Solution Architect

A key part of the role will be to ensure we make progress on our key issues, while keeping solutions aligned to organization and industry standards and with other
programs/projects.

The solutions architect provides the necessary leadership, analysis and design tasks related to support the development of technology solutions to ensure that solutions meet business needs and align with architectural governance and standards.

What you’ll be doing as a Solution Architect

• Understand the problem space: delivery of solution architectures and designs through their full lifecycle.
• Creates architectural designs to guide and contextualise solution development across products, services, projects, and systems, including applications, technologies, processes, and information.
• Create and maintain the architecture models and related reference data in our enterprise repository as part of your normal project tasks.
• Facilitate the evaluation and selection of solution options, software product standards and services, as well as the design of standard and custom software configurations.
• Provide solution architecture deliverables, including current and target state architecture, standard definitions, reference models, architecture designs and patterns.
• Supports product managers in product decisions to maintain, refresh or retire services, or systems, including applications, technologies, processes, and information.
• Use your experience on projects to suggest, and in some cases implement, changes to our modelling environment to better support the needs of our various stakeholders; this may require some software engineering.

Base location – Hybrid – Clear Water Court Reading

36 hours a week.

What you should bring to the role

To thrive in this role, the essential criteria you’ll need is:

• Being able to lead a project from an architecture perspective, ensuring that all decisions that are architecturally relevant can be taken following the appropriate governance (including peer review) and proactively informing the project plan in that direction.
• Excellent communication skills with ability to operate within cross-functional teams.
• A track record of delivery in both waterfall and agile environments.
• Practical experience using an architecture framework such as TOGAF or ArchiMate
• Educated to degree level or equivalent in a STEM subject.

Extra qualities that would be a great fit for our team:

• Experience using an architecture modelling tool such as BiZZdesign, Sparx, Lean IX, CACI MooD, Orbus.
• Exposure to process modelling, for example, in BPMN.
• Certification in an architecture framework. (e.g. TOGAF or ArchiMate)

What’s in it for you?

• Competitive salary of up to £90,000 per annum, depending on experience.
• Annual Leave - 26 days holiday per year, increasing to 30 with the length of service. (plus bank holidays)
• Car Allowance.
• Performance-related pay plan directly linked to company performance measures and targets.
• Generous Pension Scheme through AON.
• Private Medical Health Care.
• Access to lots of benefits to help you take care of you and your family’s health and wellbeing, and your finances – from annual health MOTs and access to physiotherapy and counselling, to Cycle to Work schemes, shopping vouchers and life assurance.

Find out more about our benefits and perks

Who are we?

We’re the UK’s largest water and wastewater company, with more than 16 million customers relying on us every day to supply water for their taps and toilets. We want to build a better future for all, helping our customers, communities, people, and the planet to thrive. It’s a big job and we’ve got a long way to go, so we need help from passionate and skilled people, committed to making a difference and getting us to where we want to be in the years and decades to come.

Learn more about our purpose and values

Working at Thames Water

Thames Water is a unique, rewarding, and diverse place to work, where every day you can make a difference, yet no day is the same. As part of our family, you’ll enjoy meaningful career opportunities, flexible working arrangements and excellent benefits.

If you’re looking for a sustainable and successful career where you can make a daily difference to millions of people’s lives while helping to protect the world of water for future generations, we’ll be here to support you every step of the way. Together, we can build a better future for our customers, our region, and our planet.

Real purpose, real support, real opportunities. Come and join the Thames Water family. Why choose us? Learn more.

We’re committed to being a great, diverse, and inclusive place to work. We welcome applications from everyone and want to ensure you feel supported throughout the recruitment process. If you need any adjustments, whether that’s extra time, accessible formats, or anything else just let us know, we’re here to help and support.

When a crisis happens, we all rally around to support our customers. As part of Team Thames, you’ll have the opportunity to sign up to support our customers on the frontline as an ambassador. Full training will be given for what is undoubtedly an incredibly rewarding experience. It’s also a great opportunity to learn more about our business and meet colleagues.

Disclaimer: due to the high volume of applications we receive, we may close the advert earlier than the advertised date, so we encourage you to apply as soon as possible to avoid disappointment.