Senior Solution Architect (Enterprise Systems)

80984 - Senior Solution Architect (Enterprise Systems)

This Senior Solution Architect (Enterprise Systems) will report to the Architecture Manager and will work within IS based in our London, Crawley or Ipswich office. You will be a permanent employee.

You will attract a salary of £90,000 and a bonus of 7.5%. This role can also offer blended working after probationary period (6 months) - 3 days in the office and 2 remote

Close Date: 16/06/2025.

We also provide the following additional benefits

• 25 Days Annual Leave plus bank holidays.
• Reservist Leave – Additional 18 days full pay and 22 unpaid
• Personal Pension Plan – Personal contribution rates of 4% or 5% (UK Power Networks will make a corresponding contribution of 8% or 10%)
• Tenancy Loan Deposit Scheme, Season Ticket Loan
• Tax efficient benefits: Cycle to Work, Home & Tech, and Green Car Leasing Schemes
• Occupational Health support
• Switched On – scheme providing discount on hundreds of retailers' products
• Discounted gym membership
• Employee Assistance Programme

Job Purpose

UK Power Networks is constantly improving its IT systems to effect business change, deliver efficient processes and system modernisation. You will drive efficiency in our existing operations, deliver customer service and user experience and provide a solid and agile platform fuelling our innovation and digitalisation ambitions.

We're looking for an Enterprise Systems Architect to assess our core Azure, M365 applications and Power Platform estate and help define and communicate the current and target state architectures across the enterprise and modernisation of capabilities such as MS Fabric and Power platform in favour of traditional 3-tier applications.

You will develop and manage platform architecture lifecycle, drive Reference models, Reference Architectures, technical design, design patterns, reusable frameworks, best practices with the goal of providing best in class systems and customer satisfaction. In the role you will ensure the AS- IS Business capabilities are documented, and the Microsoft reference Architectures and design patterns are maintained within UKPN's Enterprise Architecture Tool.

The role will help decide, shape, and advise on best use of technology across multiple customer journeys and business units. In any areas which have differences among the business units you will lead the design of solutions which maximise alignment with the core product set, with minimum customisation. At times this will involve arbitrating among competing views from the functional specialists, SI partners and business units within UKPN.

Dimensions

• Direct reports: none.
• Budget: none directly, influencing £2m in solutions and projects.
• Portfolio: IT Technology.

Principal Accountabilities

• Influence technology strategy by collaborating with business teams and leadership, to understand our needs and ensure alignment with technical solutions.
• Engage with business counterparts in aligned directorates to become a trusted advisor and Solution partner.
• Provide recommendations to maximise the value of technology assets via their implementation, access, and utilisation.
• Overall responsibility for the design and assurance of the activities across Microsoft M365, Power Platform and working across the organisation to:
  • Lead the technical design authority to resolve design problems to ensure that the design is delivered following Architecture principles. Ensure approval of technical design with the UKPN Architecture Review Board.
  • Be an advocate of standardisation and adoption of minimal customisation of the chosen Solution.
  • Institutionalise a design assurance process with suppliers to ensure the design and delivery of the technical solution is in delivered following systems requirements and IT Standards.
  • Ensure all the business capability models and design patterns are delivered via existing Enterprise Architecture tools to ensure business collaboration and information dissemination.
  • Support the department in other areas including but not limited to data migration, environments (dev/QA/Prod), interface design, legacy retirement, data archiving, code, and documentation standards.
• Lead complex and technically challenging architectural transformations, coordinating technical SMEs across multiple vendors and internal technology teams.
• Lead on the design and implementation of enterprise solutions and roadmaps for different technology domains.
• Produce roadmaps that allow frequent and incremental delivery of value to the technology landscape.
• Perform architecture assessments of the existing technology landscape to identify any gaps that may exist and provide recommendations on remediation.
• Ensure proposed solutions are compliant with the UKPN Architecture principles and Cyber security standards.
• Evaluate and recommend technology solutions that align with UKPN strategic goals and roadmap.
• Develop and maintain technical documentation, including architecture diagrams and specifications.
• Collaborate with partners, scrum masters, projects managers and product owners to define technical solutions designs.
• Translate roadmaps into packages of work that allow frequent incremental delivery of value to be included in change programmes/projects.
• Track, analyse and monitor technology performance metrics of technology solutions and products.
• Seek and use feedback, while supporting adaptive design and agile engineering practices to guide the cooperation of programs and teams towards a shared technical vision.
• Coach junior members of the team across technical, strategy and delivery.

Nature & Scope

The Senior Solution Architect (Enterprise Systems) reports to the Architecture Manager within the Strategy, Regulation and Technology directorate.

We ask that you have a firsthand approach to provide direction and guidance, ensuring that architecture strategy and projects align with the organisation's goals, as well as Architecture and Security principles and standards. Additionally, you will assist in the communication of the Technology strategy to senior leaders and the broader business.

The post holder will lead the specification and design of next-generation solutions, contributing to the Technology Landscape and Business capabilities to support the successful development of the Enterprise Architecture strategy. You will be an integral part of a multi-disciplinary team, collaborating with Cloud Architects, Infrastructure and Network Architects, Security Architects, data science specialists, solution developers, and business stakeholders - including business leads and engineers. The primary goal of this role is to deliver an optimal solution architecture by implementing strategies and initiatives that will establish UK Power Networks as the leading UK DNO.

The ideal candidate will have a passion for leveraging technology to solve business problems and must build relationships with senior stakeholders across UKPN, key external stakeholders, strategic suppliers, and contractors.

UKPN aspires to be recognised as an industry leader in technology. The role holder must possess the capability to lead with vision to achieve this objective and create long-term value.

• Knowledge of the Cloud, Digital front end, back-end applications and Middleware
• Knowledge of Cyber-security architecture, System Integration, Access and Identity management
• Expertise in complex systems integration and Data architecture and analytics
• Expertise of API standards and protocols for building and integrating complex systems and architecture
• Articulate complex technical concepts to colleagues, up to senior leadership level, which includes collaboration and stakeholder management skills
• Experience developing, syndicating and communicating architectures, designs and proposals for action
• Experience working with business solution vendors, technology vendors and products within the market
• An understanding of industry architecture frameworks, such as TOGAF or ArchiMate
• Experience as a Senior Architect or similar role in a large, complex IT environment

Qualifications & Experience

• Bachelor's degree in computer science, information systems or a STEM field (or equivalent project-related experience).
• Extensive understanding of Microsoft M365, MS Dynamics and Power Platform.
• Knowledge of Azure and Cloud platform components and offerings.
• Experience of large scale, transformation projects.
• Experience of integrating an on-premises applications with cloud SaaS products.
• Good understanding of Agile and demonstrable experience of working in an Agile team.
• Experience of developing, syndicating, and communicating architectures, designs, and proposals for action.
• Experience of capturing Business capabilities, Reference Architectures in an Enterprise Architecture Tool/ repository.
• Expertise of API standards and protocols for building and integrating complex systems and architecture.
• Knowledge of the Cloud, Digital front end, back-end applications and Middleware.
• Knowledge of Cyber-security architecture, System Integration, Access and Identity management.
• Strong Experience of developing, syndicating and communicating architectures, designs and proposals for action.
• Experience of working with business solution vendors, technology vendors and products within the energy market.
• In-depth experience of designing and implementing solutions, particularly utilising Microsoft Azure platforms and applications.
• Strong experience as a Senior Architect or similar role in a large, complex IT environment.
• Knowledge and experience of applying Enterprise Architecture frameworks i.e. TOGAF or ArchiMate.
• Experience leading the review of technical designs to approve their implementation.
• Experience in providing oversight and advice to other Architects or vendors who are undertaking the design of new, or redesign of existing systems.
• Experience within the Utilities and Electricity distribution industry would be beneficial.
• Ability to assess rapidly changing technologies and apply them to business needs.
• An understanding of Agile methodologies with experience working in an Agile team.

Key Behaviours & Competencies

• Ability to turn business problems into a solution design, which includes seeking out opportunities to create effective change and to help people make informed decisions.
• Ability to understand the long-term ("big picture") and short-term perspectives of situations.
• Ability to quickly comprehend the functions and capabilities of innovative technologies.

Health & Safety Responsibilities

Managers and supervisors carry both legal and company responsibilities for ensuring the health and safety of their employees, those under their control and those who might be affected by the work undertaken, i.e. public, visitors and employees of other organisations. This includes briefing individuals working for them and ensuring there is the necessary understanding, competence and application of requirements to work safely and without harming the environment.

Employees will ensure they understand the health and safety risks involved in their work activities and their responsibility to apply the controls needed to manage those risks to acceptable levels. Similarly where work activities can have an adverse impact upon the environment, and where there are legal requirements, employees will understand those impacts and the controls they must ensure are applied.

If in doubt ask!

We are committed to equal employment opportunity regardless of race, colour, ancestry, religion, sex, national origin, sexual orientation, age, citizenship, marital status, disability, gender, gender identity or expression, or veteran status. We are proud to be an equal opportunity workplace.

If you have any queries in connection to this vacancy or your application, please contact us at careers@ukpowernetworks.co.uk quoting the vacancy reference number and a member of the team will get in touch with you as soon as possible.