Sonata SME

Cognizant; Shillingford St George; On-site; GBP 70,000 - 110,000; Full time

Job summary

Cognizant in the United Kingdom seeks a Sonata Subject Matter Expert to guide design, configuration and operation of the Bravura Sonata platform in line with business and technology objectives.

You will partner with technology teams, delivery and vendors to ensure stability, scalability and continuous improvement, translating requirements into scalable Sonata solutions and governing platform practices. This role emphasizes governance, testing, and knowledge sharing across delivery teams.

Qualifications

• Experience with the Sonata platform and related configuration
• Ability to translate business requirements into Sonata solutions
• Knowledge of platform governance and change delivery processes
• Understanding of integration impacts and testing
• Familiarity with Oracle databases and SQL

Responsibilities

• Solution design, configuration & change delivery across the Sonata platform.
• Provide Sonata expertise for platform enhancements, projects and initiatives.
• Translate business requirements into scalable Sonata solutions including configuration and workflows.
• Review changes for risks and alignment with standards and objectives.
• Provide design assurance to delivery teams through the change lifecycle.
• Maintain Sonata standards, documentation and knowledge assets.

Skills

Problem solving

Multi-tasking

Attention to detail

Calm under pressure

Can-do attitude

Continuous improvement

Agile awareness

Tools

Oracle DB

OracleAQ

JMS messages

SQL queries

Sonata deployment/installer

Single Sign-On (Azure Entra)

SOAPUI/ReadyAPI

ODS & Wherescape Red

Job description

Role Purpose

The Sonata SME provides specialist knowledge and guidance across the Bravura Sonata platform, ensuring the platform is effectively designed, configured, enhanced, and operated in alignment with business and technology objectives.

Role Purpose

The Sonata SME provides specialist knowledge and guidance across the Bravura Sonata platform, ensuring the platform is effectively designed, configured, enhanced, and operated in alignment with business and technology objectives.

The role acts as a key advisor and subject matter expert across product configuration, platform capability, solution design, business process alignment, change delivery, and continuous improvement. The Sonata SME works closely with technology teams, business stakeholders, delivery teams, and external vendors to ensure Sonata remains stable, scalable, and fit for purpose.

Key Responsibilities

• Solution Design, Configuration & Change Delivery
• Provide Sonata expertise across platform enhancements, projects, and strategic initiatives.
• Translate business requirements into scalable Sonata solutions, covering configuration, workflows, rules, product setup, processes, and integration impacts.
• Review proposed changes, identify risks and dependencies, and ensure alignment with platform standards and business objectives.
• Provide design assurance and guidance to delivery teams throughout the change lifecycle.
• Platform Governance & Business Alignment Provide governance over Sonata configuration, usage, and platform practices. Ensure solutions align with business needs, regulatory requirements, and Sonata platform strategy. Partner with business and technology stakeholders to define improvements, challenge requirements where appropriate, and identify optimisation opportunities. Support prioritisation of platform enhancements and continuous improvement initiatives.
• Testing, Releases & Vendor Engagement Provide Sonata expertise across testing, release, and implementation activities. Support solution validation, release readiness, and post-release assurance. Act as a key point of contact supporting product discussions, upgrades, roadmap alignment, and platform capability assessments. Contribute to platform governance forums and strategic technology decisions.
• Knowledge & Capability Development Maintain Sonata standards, documentation, and knowledge assets. Promote consistent platform practices and knowledge sharing across delivery, support, and delivery teams. Coach teams on Sonata capabilities and support the reduction of platform knowledge dependency.

Technical Skills

• Good understanding of how an Oracle DB operates
• Awareness of OracleAQ and the creation of JMS messages
• Knowledge of the Sonata data model would be desirable
• A good understanding of the technology and software that underpins the Sonata application
• Ability to write SQL queries (on an Oracle and/or SQL Server DB)
• Detailed knowledge of the Sonata Application including
• Configuration capabilitie
• Sonata job setup
• Use of transformation scripts
• Flexibility of users/groups/permissions to allow targeted access to Sonata
• Single Sign On setup using Azure Entra
• A good understanding of the Sonata installer process
• Awareness of how a Source of Truth is structured
• Using testing tools such as SOAPUI or ReadyAPI be able to construct SBS requests
• Ability to diagnose performance issues
• Experience with successful implementation of return to trunk upgrades
• Good knowledge of Operational Data Store (ODS) and Wherescape Red application

Nice to have

• Knowledge of monitoring tools (e.g App Dynamics, Logic Monitor)
• Sonata Workflow knowledge
• Experience in managing multiple Sources of Truth
• Service Now experience
• Awareness of agile methodology

Other Skills

• A wide knowledge of UK Pensions
• Ability to problem solve and troubleshoot
• Ability to multi task effectively
• Able to remain calm under pressure
• Good attention to detail
• Can-do attitude
• Always striving for continuous improvement