Solutions Architect Business Applications

Super Auto Repair; United Kingdom; On-site; GBP 60,000 - GBP 80,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading auto repair service located in Lancaster seeks a Solutions Architect who will lead the design of business application architecture, providing essential analysis and facilitation. The role demands experience in both on-premise and Cloud solution design and requires collaboration with various teams to support implementation. Candidates will work two days on-site and will contribute to digital innovation while managing legacy systems. This is a fixed-term contract role requiring notice of no longer than one month.

Qualifications

• Experience in designing solutions for business applications.
• Ability to review existing systems for upgrades or replacements.
• Experience in capturing requirements and vendor selection.
• Familiarity with on-premise and Cloud solutions architecture.

Responsibilities

• Lead development of architectures and standards for enterprise solutions.
• Guide management of both software-as-a-service and in-house solutions.
• Analyze technologies to detect deficiencies and recommend improvements.
• Drive digital innovation through innovative technologies.
• Establish principles and standards for solution architecture.
• Create detailed documentation and guidelines for teams.
• Advise on quality standards and control processes.
• Collaborate with teams to provide architectural expertise.
• Maintain knowledge of solution architectures at conferences and seminars.

Skills

Solutions Architecture experience

Reviewing and upgrading systems

Requirements gathering

Architecture design for Cloud and on-premise

Job description

Our client have a Digital Strategy to 2030 to review, upgrade and replace IT and business applications and to improve processes, ways of working and student experiences.

Within this, there is a programme of work to review their portfolio within Estate Management covering Facilities, Leisure Systems, Student Accommodation, Booking for sports, parking and so on.

A Solutions Architect is required to provide facilitation, analysis, and design around the development of their business application architecture, translating business requirements into scalable and efficient technical solutions.

The role-holder will develop standards, guidelines and security considerations to ensure that their systems and applications enable the successful delivery of business outcomes and KPIs. They will also be responsible for helping eliminate current technical debt.

Current business applications include Kinetics Software for Accommodation, Planon for real estate management and others. All need to be reviewed to be replaced or upgraded and pushed into the Cloud wherever possible.

Major Duties

• Lead the development of architectures and standards for their enterprise solutions, ensuring that they adhere to the clients IT guardrails and principles.
• Guide the management of both software-as-a-service and in-house solutions (whether cloud based or on premise).
• Analyse current technologies to detect critical deficiencies, legacy and technical debt and recommend solutions for improvement, taking into account the Digital Strategy, available resources and capital planning.
• Drive digital innovation by leveraging innovative technologies and approaches to renovate, extend and transform the existing development and solutions environment. Evaluate technologies, frameworks and tools, understanding both technical and business requirements to determine the best for the particular business outcome, working within the Universitys guardrails & principles, and our infrastructure and data architectures.
• Establish principles, standards and strategy for the selection of solution architecture technologies, taking responsibility for the methods used in implementing a solution architecture for the business. Ensure that the technical solution strategies, policies, standards and practices are applied correctly and consistently.
• Create detailed documentation, including diagrams, specifications, and guidelines, to help teams understand the architecture and implementation plan.
• Advise on appropriate quality standards and quality control processes relating to solution architecture, ensuring that quality control activities (including testing and accessibility compliance) are carried out satisfactorily and adhere to best practices, industry standards, and security protocols.
• Collaborate closely with teams across ISS, including developers, engineers, project and service teams, providing continued architectural expertise throughout the delivery lifecycle, troubleshooting and making adjustments as necessary during development, and supporting the deployment and early-life implementation of any solution.
• Maintain knowledge of solution architectures at the highest level by representing the business at conferences and seminars; meeting and maintaining contact with other professionals involved in solution architecture; and through taking an active part in appropriate professional bodies.

Skills And Experience

• You will have demonstrable Solutions Architecture experience designing solutions for business applications.
• Reviewing existing systems and deciding on upgrading or replacing.
• If replace then capture requirements and assist with vendor selection.
• Architecture design for on premise and Cloud solutions.

Higher Education Experience a Bonus But Not Required

You will need to be in Lancaster 2 days per week and the rest is remote.

As this is an FTC, start no later than 1 months notice.