Solution Architect (Cloud & Data Platforms)

Korn Ferry; Remote; GBP 85,000 - 120,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading consulting firm is seeking a Senior Solution Architect to serve as the technical and design authority for its cloud-based data platform. This remote role involves defining solution architecture, engaging with stakeholders, and maintaining design consistency across teams. Ideal candidates will have a strong background in AWS and Databricks, with extensive experience in investment or financial services. This position offers a unique opportunity to shape architecture decisions and drive cloud initiatives.

Qualifications

• 10+ years of experience as a Senior Solution Architect.
• Experience in investment or financial services environments.
• Proven experience owning architecture for enterprise-scale platforms.

Responsibilities

• Define and own end-to-end solution architecture.
• Build proofs of concept and review engineering outputs.
• Translate business requirements into technical solutions.
• Produce high-quality architectural artefacts.

Skills

Databricks (Lakehouse architecture)

AWS

Snowflake

Back End/platform engineering

Data pipelines design

Cloud-native services

Scalable distributed systems

Job description

This position is Remote working, with some likely occasional trips to site for critical meetings/workshops etc. This role is a hands-on senior Solution Architect acting as the technical and design authority for a modern cloud-based data platform, with Databricks at the core. The architect bridges investment business needs, data engineering, and platform architecture, setting standards others must follow.

Key Responsibilities

Architecture & Design Authority

• Defining and owning end-to-end solution architecture across:
• Establishing design patterns, reference architectures, and templates
• Ensuring architectural consistency across multiple squads and pods

Hands-On Technical Leadership

• Build proofs of concept (POCs) when required
• Get hands-on with code and configuration to unblock teams
• Review and assure quality of engineering outputs

Cloud & Platform Architecture

• Own architecture decisions on AWS, including:
• Networking (VPCs)
• Security
• Performance and scalability
• Reliability and cost considerations
• Ensure solutions align with SDLC, security, compliance and audit requirements

Business & Stakeholder Engagement

• Translate investment business requirements into technical solutions
• Challenge both business and technology assumptions where needed
• Act as the front-facing technical representative to:
• Security architects
• Infrastructure teams
• Compliance and audit
• Senior technology leadership

Governance & Delivery Enablement

• Produce high-quality architectural artefacts:
• Architecture diagrams
• Design decisions and trade-offs
• Non-functional requirements
• Ensure solutions meet risk management and regulatory expectations

Candidates must have experience in investment or financial services environments.

Technical Requirements

Core Stack (Strong Preference)

• Databricks (Lakehouse architecture, design patterns)
• AWS (deep understanding of cloud-native architecture)
• Snowflake (integration patterns, data sharing)

Engineering Background (Critical)

• Strong Back End/platform engineering heritage
• Comfortable designing and reviewing:
• Data pipelines
• Cloud-native services
• Scalable distributed systems
• Understands SDLC, DevOps, CI/CD, and release governance, Senior Solution Architect (typically 10+ years experience)
• Proven experience owning architecture for enterprise-scale platforms
• Has led architecture through full delivery life cycles
• Experienced working in regulated and audited environments

Behavioural & Mindset Expectations

• Strong engineering-first mindset
• Pragmatic and conservative in technology choices
• Confident challenging "latest and greatest" trends

Korn Ferry unleashes potential in people, teams, and organizations. We work with our clients to design optimal organization structures, roles, and responsibilities. We help them hire the right people and advise them on how to reward and motivate their workforce while developing professionals as they navigate and advance their careers. To learn more, please visit our website