Solutions Architect

Harvey Nash; Leeds; On-site; GBP 90,000 - 120,000; Full time

Job summary

Harvey Nash in Leeds is seeking an experienced Solutions/Enterprise Architect to own architecture, governance and strategy for a major Financial Services client. You will steer decisions across APIs, authentication, and integration while evolving a Microsoft-based platform from on-prem to cloud-ready.

You will shape an API-led ecosystem and balance regulatory considerations with innovation. Join a high-impact role that combines hands-on technical influence with enterprise-wide architectural

Qualifications

• Hands-on development experience with Microsoft stack.
• Experience as Solutions or Enterprise Architect.
• Strong Microsoft-centric expertise (C#, SQL Server).
• Experience designing or working with API-driven architectures.
• Exposure to Azure and cloud migration concepts.

Responsibilities

• Own the architecture function, governance, and processes.
• Lead technical decisions across APIs, auth, integration patterns, and app design.
• Evolve core Microsoft-based platform from on-prem to modern architecture.
• Shape API-led ecosystem, potentially with an API Gateway.
• Define cloud adoption path to Azure balancing risk and regulation.
• Governance and standards across technology landscape.

Skills

Hands-on development (MS stack)

Architectural experience (Solution/EA)

Microsoft-centric (.NET, C#, SQL)

API & integration design

Cloud architecture (Azure)

Governance & stakeholder engagement

Tools

Azure

Job description

Take ownership of Application Architecture Modernisation and Cloud Adoption for a leading Financial Services Organisation.

We’re supporting a leading Financial Services organisation on a multi-year evolution of its core platforms and technology landscape. This role offers a rare opportunity to step in as the Architect, taking full ownership of architectural direction, governance, and process across the business.

You’ll operate across both technical depth and enterprise-level thinking, helping the organisation move from a predominantly on-prem Microsoft estate towards a more modern, API-led and cloud-ready architecture, at a pace that aligns with business risk and regulatory requirements.

What You’ll Be Doing

This is a broad, high-impact role where you’ll combine hands-on technical decision-making with strategic architectural leadership:

Own the Architecture Function

Act as the organisation’s primary Architect, establishing architecture practices, governance, and processes, including involvement in and shaping of Technical Design Authority (TDA).

Technical Leadership & Decision-Making

Work closely with Engineers and senior stakeholders to drive key decisions across areas such as APIs, authentication, integration patterns, and application design.

Lead the evolution of a core Microsoft-based platform, currently on-prem, introducing scalable, modern architectural patterns.

Play a key role in shaping a more API-led ecosystem, including the potential introduction of an API Gateway and improved service-to-service communication.

Cloud Readiness & Transformation

Support early-stage cloud adoption, helping define a pragmatic, low-risk path to Azure, balancing innovation with regulatory and operational considerations.

Partner closely with an established Infrastructure SME, ensuring a clear separation and alignment between infrastructure and application architecture.

Governance & Standards

Introduce structure, best practices, and architectural governance across the technology landscape, ensuring consistency, scalability, and security.

What You’ll Bring

Previous hands-on development experience (ideally within the Microsoft stack), with the credibility to engage deeply with engineering teams.

Architectural Experience (Solution or Enterprise) – Able to operate both tactically and strategically, with a clear understanding of how solutions fit within a wider enterprise context.

Microsoft-Centric Expertise – Strong knowledge of .NET, C#, SQL Server, and designing within Microsoft-based environments.

API & Integration Knowledge – Experience designing or working with API-driven architectures, authentication models, and modern integration patterns.

Cloud Awareness (Azure Preferred) – Exposure to cloud architecture and migration concepts, even if the majority of experience to date is within on‑prem environments.

Governance & Stakeholder Engagement – Comfortable setting up architectural processes, contributing to design authorities, and influencing both technical and non-technical stakeholders.

Why Apply

Be THE Architect – Take true ownership of architecture within the organisation, with the autonomy to define standards and direction.

Make a Visible Impact – Play a central role in shaping how technology evolves across a key, business‑critical platform.

Blend Strategy and Hands-On Influence – Stay close to engineering while influencing enterprise-wide decisions.

Transformation Without Chaos – Join a business that is committed to modernisation, but taking a considered, pragmatic approach to cloud and change.

This role is ideal for an experienced Solutions Architect who wants to step into a lead, high-ownership position, balancing hands‑on technical influence with the opportunity to build and mature an architecture function from the ground up.