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- Tasks: Lead innovative architecture projects and collaborate with product teams to shape the future.
- Company: Join Cancer Research UK, a bold and award-winning charity making a real impact.
- Benefits: Enjoy a competitive salary, generous benefits, and flexible working arrangements.
- Why this job: Make a difference in healthcare while advancing your career in a supportive environment.
- Qualifications: Extensive experience in architecture domains and strong analytical skills required.
- Other info: Inclusive culture that values diverse backgrounds and offers continuous learning opportunities.
The predicted salary is between 62000 - 79000 ÂŁ per year.
Join to apply for the Lead Solution Architect role at Cancer Research UK (CRUK)
Award-winning and bold innovation. Modern Tech‑Stack. Impacting the future.
Lead Solution Architect
Salary: £72,000 – £77,000 (+ Benefits)
Department: Chief Operating Office
Contract: Permanent
Hours: Full time, 35 hours per week
Location: Stratford, London. Office‑based with high flexibility (1‑2 days per week in the office)
Visa sponsorship: You must be eligible to work in the UK to apply for this vacancy. Cancer Research UK is not able to offer visa sponsorship.
Closing date: 03 December 2025
We may close earlier if a high volume of applications is received or once a suitable candidate is found, so we recommend applying early. If you need more time to apply as part of a reasonable adjustment, please contact recruitment@cancer.org.uk as soon as possible.
Recruitment process: Two competency‑based interviews with an exercise (potentially with an initial telephone interview, depending on the volume of applications).
Interview date: The week commencing 1st December 2025. Shortlisting will be on a rolling basis.
How to apply? We operate an anonymised shortlisting process in our commitment to equality, diversity, and inclusion. CVs are required for all applications; we won’t view them until we invite you for an interview. Please fully complete the work history section of the online application form for us to assess you quickly, fairly, and objectively.
Please note: While ChatGPT or other AI platforms can be useful when applying for jobs, we strongly encourage applicants to ensure their applications authentically reflect their own experience. If you choose to use AI for formatting or assistance, please review and personalise your application accordingly.
At Cancer Research UK, we exist to beat cancer. We are professionals with purpose, beating cancer every day. But we need to go much further and much faster. That’s why we’re looking for someone talented, someone who wants to develop their skills, someone like you.
Cancer Research UK has an ambitious Technology strategy and modern Tech Stack with a complex hybrid (on‑premise & multi‑cloud) infrastructure underpinning an extensive technical estate that supports the charity’s ability to deliver a range of change initiatives and programmes. Our Architecture team is at the forefront of technological innovation in the charity sector and plays an essential role in ensuring our technical architecture supports the charity’s diverse needs and ambitions across a range of products and services used by 4,000+ staff, 600+ shops, and thousands of supporters who raised £463m towards our life‑saving research in 2023/24.
What will I be doing?
- Partnering with Heads of Product Portfolios and Product Managers to support roadmap development and provide early triage.
- Providing architecture support, coaching, and solution assurance across Technology’s product portfolios.
- Addressing key design decisions, balancing risks, benefits, and outcomes for complex technical problems.
- Collaborating with Lead Engineers and other technology teams to ensure the documented current state is maintained for change assessment and operational support.
- Communicating and coordinating architecture development and technical change across portfolios and products (including those delivered by our partners).
- Contributing to and building an active Architecture community across capabilities and partners.
- Providing in‑depth expertise within at least one specialised domain of architecture (business, enterprise, solution, infrastructure, data, security, platform, or service).
- Experienced Architect with extensive experience in at least one of the following architecture domains: business, enterprise, solution, infrastructure, data, security, platform, or service.
- Please note that candidates with an engineering background will not be considered for this Solution Architect role, as this position requires an Architecture skill set and experience.
Leadership & Drive for Impact
- Building credible stakeholder relationships across the charity to value ideas, drive momentum, and challenge when required.
- Balancing short‑term needs with long‑term strategic goals.
- Translating complex information and concepts to technical and non‑technical audiences.
- Driving the direction and output on day‑to‑day workload and priorities while navigating ambiguity and making clear and timely decisions in changing situations.
- Mentoring and coaching colleagues, fostering a culture of continuous learning and leading through others.
Resource Management
- Reducing costs by proactively challenging to enable the optimal cost of resource ownership and delivered architecture.
- Building inclusive environments and working with third parties.
What skills will I need?
- Has delivered large‑scale migrations and implemented new technologies within an integrated architecture in large, complex organisations.
- Solid understanding of modern software and platform architecture approaches (e.g., microservices and cloud).
- Experience delivering architecture through Agile Product teams.
- Knowledge of enterprise architecture frameworks (e.g., TOGAF, Zachman and others), industry-wide best practices, and emerging technologies.
- Modelling and documenting experience with the ability to create models and visualisations to enable others to understand the architecture.
- Strong analytical thinking and problem‑solving skills.
Our organisation’s values
- Bold: Act with ambition, courage and determination.
- Credible: Act with rigour and professionalism.
- Human: Act to have a positive impact on people.
- Together: Act inclusively and collaboratively.
We’re looking for people who can embody these values and use them to drive forward progress against our mission to beat cancer.
If you’re interested but unsure if you have the right skills and experience, we’d still love to hear from you.
What will I gain?
We create a working environment that supports your wellbeing and provide a generous benefits package, a wide range of career and personal development opportunities, and high‑quality tools. Our policies and processes enable you to improve work‑life balance, take positive steps in your career, and achieve your personal wellbeing goals.
You can explore our benefits by visiting our careers web page.
Additional Information
For more information about working with us please visit our website or contact us at recruitment@cancer.org.uk.
For more updates on our work and careers, follow us on LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram, X and YouTube.
Our vision is to create a charity where everyone feels like they belong, benefits from and participates in, the work we do. We actively encourage applications from people of all backgrounds and cultures, especially those from ethnic minority backgrounds who are currently under‑represented.
We want to see every candidate performing at their best throughout the job application process, interview process, and while at work. We therefore ask you to inform us of any concerns you have or any adjustments you might need to enable this to happen. Please contact recruitment@cancer.org.uk or 020 3469 8400 as soon as possible.
Unfortunately, we are unable to recruit anyone below the age of 18, so that we can protect young people from health & safety and safeguarding risks.
Seniority level
Mid‑Senior level
Employment type
Full‑time
Job function
Engineering and Information Technology
Industries
Non‑profit Organizations
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Lead Solution Architect employer: Cancer Research UK (CRUK)
Contact Detail:
Cancer Research UK (CRUK) Recruiting Team
StudySmarter Expert Advice 🤫
We think this is how you could land Lead Solution Architect
✨Network Like a Pro
Get out there and connect with people in the industry! Attend meetups, webinars, or even just grab a coffee with someone who’s already in a lead architect role. Building relationships can open doors that a CV just can't.
✨Showcase Your Expertise
When you get the chance to chat with potential employers, don’t hold back on sharing your knowledge. Discuss your experience with architecture domains and how you've tackled complex problems. This is your time to shine!
✨Tailor Your Approach
Before any interview, do your homework on the company and its tech stack. Tailor your examples to show how your skills align with their needs. It shows you’re genuinely interested and have done your research.
✨Apply Early and Often
Don’t wait until the last minute to apply! The sooner you submit your application through our website, the better your chances are. Plus, it gives you more time to prepare for interviews and follow-ups.
We think you need these skills to ace Lead Solution Architect
Some tips for your application 🫡
Tailor Your Application: Make sure to customise your CV and cover letter to highlight your experience in the specific architecture domains mentioned in the job description. We want to see how your skills align with what we're looking for!
Showcase Your Leadership Skills: Since this role involves mentoring and building relationships, don’t forget to include examples of how you've led teams or projects in the past. We love seeing candidates who can drive momentum and foster a culture of learning.
Be Clear and Concise: When writing your application, keep it straightforward. Use clear language to explain your experience and how it relates to the role. We appreciate candidates who can communicate complex ideas simply!
Apply Early!: Don’t wait until the last minute to submit your application. We might close the vacancy early if we find the right candidate, so get your application in through our website as soon as you can!
How to prepare for a job interview at Cancer Research UK (CRUK)
✨Know Your Architecture Domains
Make sure you have a solid grasp of the architecture domains mentioned in the job description. Be ready to discuss your extensive experience in areas like business, enterprise, or data architecture. Prepare examples that showcase your expertise and how you've tackled complex technical problems.
✨Showcase Your Leadership Skills
As a Lead Solution Architect, you'll need to build credible relationships and mentor others. Think of specific instances where you've led teams or influenced stakeholders. Highlight your ability to balance short-term needs with long-term goals, and be prepared to discuss how you navigate ambiguity.
✨Communicate Clearly
You’ll need to translate complex information for both technical and non-technical audiences. Practice explaining your past projects in simple terms. This will demonstrate your communication skills and your ability to engage with diverse stakeholders effectively.
✨Prepare for Agile Discussions
Since the role involves delivering architecture through Agile Product teams, brush up on Agile methodologies. Be ready to discuss how you've implemented new technologies in an Agile environment and how you’ve collaborated with cross-functional teams to achieve project goals.
