At a Glance
- Tasks: Design innovative digital solutions that improve public services for Essex residents.
- Company: Join Essex County Council, a leading local authority transforming public services.
- Benefits: Enjoy flexible working, competitive salary, and excellent career development opportunities.
- Other info: Be part of a dynamic team committed to innovation and community service.
- Why this job: Make a real impact on public services while shaping the future of technology in Essex.
- Qualifications: Degree-level education and strong experience in solutions architecture required.
The predicted salary is between 60662 - 60662 £ per year.
Permanent, Full Time
51,563 to 60,662 per annum
Location: Chelmsford
Working Style: Anywhere worker
Closing Date: 17th September 2026 (23:59)
Experience the best of both worlds with our flexible hybrid working arrangements. Enjoy the freedom to work from home while still benefiting from in-person collaboration at our Chelmsford office, typically around 2 to 3 days per month dependent on business need.
Join a Council Shaping the Future of Public Services. Essex Digital Service is transforming how Essex County Council delivers services, making it easier and safer for people to get things done, whether they're colleagues or residents. We design and deliver modern, user-focused digital solutions that support everything from social care and education to transport and the environment. Our vision is to build digitally empowered, 21st-century services that work across teams and boundaries, delivering real value to the people who rely on them every day.
In this influential technical role, you'll connect business needs, service outcomes and technology delivery, leading the design of scalable, secure and efficient solutions that support better public services. As Solution Architect, you'll help shape ECC's digital services in line with architectural principles and technical standards, supporting simpler, reusable and innovative ways of working. You'll work across teams and suppliers to develop solutions that deliver real value for residents, staff and partners.
Key Responsibilities:
- Design business, technical, data and security solutions that translate user and service requirements into practical, sustainable technology services.
- Ensure solutions align with ECC's architectural principles and technical standards to support standardisation and reuse.
- Apply policies, standards and good practice to ensure solutions are aligned with business needs, technology plans and governance requirements.
- Provide expert input into technical initiatives, ensuring consistent design and implementation across ECC's digital estate.
- Contribute to innovation by identifying market trends and alternative approaches that deliver business benefits and align with enterprise architecture.
- Advise the Commercial Team on supplier and product selection, ensuring alignment with ECC's architecture and operational principles.
- Collaborate with business relationship managers, architects, designers and suppliers to shape and present business cases for significant digital and technology.
- Assess technology options and present strengths, weaknesses, and costs to stakeholders through clear, evidence-based recommendations.
The Experience You Will Bring:
- Educated to degree level or equivalent in a relevant subject.
- Strong experience in solutions architecture, ideally within a large local authority or public sector service provider.
- Proven track record of designing business and technical solutions that meet complex requirements and support simplification and reuse.
- Accredited in TOGAF, or able to demonstrate equivalent architecture framework experience, with working knowledge of approaches such as ArchiMate, BPMN, COBIT and IT4IT.
- Clear understanding of ICT standards and experience applying them in enterprise environments.
- Skilled in using enterprise architecture, modelling or design tools to describe current and future-state services, capabilities and technology landscapes.
- Experience developing systems in line with GDS principles and relevant cyber security standards or good practice.
- Excellent communication, presentation and stakeholder engagement.
- Committed to continuous professional development and staying current with emerging technologies and delivery practices.
Why join ECC?
As one of the largest and most dynamic UK local authorities, Essex offers a stimulating public service environment. Covering over 1,420 square miles and serving 1.8 million residents, we're committed to improving services, making better use of technology, and delivering better quality at lower cost. Recognised in the top three of the latest IMPOWER index for productivity, we ensure everyone matters in Everyone's Essex. With flexible working, excellent development opportunities, and the chance to influence digital services that make a difference, Essex is the ideal place to develop your architecture career.
Ready to help shape the future of public services in Essex? Apply now and become a key player in ECC's digital transformation journey.
What else do you need to know?
In February 2025, Greater Essex was accepted onto the Government's devolution priority programme, with local authorities in Essex working towards establishing a Mayoral Combined County Authority. You can read more about devolution and local government reorganisation (LGR) on our careers site.
Essex County Council is proud to be a Disability Confident Leader. We're committed to interview all disabled applicants who choose to apply under our Job Interview Scheme if they meet the minimum requirements of the job. Please speak to our Recruiters if you require any reasonable adjustments during the process. We're also committed to interview all veterans and care leavers, who meet the minimum requirements of the role for which they are applying.
Once you've secured your role within Essex County Council you will receive many great employee benefits, including support for unpaid carers and flexible working arrangements to accommodate their needs. At Essex County Council, we value integrity and ethical behaviour. We kindly ask that you embrace our code of conduct and the Nolan principles, including throughout the recruitment process. Your commitment to these standards helps us maintain a positive and respectful workplace for everyone.
As part of employment with Essex County Council (ECC) should your role require a DBS check you will be required to register with the DBS update service. The DBS update service ensures all registered DBS certificates are kept up to date and allows authorised parties to view the status of your certificate. This is an annual subscription, and you will be responsible for ensuring this is maintained.
For further information on the DBS update service please go to.
Essex County Council is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and vulnerable adults, and expects all employees and volunteers to share this commitment.
If you would like to be kept up to date on other relevant opportunities, blogs, news, events and industry related news at Essex County Council, please join The Essex Talent Community.
If you have queries on this role or require anything further, please email.
Follow us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and LinkedIn. Further details can be found on our careers page.
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Solutions Architect, Chelmsford employer: Essex County Council
Essex County Council is an exceptional employer, offering a supportive and flexible work environment for Social Workers dedicated to making a difference in the lives of young people with disabilities. With a strong focus on employee wellbeing, innovative practices, and professional development, our team enjoys a nine-day working fortnight and numerous opportunities for growth within a dynamic local authority. Join us in Chelmsford, where your contributions will be valued, and together we can empower the next generation to thrive.
StudySmarter Expert Advice🤫
We think this is how you could land Solutions Architect, Chelmsford
✨Join Local Tech Meetups
Get out there and mingle with fellow developers by joining local tech meetups. It’s a fantastic way to meet people who might be working at Essex County Council or know someone who does. Plus, you can pick up some trendy tech skills and trends while you're at it!
✨Contribute to Open Source Projects
Show off your coding chops by jumping into open-source projects. Not only does this give you practical experience, but it also gets you noticed in the dev community. You'll create a killer portfolio that speaks volumes about your skills to Essex County Council.
✨Tap into Online Developer Communities
Don’t underestimate the power of online developer communities like GitHub, Stack Overflow, and even Reddit. Participate in discussions, share your projects, and build your visibility. We can often find opportunities through these channels that can lead to a full-time gig at companies like Essex County Council.
✨Explore Job Boards Specifically for Tech Roles
Keep your eyes peeled on job boards that focus on tech roles. Sites like TechCareers or Stack Overflow Jobs can often have listings for companies like Essex County Council that might not show up on broader job sites. Make it a habit to check these regularly, and don’t hesitate to apply directly through our website!
We think you need these skills to ace Solutions Architect, Chelmsford
Some tips for your application 🫡
Show off your coding skills:When applying for a software engineering role, it's super important to showcase your coding skills. Make sure your CV includes your tech stack, any relevant programming languages you’re comfortable with, and examples of projects you've worked on. If you have a GitHub profile, link it up! We love to see code in action.
Tailor your portfolio:For a full-time role, we’d expect to see some solid examples of your work in your portfolio. Make sure to include at least two or three projects that highlight your problem-solving skills and your ability to work with different technologies. Focus on the projects that are most relevant to the position at Essex County Council.
Craft a killer cover letter:Your cover letter is your chance to stand out—make it personal! Explain why you want to work at Essex County Council and how your skills align with the role. Show us your passion for software development. We dig enthusiastic candidates who understand the value of collaboration and continuous learning!
Be clear and concise:When it comes to writing your CV and cover letter, clarity is key. Avoid jargon that could confuse us and stick to simple, direct language. Highlight your achievements with quantifiable results where possible, and keep everything easy to read. A well-organised application goes a long way!
How to prepare for a job interview at Essex County Council
✨Brush Up on Your Coding Skills
For a full-time software engineering role, it's crucial that we stay sharp with our coding abilities. Expect technical questions that might involve solving problems on the spot or discussing algorithms. Practise on platforms like LeetCode or HackerRank to get comfortable with the types of questions that often come up.
✨Know Your Tools and Frameworks
Make sure we’re well-acquainted with the tools and technologies listed in the job description. Familiarise ourselves with any specific frameworks or programming languages mentioned. If Essex County Council uses React or Node.js, for instance, be ready to discuss how we’ve used them in previous projects or coursework.
✨Showcase Your Projects
Bring along a portfolio that highlights our best work. This could be code samples, GitHub repositories, or any side projects we’ve built. Make sure we can talk through our thought process for each project, especially the challenges we faced and how we solved them—this shows our problem-solving skills in action.
✨Prepare for Behavioural Questions
While technical skills are key, full-time positions also require cultural fit. Be ready to discuss our previous experiences and how we handle teamwork, conflict, and deadlines. Brush up on the STAR method—Situation, Task, Action, Result—to clearly articulate our past experiences when discussing how we've contributed to a team.
