Senior Solutions Architect - NESO

National Grid; Wokingham; Hybrid; GBP 72,000 - 85,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading energy provider is looking for a Senior Solution Architect to lead architectural design and assurance across critical markets functions, including power auctions and customer registration. Candidates should have extensive experience in large organizations and a strong grasp of the electricity market. The position offers a competitive salary up to £85,000, performance bonus, and opportunities for hybrid working.

Benefits

Performance bonus up to 15%

28 days annual leave

Contributory pension scheme

Qualifications

• Significant experience as a Solution Architect in large, complex organisations.
• Strong understanding of the Electricity Market, including power auctions and balancing mechanisms.
• Experience designing solutions across hybrid architectures.

Responsibilities

• Lead end-to-end solution architecture across multiple Markets initiatives.
• Work with business stakeholders to understand requirements and translate them into designs.
• Produce architecture deliverables including overall Solution Architecture documents.

Skills

Solution Architecture

Electrical Market Knowledge

Leadership

Communication

Tools

Salesforce

Azure

COTS Products Integration

Job description

About the Role

National Energy System Operator (NESO) recognises the potential of bright and talented individuals, and we encourage you to join us as Great Britain’s energy system undergoes an ambitious, exciting, and vital transformation. Together with industry, we are creating a cleaner, more sustainable energy future.

We’re looking for a Senior Solution Architect to lead the architectural design and assurance across NESO’s Markets directorate — supporting critical national functions such as power auctions, customer registration, balancing services, and connections.

This role is key to shaping the future architecture of the electricity markets — bringing expertise across platforms, systems, and business processes to design integrated, scalable, and regulatory‑compliant solutions.

You will act as a permanent, trusted advisor across multiple programmes and product lines, ensuring architecture supports both business strategy and delivery outcomes.

Research shows that some people may hesitate to apply unless they meet every requirement. At NESO, we believe potential comes in many forms and we’re committed to a fair, inclusive recruitment process where everyone can show their talents. We celebrate the difference that people bring to our organisation, and welcome and encourage applicants with diverse experiences and backgrounds to build a workforce that feels valued and respected and represents the communities we serve. If this role sparks your interest but you’re not sure you tick every box, we still want to hear from you.

This role can be based from Wokingham or Warwick and we continue to offer hybrid working from office and home. We are open to full time and part time applicants, as well as flexible working arrangements.

Key Accountabilities

• Lead end-to-end solution architecture across multiple Markets initiatives and systems.
• Work with business stakeholders to understand requirements and translate them into solution-level designs.
• Produce architecture deliverables including:
  • Overall Solution Architecture documents
  • High-Level Architecture (HLA) diagrams and interface maps
  • Contributions to detailed designs during delivery
• Provide architecture guidance to delivery teams, ensuring alignment with architectural standards and design principles.
• Collaborate across business, technology, and delivery teams – including policy, operations, product owners, and engineers.
• Contribute to ongoing development of NESO’s architecture standards, patterns, and governance.

About You

- Significant experience as a Solution Architect in large, complex organisations.

- Strong understanding of the Electricity Market – including concepts such as:

• Power auctions
• Balancing Mechanism
• Customer registration
• Connections
• Flexibility or ancillary services

- Experience designing solutions across hybrid architectures:

• Salesforce and CRM systems
• Azure cloud platforms
• Integration with COTS products (e.g. N‑Side, market clearing tools)

- Ability to lead the creation of architectural deliverables, and communicate them to technical and non-technical stakeholders.

- Experience working in regulatory, market-based, or policy-driven environments.

Desireable

- Experience in or exposure to:

• System Operators (e.g. ESO, DSOs, TSOs)
• Energy or utilities sector architecture
• Programmes involving Ofgem, DESNZ, or REMA

- Familiarity with frameworks such as TOGAF, ArchiMate, or BIZBOK.

- Experience balancing strategic architecture with delivery-focused decision‑making.

About What You’ll Get

A competitive salary up to £85,000pa – dependent on experience and capability.

As well as your base salary, you will receive a bonus of up to 15% of your salary for stretch performance, 28 days annual leave as standard, and a competitive contributory pension scheme where we will double match your contribution to a maximum company contribution of 12%.

As we work towards creating a cleaner, greener, and more affordable future for all, we also work towards creating a place for our teammates to belong, with professional and personal growth and positive well‑being.

• Full support and career‑development resources to expand your skills, enhance your expertise, and maximise your potential along your career journey.
• A diverse and inclusive community of belonging, where teammates are empowered to bring ideas to the table.
• Generous Total Rewards Plan – comprising of health, finance and wealth, work/life balance, and career benefits.

About Us

National Energy System Operator’s (NESO) mission is to facilitate the decarbonisation of Great Britain’s energy network and ensure the delivery of reliable, affordable, and clean electricity for consumers. We work with stakeholders across the whole energy industry to plan for future network needs, using a wider adoption of technology and changes in consumer behaviour, as well as ensuring we have the right markets, networks, and frameworks in place, to transform the way we operate tomorrow.

Join us, and let’s energise progress.

Our energy, our future, together.

More Information

This role closes on 10th November 2025 at 23:59, however we encourage candidates to submit their application as early as possible and not wait until the published closing date as this can vary.

We work towards the highest standards in everything we do, including how we support, value and develop our people. Our aim is to encourage and support employees to thrive and be the best they can be. We celebrate the difference people can bring to our organisation and welcome and encourage applicants with diverse experiences and backgrounds, and offer flexible and tailored support, at home and in the office.

We're committed to building a workforce that represents the communities we serve, and a working environment in which each individual feels valued, respected, fairly treated, and able to reach their full potential.