Principal Solution Architect

Envitia; Horsham; Hybrid; GBP 90,000 - 130,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Annual leave 25 days + birthday

Private healthcare

Training & Skills development

Fitness reimbursement

Life assurance

Pension contributions

Perkbox subscription

Flexible work arrangements

Internal reward schemes

Community volunteering

Job summary

Envitia is a UK‑based software and services company delivering data‑driven transformation for Defence, Central Government and the wider public sector. As Principal Solution Architect you will define target architectures, provide technical leadership and ensure measurable business outcomes across complex programmes.

You will lead governance and assurance across multi‑disciplinary teams, mentor colleagues, and contribute to pre‑sales activities, cost estimations and compelling client proposals,

Qualifications

• Experience as a Solution/Enterprise/Principal Architect in Defence, National Security, Central Government or similar.
• Ability to translate business/operational/technical requirements into scalable solutions.
• Proven track record leading large‑scale digital and data transformation programmes.
• Strong consulting and stakeholder management skills for senior audiences.
• Experience supporting business development, pre‑sales engagements and client proposals.

Responsibilities

• Lead design, governance and assurance of complex solution architectures for Defence, Central Government and public sector programmes.
• Act as trusted technical advisor to clients, shaping roadmaps and ensuring business outcomes.
• Define strategies and target architectures balancing objectives, security and commercial factors.
• Provide architectural leadership across large multidisciplinary teams.
• Mentor and grow Envitia's architecture capability and community of practice.
• Drive pre‑sales activities, opportunity shaping, bids and client presentations.
• Develop reusable frameworks, reference architectures and best practices.

Skills

Solution architecture

Enterprise architecture

Stakeholder management

Pre-sales engagement

Leadership

Mentoring

Tools

TOGAF

ArchiMate

Job description

Envitia is a UK-based software and services company that helps organisations unlock the full value of their data to make better, faster decisions. With over 30 years of experience, we specialise in delivering innovative software products, solutions, and consultancy services that transform complex data challenges into actionable insights.

Our mission is to empower customers across defence, government, and national security sectors to harness the power of data — from geospatial intelligence to advanced analytics and AI integration. We are proud to be a trusted partner to UK defence and government organisations, delivering technology that drives smarter, data-driven outcomes.

We’re also delighted to have been named one of The Sunday Times Top 100 Medium-Sized Companies— a recognition of our commitment to innovation, collaboration, and creating an outstanding workplace where people can thrive.

The Role

As a Principal Solution Architect, you will lead the design and delivery of complex digital and data transformation solutions for Defence, Central Government and wider public sector organisations. Working at the forefront of some of the UK's most critical and challenging programmes, you will shape solution strategy, define target architectures, influence senior stakeholders and provide technical leadership across multi-disciplinary teams.

As part of Envitia's Consulting division, you will play a key role in growing and evolving our architecture capability. You will help develop reusable frameworks, reference architectures and best practices that accelerate delivery and strengthen our market-leading solutions.

You will work closely with customers to understand their objectives, translate complex requirements into practical and achievable solutions, and provide architectural assurance throughout the delivery lifecycle. You will also support business growth through pre‑sales activities, leading solution development, shaping technical approaches, producing cost and effort estimates, and contributing to compelling client proposals.

Beyond project delivery, you will represent Envitia within the wider market, attending industry events, engaging with customer communities, and showcasing our expertise, products and innovation across data, geospatial and digital transformation domains.

Responsibilities

• Lead the design, governance and assurance of complex solution architectures across Defence, Central Government and public sector transformation programmes.
• Act as a trusted technical advisor to clients, providing strategic direction and ensuring solutions deliver measurable business outcomes.
• Define solution strategies and target architectures that balance business objectives, technical excellence, security requirements and commercial considerations.
• Provide architectural leadership across large, multi-disciplinary teams, supporting the successful delivery of complex digital, data and technology solutions.
• Build strong relationships with senior stakeholders, influencing technology roadmaps, transformation strategies and investment decisions.
• Lead architecture governance activities, including design reviews, assurance processes and technical decision‑making forums.
• Support business growth through pre‑sales activities, including opportunity shaping, solution development, bid responses, estimates and client presentations.
• Develop and maintain architectural frameworks, standards, reference architectures and best practices that support consistent, high‑quality delivery.
• Drive innovation by creating reusable assets, accelerators and go‑to‑market offerings that enhance client value and strengthen Envitia's market position.
• Identify emerging technologies and industry trends, applying them to solve client challenges and inform future service offerings.
• Contribute to the development of business cases, risk assessments, delivery strategies and commercial proposals for complex opportunities.
• Mentor and support architects, consultants and delivery teams, helping to grow Envitia's architecture capability and community of practice.

Experience Required

Essential Experience

• Experience operating as a Solution Architect, Enterprise Architect or Principal Architect within Defence, National Security, Central Government or similarly complex environments.
• Proven ability to define architecture strategies and translate business, operational and technical requirements into scalable, practical solutions.
• Experience leading large‑scale digital and data transformation programmes from strategy through to delivery.
• Strong consulting and stakeholder management skills, with the ability to influence senior client, technical and executive audiences.
• Experience acting as a trusted advisor, helping clients shape technology roadmaps, target architectures and transformation strategies.
• A successful track record supporting business development activities, including pre‑sales engagements, solution design, bid responses and client presentations.

Technical Expertise

• Strong knowledge of enterprise architecture approaches, frameworks and modelling techniques such as TOGAF, ArchiMate or Zachman.
• Broad technical knowledge spanning cloud transformation, enterprise integration, legacy modernisation and large-scale distributed systems.
• Understanding of security, governance, data management and assurance requirements within regulated or secure environments.

Security Clearance Requirements

Due to the nature of our work, the successful candidate must be eligible to obtain and maintain SC security clearance.

Location

This role offers flexible and remote working, with travel to our Horsham office approximately two days per month and occasional travel to customer sites across the UK as required.

What it's like to work at Envitia

At Envitia, we believe that our greatest asset is our people. We’re committed to fostering a work environment where every employee feels valued, supported, and motivated to excel. Our comprehensive benefits package is designed to enhance both your professional and personal wellbeing, including:

• Annual Leave:25 days plus your birthday off, with the ability to buy or sell up to five additional days
• Private Healthcare:Comprehensive coverage with additional options for family members
• Training & Skills Development:Ongoing learning opportunities to help you advance your career
• Fitness Reimbursement:Support for gym memberships or fitness‑related expenses
• Life Assurance:Extensive life insurance coverage for peace of mind
• Pension Contribution:Competitive options to help you plan for a secure financial future
• Perkbox Subscription:Discounts on a wide range of products and services
• Flexible Work Arrangements:Designed to support work‑life balance and personal commitments
• Internal Reward Schemes:Recognition initiatives to celebrate your contributions and achievements
• Community Engagement & Volunteering:Opportunities to support meaningful causes through company‑sponsored programs

Inclusion at Envitia

At Envitia, we celebrate diversity and are committed to creating an inclusive environment for all employees. We welcome applicants from all backgrounds and walks of life. We believe that our strength lies in our differences, and we are dedicated to fostering a workplace where everyone feels valued, respected, and empowered.

We encourage applications from people of all abilities, ages, genders, sexual orientations, races, ethnicities, and religions. We strive to support a culture of inclusion, accessibility, and work‑life balance.

If you require any accommodations during the application or interview process, please let us know.