Lead Solutions Architect

Queen Square Recruitment; Luton; On-site; GBP 90,000 - 130,000; Full time

Job summary

Queen Square Recruitment is seeking an experienced Lead Solution Architect to join our growing Airline Operations architecture team. You will lead end-to-end solution design for a strategic transformation programme, shaping how multiple product teams, platforms and domains come together to deliver a scalable, high-value solution.

You will operate at the intersection of architecture, product and delivery, establishing guardrails and ensuring technical integrity while enabling rapid delivery and

Qualifications

• 6–8+ years of Solution Architecture experience.
• Experience leading large-scale technology programmes.
• Design end-to-end solutions across multiple teams or domains.
• Knowledge of Domain-Driven Design (DDD) and Event-Driven Architecture.
• Experience in agile, product-led or mission-based environments.
• Strong understanding of cloud-native architecture, with AWS experience preferred.
• Strong knowledge of microservices, APIs, event-driven systems and canonical data models.
• Excellent stakeholder management and communication skills.
• Ability to influence engineers, architects, product leaders and senior business stakeholders.

Responsibilities

• Lead solution architecture for a strategic product mission, defining the architecture vision, scope and evolution roadmap.
• Shape end-to-end solutions across multiple product teams, platforms and technology domains.
• Establish architecture principles, guardrails, reference architectures and reusable patterns.
• Partner with Product Leads, Tech Leads and Delivery Leads to ensure cohesive solution design and delivery.
• Ensure solutions align with enterprise strategy, architecture principles and technology standards.
• Design cross-team integrations, shared components, APIs and data flows while identifying dependencies and architectural risks.
• Lead architecture governance and solution assurance activities, ensuring standards for security, scalability, reliability and operability.
• Communicate architecture decisions, trade-offs, risks and recommendations clearly to both technical and business stakeholders.
• Coach engineering and technical teams on architecture principles, design patterns and effective solution approaches.
• Contribute to the continuous improvement and maturity of the wider Solution Architecture practice.

Skills

Stakeholder management

Communication

Leadership

Architectural thinking

Tools

AWS

Job description

Rate: Competitive, depending on experience

The Opportunity

We are looking for an experienced Lead Solution Architect to join a growing Solution Architecture team and lead the end-to-end solution design for a strategic transformation programme within the Airline Operations domain.

This is a pivotal role where you will shape how multiple product teams, platforms and technology domains come together to deliver a coherent, scalable and high-value solution.

You’ll work at the intersection of architecture, product and delivery, providing clear solution direction, establishing architectural guardrails and ensuring technical integrity while enabling teams to move quickly and deliver meaningful business outcomes.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead solution architecture for a strategic product mission, defining the architecture vision, scope and evolution roadmap.
• Shape end-to-end solutions across multiple product teams, platforms and technology domains.
• Establish architecture principles, guardrails, reference architectures and reusable patterns.
• Partner closely with Product Leads, Tech Leads and Delivery Leads to ensure cohesive solution design and delivery.
• Ensure solutions align with enterprise strategy, architecture principles and technology standards.
• Design cross-team integrations, shared components, APIs and data flows while identifying dependencies and architectural risks.
• Lead architecture governance and solution assurance activities, ensuring appropriate standards for security, scalability, reliability and operability.
• Communicate architecture decisions, trade-offs, risks and recommendations clearly to both technical and business stakeholders.
• Coach engineering and technical teams on architecture principles, design patterns and effective solution approaches.
• Contribute to the continuous improvement and maturity of the wider Solution Architecture practice.

What We’re Looking For

We’re looking for a Lead Solution Architect who is comfortable operating across complex programmes and influencing stakeholders at all levels.

You should have:

• 6–8+ years of Solution Architecture experience, ideally at Senior, Lead or Principal level.
• Proven experience leading large-scale, complex technology programmes.
• Strong experience designing end-to-end solutions across multiple teams or domains.
• Strong knowledge of Domain-Driven Design (DDD) and Event-Driven Architecture.
• Experience working within agile, product-led or mission-based environments.
• Strong understanding of modern cloud-native architecture, with AWS experience preferred.
• Strong knowledge of microservices, APIs, event-driven systems and canonical data models.
• Excellent stakeholder management and communication skills.
• Ability to influence engineers, architects, product leaders and senior business stakeholders.
• Strong problem-solving and decision-making skills, including the ability to balance time, cost, risk, scalability and technical debt.
• Experience coaching and developing technical teams in architectural thinking and best practices.
• Ability to translate complex business requirements into practical, scalable technology solutions.