuity.
• Develop target architectures, technology roadmaps and recommendations around technology investment and lifecycle decisions.
• Lead the architectural and technical aspects of technology procurement, including requirements definition, supplier proposal evaluation and solution selection.
• Provide architectural oversight and assurance throughout project delivery, ensuring solutions remain aligned with approved designs.
• Support the development and maintenance of architecture principles, standards, patterns and best practices.
• Assess emerging technologies and industry developments, recommending opportunities for their application within the organisation.
• Provide technical input into investment proposals, cost assessments and regulatory submissions where required.
• Present architecture recommendations and solution designs to senior management and governance forums.
• Build strong relationships with technology partners, suppliers and organisations across the wider energy sector.
• Assess existing hosted technology solutions, documenting current architecture across applications, infrastructure, data, integrations and dependencies.
• Develop and evaluate migration and transition options, identifying architectural impacts, risks and recommended approaches.