Senior Solutions Architect

Job Description

About the roleAs the second largest Building Society in the UK and the 8th largest lender. We know a thing or two about Savings and Mortgages. The Society has grown significantly over the past decade in particular and now has over 2,500 employees and 1.8 million members.The Society is a Which recommended savings provider and we are proud to be one of the Times Top 100 Best Companies to work for.The CIDO function uses the SAFe framework to deliver change into the organisation and as such this role maps to the Solution Architect role requiring all the necessary skills to make technical decisions over all domains across the programme level. Whilst collaboratingwith Enterprise and Systems Architects and the Portfolio and Solution level respectively.This is a key role within the Architecture team, playing a critical role in the Enterprise Solution Delivery (ESD) providing an exciting opportunity for someone preferably used to working in an agile product-based environment ideally within the SAFe framework.You will have experience defining and communicating a shared technical and architectural vision across a Solution Train or equivalent in non-SAFe Enterprises; more generally you will act confidently as a direction setter and subject matter expert, engagingpositively with key business and technical stakeholders.This Senior SolutionArchitecture position sits within our Colleague Portfolio and as such is focused on solution design revolving around our shift to M365 and the related technologies that allow our colleagues to deliver measured outcomes and services to themembers of our society.

• Partners with Enterprise Architects to help them elaborate Epics and Capabilities [help to partition the wider work – and scope my train] –Shaping the Agile Release Trains (ARTs) at the programme level and collaborating with the EAs on the portfolioDevelopment Value Streams.
• Define solution vision, solution roadmap and the capabilities to meet them.
• Define & prioritise the enablers for the established Architectural Runways for programme backlogs and collaborating with System Architects with the Solution Backlogs.
• Establishes and supports definition of Non-functional Requirements
• Partners with other Architects and engineers to elaborate technologies and Features
• Solution context definition in collaboration with solution management.
• Actively supports design and steering of Continuous Delivery pipeline[arch sync]
• Working with Solution Management to align Suppliers and ART’s on what to build and how.
• Fosters Built-in Quality for the entire Solution across the ART systems.
• Playing a critical role in Pre-Post PI planning events.
• Similarly for ART and Solution Train Inspect and Adapt (I&A) workshops.
• Establishing the Solution Intent repository
• Have a Continuous Improvement mind-set and actively seek out feedback and improve work through review, change and guidance
• Support Architect activities and bring on more junior staff through mentoring and coaching

We recognise that flexibility will look different for each person. So if you’re looking for an alternative working arrangement, we’ll consider different working options providing we still meet our member’s needs, and where we can, we’ll make ithappen. So if you’re looking for a different working pattern, have a chat with us before you apply or during the application process to see what the possibilities are.About youYou will:

• Have proven experience in M365 and related technologies such as Active Directory and Microsoft Azure
• Be highly effective at both written and verbal communication with substantial experience of developing highly effective working relationships with key stakeholders and colleagues at all levels.
• Have a solid understanding of architecture, associated strategies and frameworks
• Have well developed interpersonal, analytical, planning and organising skills, an attention to detail, a high level of accuracy and the ability to work on your own initiative

About usWe’re proud to be a building society and we’re focused on our purpose of giving people the power to be better off through life. We’re the 2nd largest building society in the UK, the 8th largest lender, we have more than 3000 employees and we’re still growingand protecting the interests of our members. The best way to judge a company is based on what the people who work there say as we’re rated certified by Great Place to Work from our recent employee survey.What makes us such a rich and progressive place to work is the huge variety of people inour teams. We value diversity, in terms of gender, race, age, faith, disability, sexual orientation but also personality and thinking style; the uniqueness you’ll bringto us we see as a real source of strength.We are committed to building and promoting a diverse and inclusive community, where you can succeed as your whole self. We think discrimination of any sort has no place in a modern society, including ours.Diversity brings unique ideas and perspectives, helping us to deliver better performance. We’ve made clear commitments to increase gender and race diversity in our senior teams over time, and an overall ambition to improve the representation of different sexualorientations, gender identities, disability, backgrounds and thinking styles in our workforce.We also offer not only fulfilling jobs and exciting career opportunities but a place where everyone can belong and feel proud to work.As an employee, we have a great benefits package and youre encouraged to take control of your career. We invest in our people,with regular opportunities for training and development. And later, if you’re looking for a new challenge, we actively champion internal progression.We’ve got a whole range of different ways to support you, both in your role and wider well being!