Solution Architect

Civil Aviation Authority; Guildford; Hybrid; GBP 42,000 - 70,000; Full time

Job summary

The Civil Aviation Authority is seeking a Solutions Architect to translate business and technical requirements into scalable, secure architectures across our domains. You will partner with Product Managers and stakeholders to shape roadmaps and ensure delivery aligns with EA standards and strategy.

This role requires hands-on design of cloud and integration architectures and strong governance experience. Based at Gatwick with 2 days per week in the office, you will address complex problems,

Qualifications

• Broad architectural knowledge across multiple domains and governance.
• Experience translating business requirements into secure, scalable designs.
• Experience across waterfall, agile, and product/service delivery environments.
• Ability to obtain and maintain SC security clearance.

Responsibilities

• Develop and maintain solution and cloud architectures aligned to strategy.
• Act as architecture partner for business areas, shaping roadmaps with stakeholders.
• Design end-to-end architectures and assure designs meet security and standards.
• Promote reuse of platforms and reduce duplication and risk.
• Participate in architecture governance and provide guidance to teams.

Skills

Solution architecture

Cloud architecture

Enterprise architecture

Stakeholder engagement

Security and governance

Agile and waterfall delivery

Architectural governance

Azure cloud experience

CI/CD and DevSecOps

Security clearance capability

TOGAF knowledge

Architectural modeling

Tools

Azure

Entra ID

Dynamics 365 CRM

Power Platform

web technologies

SQL Server

iServer

Azure DevOps

API design

Job description

Salary: Up to £70,000 per annum dependent upon experience

Contract Type: Permanent – Full Time

Security Level: SC

Location: Gatwick – 2 Days per week office attendance required

Visa Restrictions: This position does not offer visa sponsorship

Closing Date: Friday 25th September 2026

Interview Date: W/C Monday 28th September 2026

We are the UK's aviation and aerospace regulator and recognised as a world leader in its field. Our activities are diverse, enabling the aviation industry to meet the highest safety standards, and we pride ourselves on our ability to adapt to the constantly evolving aviation environment.

The Role

As a Solutions Architect, you will translate business and technical requirements into scalable, secure solution architectures that address complex problems and deliver measurable business outcomes. You will act as the primary architecture partner for assigned business areas or service area, helping shape technology and digital transformation roadmaps and ensuring delivery aligns with CAA strategy, enterprise architecture standards, and long-term operational outcomes.

• Develop and maintain solution and cloud architectures based on functional and non-functional requirements, ensuring designs address business outcomes and align with organisational strategies, principles and standards.
• Act as the architecture partner for assigned business areas or service area, building domain understanding and supporting technology roadmap development with Product Managers and business stakeholders.
• Design end-to-end solution architectures and assure designs produced by internal teams, suppliers or third parties, ensuring compliance with architecture, security, accessibility and service standards.
• Promote reuse of platforms, services, patterns and capabilities to reduce duplication, technical debt and delivery risk.
• Participate in architecture governance, including design reviews, decision records, standards development and architecture assurance processes.
• Contribute to agile product teams where required, providing technical leadership and architectural guidance, defining work packages and guiding architecture decisions.
• Produce architecture artefacts, models and diagrams using approved EA tooling.
• Manage technical risks, document key decisions transparently and provide architectural input into procurement and supplier engagement.
• Maintain awareness of emerging technologies, cloud technologies, architectural patterns and industry trends, assessing their relevance to CAA challenges and opportunities.
• Design application, cloud and integration architectures where required, including secure integration patterns, API strategies, cloud-native principles and modern development approaches.

About You

Essential Skills and Experience

• Broad architectural knowledge across multiple domains, including solution architecture, cloud architecture and enterprise architecture, with the judgement to draw on specialist expertise where required.
• Experience translating business and technical requirements into pragmatic, secure and supportable solution architecture designs.
• Experience working across waterfall, agile, product-centric or service-oriented delivery environments.
• Strong stakeholder engagement skills, including the ability to build trusted relationships, communicate clearly with technical and non-technical audiences, and influence without direct authority.
• Understanding of architecture principles, governance and assurance, and how to apply them proportionately in delivery.
• Experience with Microsoft Azure, Entra ID, Dynamics 365 CRM, Power Platform, web technologies and SQL Server.
• Knowledge of DevSecOps and CI/CD concepts.
• Excellent analytical and problem-solving skills applied collaboratively and inclusively.
• Ability to obtain and maintain SC security clearance
• Experience supporting product operating models, value stream design or business transformation initiatives.
• Experience working within a regulated environment.
• Experience with business capability modelling, value stream mapping or enterprise architecture practices.
• TOGAF certification or practical enterprise architecture experience.
• Experience using EA tools such as iServer or equivalent architecture repositories.
• Experience with Azure DevOps tools for source control, CI/CD and backlog management.
• Experience working to GDS framework and service standards.
• Experience with modern application development approaches, including .NET, Microsoft Azure services, APIs, microservices and modern web frameworks.
• Experience with secure data integration, identity, certificate-based trust, cryptographic services or location-based technologies.

Demonstrates behaviours aligned with organisational values by being outcome-focused, ethical, collaborative, and adaptable. Takes ownership of decisions using evidence-based approaches, delivers value-centred solutions, and prioritises results that support strategic goals. Acts with integrity and self-awareness, continuously developing skills and capabilities. Builds strong relationships through clear, inclusive communication, knowledge sharing, and constructive feedback, while influencing and negotiating effectively. Embraces change with flexible thinking and drives continuous improvement through innovative approaches that enhance productivity and efficiency.

Additional Information

For many appointments within the CAA, these roles require access to operationally sensitive infrastructure and/or Nationally Protected information. For these roles the post holders must undergo National Security Vetting and achieve the appropriate level of clearance.

SC -To be vetted we will usually expect a reasonable period of residency in the UK so that meaningful checks can be undertaken.For this role this will need to be 5 years.

If you do not meet these requirements, we may not be able to accept your application.

For more information on SC clearance please visit -Vetting explained - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)

The CAA values high ethical standards and personal integrity among employees. If invited for interview you will be asked to complete a declaration of interest.

Relocation & Property

The CAA will be relocating from Aviation House (Our Gatwick Office) to new premises in a few years’ time. Our move is driven by strategic, operational and environmental considerations.

We will be moving to a new local home, up to a 15-mile radius of Aviation House, to minimise disruption for our valued colleagues and customers.

We are now working with colleagues and visitors to understand what we need in our new office, before we start our property search. We will sell Aviation House and land, vacate the site and move to new premises, but we do not expect to move before 2028

Inclusive Recruitment

We are committed to building a diverse and inclusive workforce and welcome applications from all backgrounds. As a Disability Confident employer, candidates who meet the minimum requirements will be guaranteed an interview. Find out more about theDisability Confident Scheme. If you require any adjustments during the recruitment process, please let us know.

Use of Artificial Intelligenceby candidates in the CAA recruitment process

We recognise that many of our candidates find Artificial Intelligence to be a useful tool to support your application, however, all examples and statements provided must be truthful, factuallyaccurateand taken directly from your own experience. Where plagiarism has beenidentified(presenting the ideas and experiences of others, or generated by artificial intelligence, as your own) applications may be rejected on that basis.

Working With Us

ExploreWhat We Offersection on our careers website to find out about our benefits and how we support work-life balance.

Our Values

Do The Right Thing, Never Stop Learning, Build Collaborative Relationships, Respect Everyone – For more information pleaseClick Here

We reserve the right to close this vacancy early if we receive sufficient applications for the role. Therefore, if you are interested, please submit your application as early as possible.