Solutions Designer - Technical Lead

Harvey Nash; Manchester; Hybrid; GBP 51,000 - 62,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Hybrid working

On-site 1–2 days/week

Job summary

Harvey Nash is seeking a Solutions Designer / Technical Lead - Development in Manchester for a 1-year fixed-term contract with hybrid on-site requirements. The role focuses on turning architectural direction and complex requirements into developer-ready designs, guiding delivery from design to deployment, and ensuring security, resilience and maintainability across enterprise applications.

You will work with architects, business analysts, product managers, developers, testers and operations

Qualifications

• Experience as a Solutions Designer or similar senior technical role.
• Strong track record turning architectural direction into buildable solutions.
• Experience across architecture, analysis, development, testing, security and service operations.
• Proficiency with Azure DevOps or equivalent tooling.
• Ability to influence technical and delivery practices without direct management authority.

Responsibilities

• Translate architectural principles, patterns and business requirements into detailed, developer-ready technical designs.
• Lead the transition from high-level design into practical solution designs that support estimation, development, testing, deployment and ongoing service.
• Provide design governance and assurance across enterprise applications, integrations, platform enhancements, data services and AI-enabled solutions.
• Produce high-quality design artefacts, including solution outlines, process flows, sequence diagrams, interface specifications, data mappings and technical reference material.
• Define and promote technical readiness standards, helping teams resolve ambiguity, dependencies and risks before work enters development.
• Work closely with architects, business analysts, product managers, developers, testers, security specialists and service operations colleagues.
• Champion secure-by-design, resilience, supportability, maintainability and effective service transition.
• Identify technical debt, design risks and recurring delivery issues, using insight to drive continuous improvement.

Skills

Azure DevOps

Stakeholder management

Technical governance

Communication skills

Agile delivery

Architectural principles

Education

Relevant degree or equivalent

Tools

Azure DevOps

Job description

Solutions Designer / Technical Lead - Development

Salary: £56,500 per annum

Location: Manchester — hybrid working, with 1–2 days per week on site

Please note this is a 1yr FTC position.

Are you an experienced technical design professional who can turn architectural direction and complex business requirements into clear, developer-ready solutions? This is an opportunity to play a senior role at the heart of a forward-looking digital function, helping teams deliver secure, supportable and high-quality products and applications.

Working across architecture, business analysis, product delivery and software development, you will provide technical design leadership from high-level design through detailed solution design, implementation, testing, deployment and operational support. You will improve design maturity, backlog readiness and delivery confidence across a varied portfolio of enterprise applications, integrations, data services and emerging technology initiatives.

This is a hands-on role embedded within the delivery team, giving you the scope to influence standards and governance while ensuring that designs remain practical, buildable and aligned with operational realities.

What you’ll do

• Translate architectural principles, patterns and business requirements into detailed, developer-ready technical designs.
• Lead the transition from high-level design into practical solution designs that support estimation, development, testing, deployment and ongoing service.
• Provide design governance and assurance across enterprise applications, integrations, platform enhancements, data services and AI-enabled solutions.
• Produce high-quality design artefacts, including solution outlines, process flows, sequence diagrams, interface specifications, data mappings and technical reference material.
• Define and promote technical readiness standards, helping teams resolve ambiguity, dependencies and risks before work enters development.
• Work closely with architects, business analysts, product managers, developers, testers, security specialists and service operations colleagues.
• Champion secure-by-design, resilience, supportability, maintainability and effective service transition.
• Identify technical debt, design risks and recurring delivery issues, using insight to drive continuous improvement.
• Influence stakeholders at all levels and communicate complex technical decisions, options and trade-offs clearly.

What we’re looking for

• Experience as a Solutions Designer, Technical Business Analyst, Solution Consultant, Lead Developer or in a comparable senior technical role.
• A strong track record of turning architectural direction and business needs into detailed, buildable technical solutions.
• Experience working across architecture, analysis, development, testing, security and service operations.
• Strong knowledge of agile delivery approaches, backlog readiness and technical governance.
• Experience creating solution designs, process models, integration specifications, interface contracts, data mappings and other technical documentation.
• Confidence using Azure DevOps or equivalent backlog and delivery tooling.
• The ability to influence technical and delivery practices without direct management authority.
• Strong stakeholder management, facilitation and communication skills.
• Product engineering or product delivery operating models.
• Enterprise integrations across cloud and SaaS platforms.
• Microsoft Azure, APIs, integration platforms, event-driven architecture and data services.
• Solution architecture or complex multi-stakeholder environments.
• A relevant degree or equivalent professional experience; recognised architecture, design, agile or business analysis qualifications would be advantageous.