Solution Architect

Solution Architect

65,000 - 70,000 + benefits

Permanent

Full-time (35 hours per week)

Wimbledon (flexible and hybrid working)

About us

We've been championing better work and working lives for over 100 years. We help organisations thrive by focusing on their people, supporting our economies and societies. We're the professional body for HR, L&D, OD and all people professionals - experts in people, work and change. With over 160,000 members globally - and a growing community using our research, insights and learning - we give trusted advice and offer independent thought leadership. And we are a leading voice in the call for good work that creates value for everyone.

We offer an inclusive and stimulating culture and a wide range of professional development opportunities, as well as excellent benefits such as 28 days holiday with an option to buy and sell days, personal development allowance, access to an award winning pension scheme and a commitment to wellbeing including a cashback health scheme.

The role

As a Solution Architect, you will lead the definition, governance and end-to-end design of CIPD's digital architecture. You will direct technical designs, ensure all solutions align to enterprise architecture principles, long-term strategy and organisational technology goals.

What you'll be doing

• Leading definition and governance of the core architectural building blocks underpinning CIPD's digital landscape.
• Setting and maintaining architectural standards, patterns and guardrails across digital and technology delivery.
• Acting as the solution authority for major programmes, guiding evaluation and selection of technology approaches.
• Designing end-to-end solutions that address functional and non-functional requirements, ensuring scalability, security and longevity.
• Ensuring architectural decisions translate into executable programme delivery and remain aligned to long-term strategy.
• Providing authoritative technical direction throughout the project lifecycle to unblock progress and reduce risk.
• Balancing immediate delivery priorities with long-term architectural strategic vision.
• Leading architectural estimating, technical risk assessment and GAP analysis.
• Supporting data architecture
• Defining and delivering when needed proofs of concept to validate architectural choices.
• Overseeing successful delivery of integrated, resilient digital solutions across the organisation.

What you'll need to be successful

• Extensive experience designing complex, distributed architectures
• Expert knowledge of APIs, SaaS, iPaaS, cloud environments, IAM, integrations and security models
• Ability to lead architectural governance and influence senior stakeholders
• Strong experience translating strategic objectives into architectural roadmaps
• Skilled in Agile delivery, modelling tools and DevOps-aligned approaches
• Attend and participate in requirements sessions with business stakeholders and vendor led workshops
• Good verbal and written communication skills, including the ability to explain digital concepts and technologies for senior leaders and key stakeholders
• Work collaboratively with stakeholders and across organisational boundaries to achieve results through Agile
• Methodology, Modelling Tools (Bizzdesign), Continuous Integration and DevOps.

If this role describes you and your career aspirations, click apply.

CIPD Empowering People-Valuing Difference. At the CIPD, we believe that every person brings unique perspectives, experiences and strengths that enrich our workplaces and communities. We see diversity as the wide range of visible and non-visible differences that make each of us who we are — including, but not limited to: age, colour, disability, ethnicity, education, gender identity, neurodiversity, religion or belief, relationship status, sex, sexual orientation, socio-economic background and other personal and protected characteristics and experiences.

Research continues to show that equality, diversity and inclusion (EDI), drives better decision-making, innovation and problem-solving and in turn better organisational business outcomes. By embracing our differences and creating equal opportunities and inclusive cultures we can build environments where everyone feels respected, valued and able to thrive — and where both organisational and individual goals are achieved.

We are determined to ensuring employment policy and practice promote and deliver EDIat every stage of the employment relationship. This includes not only recognising and understanding how each individuals personal and protected characteristics can either advantage or disadvantage employment experiences and outcomes, but also to continually strengthen our understanding and sharing the benefits EDI.

Please note, we reserve the right to close or extend this position depending on application numbers. Therefore, we would urge you to submit an application as soon as possible.