Anaplan or Pigment Solutions Architect

Alpha FMC is a specialist consulting firm focused on digital and operational transformation for Asset and Wealth Management, Alternative Investments, and Insurance clients worldwide. Our EPM practice is a fast-growing, collaborative team delivering high-quality solutions across platforms including Anaplan, Pigment, and Workiva.

The Solution Architect is a senior technical and client-facing role responsible for leading EPM design and delivery. You will shape architectural approaches, lead model-building teams through agile delivery, and serve as the primary technical voice with clients. This role operates at Manager or Senior Manager level within the EMEA EPM practice.

Role at a Glance

• Level: Manager or Senior Manager
• Platform Focus: Anaplan and/or Pigment (primary); broader Alpha EPM platform exposure expected
• Team: Global EPM Practice, EMEA-based
• Travel: Client offices in London and occasional EMEA travel

Responsibilities

You will contribute to pre‑sales activities including building and presenting platform demonstrations, either personally or by directing a model builder. You are expected to develop deep familiarity with Alpha's accelerator models for Asset Managers, Real Estate, Private Markets, and Workforce Planning, through active engagement with the wider EPM community.

Scope Definition and Discovery

You will own project scoping from initial discovery through to sign‑off. This involves:

• Leading discovery sessions with client stakeholders to surface current-state processes, systems, and data flows
• Documenting business and functional requirements with precision
• Producing workflow and process diagrams of existing and future-state operations
• Identifying integration dependencies and assessing enterprise-level system alignment
• Flagging scope risks early and communicating them directly to the Project Manager and client representatives

Solution Design and Specifications

Prior to build commencement, you will translate functional requirements into detailed project specifications and sprint plans. This includes designing and documenting the future-state operating model, including how new processes, data sources, and workflows connect through the EPM solution. Where system capabilities and client specifications diverge, you will propose pragmatic workarounds.

Requirements Documentation

You will lead requirements gathering and maintain documentation discipline throughout the delivery lifecycle. User Stories are captured in JIRA. As part of this process, you will examine existing systems to identify improvement and integration opportunities.

Build Team Leadership

You will direct and oversee model builders throughout the development lifecycle, including:

• Ensuring specifications and requirements are clearly articulated to the build team
• Monitoring sprint progress and adherence to timelines
• Resolving technical blockers and answering build-phase questions as they arise
• Acting as a liaison between client‑facing personnel and model builders
• Keeping the Project Manager informed of progress, risks, and issues

Client Engagement

You will engage directly with client stakeholders throughout the project, from discovery through to deployment. This includes preparing and presenting sprint reviews, progress updates, integration reports, and demonstrations. You should be equally comfortable communicating with business sponsors and technical counterparts.

You will also receive evolving requirements from clients during delivery and work with the Project Manager to prioritise and re‑plan accordingly.

Practice Development

At both Manager and Senior Manager level, Solution Architects are expected to broaden their platform knowledge beyond their primary specialism, contributing to Alpha's multi-platform EPM capability. Contributions to internal knowledge management, methodology development, and team development are an active expectation of the role.

Requirements

• University degree or equivalent professional qualification
• Anaplan Anaplan Solution Architect Certified and/or Pigment Pro Certified
• Strong consulting background, or 2-4 years of managing Anaplan/Pigment platforms in internal Finance teams
• Demonstrable experience in requirements gathering, documentation, and scoping across complex programmes
• Desired: Financial modelling experience in Private Markets, Asset Management or Insurance.

Technical Skills

• Deep knowledge of Anaplan and/or Pigment, including advanced concepts, model design best practices, and integration design patterns
• Strong Excel modelling background; familiarity with broader EPM and finance systems is advantageous
• Proficiency in process mapping tools such as Visio or LucidChart
• Experience with JIRA or equivalent agile project tooling for user story and backlog management
• Competency in Microsoft Office, particularly PowerPoint and Word, for client‑facing deliverables

Consulting and Client Skills

• Exceptional written and oral communication skills, with the ability to present confidently to both business and technology audiences
• Strong analytical and problem‑solving capability, with attention to detail and the ability to quickly grasp complex, cross‑functional requirements
• Track record of managing client relationships and delivering under pressure
• Ability to interact effectively with vendors and partners to gather technical information critical to project scope and execution

Personal Attributes

• Self‑motivated, proactive, and organised in a fast‑paced consulting environment
• Able to prioritise workload and manage competing expectations across multiple stakeholders
• Genuine interest in Financial Services, Private Markets, and the technology landscape underpinning these sectors
• Appetite to grow knowledge across Alpha's broader EPM platform portfolio
• Flexibility for working on client site in London.