Principal Solutions Architect

Are you an experienced Architect with a proven track record in designing complex solutions within a highly secure environment with DV clearance, experience and passion to work on solutions for defence and national security customers?

We have openings at various levels for solution architects, lead architects, through to customer account CTOs to work with our customers and teams to define and lead the implementation of groundbreaking, and growth focused secure solutions within the defence or national security arenas.

This is a permanent role, mostly working on-site at locations across the South of England including, Hemel Hempstead, Salisbury, Portsmouth, Farnborough and Cheltenham.

The role requires candidates to be holding a live DV clearance, or previously held DV clearance.

What you will be doing:

You will define the solutions architecture for large scale, complex, medium risk or highly specialised assignments or pre-sales assignments that may lead to major lead to major downstream revenue opportunities. Individuals are accountable for influencing, managing and driving the strategy of a defined area of the business within Sopra Steria or for the development of policy in their area of expertise.

You will own the holistic Architecture, Design and Communication of solutions. You will focus on business, application and data layers but work closely with architects with domain specialisms of infrastructure, security and service, you will own solutions, both comprising of the existing capabilities but also new services identified to meet the needs of existing and new clients.

• You will be responsible for producing outline designs which meet the functional and non-functional requirements, and which focuses on aspects such as:
• Ensure integration with existing systems while supporting business processes, usability, and performance objectives.
• Deliver designs that are maintainable, cost-effective, and scalable.
• Drive changes to services, processes, organizational structures, and operating models as needed.
• Provide technical leadership and oversight throughout implementation and change initiatives.
• Review services, applications, and data to ensure compliance with policies, standards, and IT strategy.
• Model existing and planned services using recognized architectural modeling languages.
• Build and maintain strong technical relationships with customers, guiding the design of new or existing functional capabilities.
• Advise customers and senior stakeholders on leveraging available services and features to maximize value.
• Monitor market trends and competitor activity in specialist areas, applying insights to ongoing service development and roadmap planning.
• Identify, manage, and report risks in a timely and transparent manner.

What you will bring:

• Strong understanding of industry standards, models, and trends.
• Proven experience delivering projects to MOD and/or UKIC.
• Expertise in owning and designing complex solutions, particularly leveraging COTS products.
• Hands-on experience delivering architectures in an Agile environment.
• Deep knowledge of modern application and software development practices, including DevSecOps.
• Strong security and cyber awareness, with experience in secure-by-design frameworks.
• Solid IT architecture experience, including TOGAF.
• Familiarity with modelling notations, such as Archimate and C4.
• Background in delivery and presales activities.

Security Clearance Level: Ideally holding SC or eligibility for SC clearance
Referral Bonus: Level dependant
Salary offered will be in line with experience and development needs

Although this role is advertised as full-time, we believe that flexibility at work can promote work/life balance, increase your motivation, reduce stress and improves performance and productivity. We support different ways of working and can offer a range of flexible working arrangements. So, if you’re interested and need to work flexibly, we encourage you to apply and talk to us about what might be possible.

Loved reading about this job and want to know more about ADS?
Sopra Steria’s Aerospace, Defence and Security business designs, develops and deploys digital solutions to Central Government clients. The work we do makes a real difference to the client’s goal of National Security, and we operate in a unique and privileged environment. We are given time for professional development activities, and we coach and mentor our colleagues, sharing knowledge and learning from each other. We foster a culture in which employees feel valued and supported and have pride in their work for the customer, delivering outstanding rates of customer satisfaction in the UK’s most complex safety- and security-critical markets.