Solution Architect

Codec; Manchester; Remote; GBP 90,000 - 130,000; Full time

Job summary

Codec is seeking a Solution Architect based in Manchester with flexible remote work options. You will shape solution strategy, manage scope and risks, and be the primary technical counterpart to our clients. You’ll remain hands-on for spikes, POCs, critical flows and tight deadlines, while guiding multi-team delivery, commercials, and roadmap.

We encourage diverse backgrounds. Codec is an inclusive employer committed to delivering rewarding work and digital transformation using Microsoft

Qualifications

• ~10+ years in consulting/enterprise delivery with ownership of multi-workstream programmes.
• Experience as an architect or equivalent with hands-on contribution to spikes/POCs.
• Excellent facilitation, executive communication, and decision papers.
• Strong understanding of licensing, SoWs, margins, and practical licensing impacts.

Responsibilities

• Define target architectures for Power Platform/D365 CE and produce option papers with cost/benefit impacts.
• Own technical scope, estimates, change control, quality gates, and NFRs; coordinate partner/offshore teams.
• Lead C-suite/business workshops; align priorities and communicate risks clearly.
• Shape bids/SoWs, delivery plans, and commercials; support account growth with value cases.

Skills

Solution architecture

Stakeholder facilitation

Commercial awareness

Governance & ALM

Cloud integration

Tools

Power Platform & Dynamics 365

Azure

Dataverse

Job description

Based in Manchester but offering excellent flexibility to work remotely, this opportunity is available on either a permanent or contract basis,we’re hiring a Solution Architect to shape solution strategy, manage scope and risks, and be the primary technical counterpart to our clients. You’ll remain hands-on where it counts (spikes, POCs, critical flows and where tight deadlines mean helping out), while steering multi-team delivery, commercials, and roadmap.

We strongly encourage candidates of all different backgrounds and identities to apply. Each new member of our team brings a fresh perspective, and we’re always eager to further diversify our company. Codec is committed to building an inclusive, supportive place for you to do the best and most rewarding work of your career.

Key Responsibilities

• Solution Strategy & Roadmapping: Define target architectures on Power Platform/D365 CE; produce option papers with cost/benefit/licensing impacts and a pragmatic adoption path.
• Scope & Delivery Governance: Own technical scope, estimates, and assumptions; run change control; set quality gates and NFRs; orchestrate partner/offshore teams.
• Stakeholder Leadership: Lead C-suite and business workshops; align competing technical priorities; communicate risk and trade-offs clearly.
• Commercial Awareness: Shape bids/SoWs, delivery plans, and commercials; support account growth with value cases and phased roadmaps.
• Integration & Security Patterns: Approve patterns for Azure integration (Functions, Logic Apps, API-M, Service Bus), identity (AAD/OAuth), and data governance.
• ALM at Scale: Design environment topology, DLP, solution layering; enforce CI/CD standards and release cadence.
• Data, Insights & Copilot: Partner with data teams on reporting; assess Copilot/AI opportunities and responsible-use guidelines.
• Enablement & Handover: Ensure team produce and adhere to standards for admin guides, runbooks, support models, and operational KPIs.
• Leadership & Coaching: Mentor Senior consultants; build standards; turn lessons learned into reusable assets.

Skills, Knowledge and Experience

Skills, Knowledge & Expertise

• Experience: ~10+ years across consulting/enterprise delivery with proven ownership of multi-workstream programmes; prior architect title or clear equivalent.
• Consulting & Communication: Excellent facilitation, executive comms, conflict resolution, and decision papers.
• Commercial & Licensing: Estimation, SoWs, margin awareness, and practical knowledge of D365/Power Platform licensing impacts.
• Architecture: Strong Dataverse modelling, integration/security patterns, and non-functional design (performance, availability, accessibility).
• Governance & ALM: Environment strategy, DLP, layered solutions, release governance.
• Desirable: Power Pages governance; BI for operational reporting; regulated industry experience; modern delivery (Scrum/Scaled Agile).

What success looks like

• 90 days: You’ve taken architecture ownership of a complex delivery, stabilised delivery, and completely gained the customer’s and team’s trust.
• 6 months: You’ve delivered a project successfully into production for a large enterprise customer. You’ve taken the learning and contributed them back to the company so we benefit other customers with the knowledge gained.
• 12 months: You are helping define and shape standards and best practices across the company for new technologies we delivery – AI, Power Platform and Azure.

About Codec

Established over 40 years ago, Codec is a multi-award-winning Microsoft Solutions Partner, trusted by public and private sector organisations to deliver impactful digital transformation. With offices in Dublin, Belfast, Cologne, and across Germany, our team of over 300 experts specialises in harnessing the full potential of Microsoft technologies—including Dynamics 365, Power Platform, Azure, and Copilot—to drive innovation, automation, and operational excellence. Codec combines deep industry expertise with a proven track record to help organisations unlock the power of AI and modern cloud solutions

Though originally best known as a hardware reseller, since 2010 Codec has focused on building an outstanding software consulting business with a team of experts implementing enterprise solutions using products from Microsoft and Oracle. Our customer base, revenues and average contract values have grown steadily year on year and we continue to invest in the provision of new product and service offerings.

Our team is a careful mix of recent graduates and experienced professionals from a variety of diverse cultural backgrounds. We are a melting pot of seasoned consultants supported by the best talent from the local universities. We have a thriving placement student academy and graduate recruitment programme which grows year on year.

This company is an equal opportunities employer