Principal Solution Architect & Practice Manager

CO-OP; United States; Remote; USD 107,000 - 120,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Private healthcare

Company car or car allowance

28 days holiday (+1 per year)

Job summary

Co-op is transforming how technology enables its business strategy. We are seeking a Principal Solution Architect & Practice Manager to lead architecture across key initiatives and grow a team of Solution Architects.

You will define roadmaps, mentor architects, and collaborate with Value Stream Leaders to deliver high-quality, scalable solutions. You will build an engaged architecture community, drive governance, and balance standard capabilities with bespoke options to meet complex

Qualifications

• Significant experience as a Solution Architect with complex solutions.
• Strong architectural judgement balancing business needs and tech.
• Exceptional communication and influencing skills.
• Proven people leadership and mentoring ability.
• Collaborative mindset and knowledge sharing across teams.

Responsibilities

• Own end-to-end solution architecture for key initiatives.
• Define and maintain solution roadmaps aligned to business goals.
• Lead architectural decision-making and trade-offs.
• Ensure scalable, secure and well-integrated solutions.
• Lead, coach and develop a team of Solution Architects.

Skills

Solution Architecture

People leadership

Communication

Influencing

Architectural judgement

Stakeholder mgmt

Job description

At Co-op, technology helps us deliver better experiences for our colleagues, members and customers. We're looking for a Principal Solution Architect & Practice Manager to combine strategic architecture leadership with people leadership, shaping technology solutions that deliver real business value while supporting and developing a team of talented Solution Architects. Why this role matters This is an opportunity to influence how technology enables our future business strategy while helping others grow and succeed. You'll work closely with our Value Stream Leadership teams and the other Solution Architecture Practice Managers to bringing people together, share expertise and fostering a collaborative architecture community, you'll help make sure we deliver high-quality solutions and build a strong, engaged team for the future.

• Own end-to-end solution architecture for key initiatives, ensuring designs align with business goals, enterprise architecture and technology strategy
• Define and maintain solution roadmaps that support long-term business priorities and technology direction
• Lead architectural decision-making, balancing standard capabilities, configuration options and bespoke solutions where appropriate, while guiding teams through complex design decisions and technical trade-offs
• Support the delivery of scalable, resilient, secure and well-integrated solutions across the wider technology landscape
• Lead, coach and develop a team of Solution Architects, supporting their growth, performance and career development
• Build and evolve the Solution Architecture practice, including capability frameworks, career pathways, succession planning, community growth, mentoring and measurable development plans
• Work with other Practice Managers to foster a strong architecture community, encouraging collaboration, knowledge sharing and continuous improvement
• Drive quality across solution designs, ensuring alignment with architecture standards, governance requirements and best practice, while managing the deployment of Solution Architects across change initiatives to meet business needs
• Build trusted relationships with engineering teams, value stream delivery colleagues, vendors and external partners
• Significant experience as a Solution Architect, with a strong track record of designing and delivering complex solutions within retail or similarly complex environments
• Strong architectural judgement, with the ability to balance business needs, operational requirements and technical considerations while challenging assumptions, evaluating evidence and making pragmatic decisions in complex environments.
• A passion for people leadership, with experience coaching, mentoring and developing others while creating an inclusive and supportive team environment
• Excellent communication and influencing skills, with the ability to translate complex technical concepts into clear, practical guidance for a range of audiences
• A collaborative mindset, with a focus on building strong relationships, sharing knowledge and bringing people together to achieve shared goals
• The ability to foster innovation and continuous improvement, helping both people and technology capabilities evolve and succeed
  £80,000 to £90,000 plus private healthcare, company car or car allowance and more great benefits (Work Level 4), At Co-op, we're owned by our members. And because we're owned by you, we can do right by you. So when you join us, you're not just taking a job, you're joining a movement. We're an organisation that puts people and communities first, and we're powered by purpose. We want this to be a place where you can thrive, so you'll also receive:
• An annual bonus (based on personal and business performance)
• 28 days holiday (rising to 32 with service) plus bank holidays
• A pension with up to 10% employer contributions
• A company car or £6,000 car allowance
• Private healthcare
• Access to a subsidised onsite gym (at our Manchester HQ)
• 30% discount on Co-op products and 10% off other brands
• Stream - early access to a percentage of your pay as you earn it
• Virtual healthcare including GP appointments, mental health support, nutrition and fitness advice
• 24/7 colleague support service
• Training and support for your development and career progression
• Cycle-to-work scheme
• A place you'll belong We’re building diverse and inclusive teams that reflect the communities we serve. We welcome applications from everyone and are committed to creating a workplace where colleagues can feel like they belong, supported by our inclusive policies and the ways we work.