Solution Architect

The Corporate Functions Solution Architect is a hands‑on architecture role within Digital & Technology (D&T), accountable for designing end‑to‑end solution architectures that enable Corporate Functions outcomes across Finance, HR, Procurement, Legal, and Corporate Affairs. Working under the Corporate Functions Domain Architect, the role translates the target architecture, standards and guardrails into practical solution designs that delivery teams can build and operate.

Role purpose

To design and govern practical, secure and scalable Corporate Functions solution architectures that enable delivery teams to deliver outcomes quickly and consistently, aligned to the Corporate Functions target architecture and enterprise standards.

Key accountabilities

• Design end‑to‑end solution architectures for Corporate Functions initiatives across Finance, HR, Procurement, Legal and Corporate Affairs.
• Ensure solution designs align to Corporate Functions domain guardrails and enterprise architecture standards.
• Embed security, privacy, compliance and operational resilience into solution designs by default.
• Provide architecture governance and implementation guidance through the full lifecycle (design → build → deploy → operational readiness).
• Drive reuse of patterns and reduction of localised complexity to support convergence on fewer strategic global platforms.

Key responsibilities

• Solution Architecture & Design (Corporate Functions)
  • Produce implementable solution designs covering functional and non‑functional requirements including security, resilience, scalability, performance, maintainability and operability.
  • Translate business requirements into clear solution architecture artefacts (logical designs, integration diagrams, data flows, deployment and operational views).
  • Ensure designs support end‑to‑end outcomes across corporate functions, not siloed system implementations.
• Platform‑Aligned Solution Design (Workday / Procure‑to‑Pay / Legal Tech / Corporate Affairs)
  • Work within the platform and target architecture direction set by the Corporate Functions Domain Architect, ensuring solutions align to the strategic platform landscape and avoid unnecessary customisation.
  • Partner with platform/product owners and SMEs (e.g., HCM, procurement, legal systems) to design solutions that balance standardisation with necessary extensions.
• ERP / SAP Alignment (in partnership with ERP Domain Architect and Corporate Functions Domain Architect)
  • Ensure Corporate Functions solutions that touch Finance processes integrate cleanly with ERP/SAP capabilities and do not introduce duplication or reconciliation risk.
  • Support end‑to‑end process integrity (e.g., procure‑to‑pay, hire‑to‑retire, contract‑to‑cash impacts) by aligning solution designs with enterprise process architecture.
• Integration, Data & Cross‑Domain Alignment
  • Design integrations and data flows across corporate platforms and enterprise domains (e.g., HR Finance, Procurement AP, Legal accruals/controls), aligned to agreed patterns and standards.
  • Define APIs, middleware patterns and data models that enable secure, reliable, auditable information flows and minimise point‑to‑point complexity.
• Security, Privacy, Controls & Resilience by Design
  • Embed security and privacy requirements from the outset, aligned to Haleon standards and regulatory expectations (e.g., SOX/GDPR where applicable).
  • Ensure solution designs support control operation, auditability and operational resilience (including clear operational ownership, monitoring and recovery considerations).
• Architecture Governance & Delivery Assurance
  • Provide implementation governance to delivery teams: architecture reviews, design sign‑off inputs, build alignment checks, and guidance to resolve architectural blockers during delivery.
  • Document architecture decisions, trade‑offs and risks clearly, escalating systemic concerns to the Corporate Functions Domain Architect.
• Standardisation, Reuse & Simplification
  • Drive reuse of reference patterns, shared services and integration standards across corporate functions solutions to reduce bespoke build and improve maintainability.
  • Identify duplication or tool sprawl and recommend simplified solution approaches aligned to strategic platforms and enterprise direction.
• Stakeholder & Community Collaboration
  • Act as a bridge between Product, Engineering, Data, Security, and Delivery stakeholders, ensuring architecture is understood and implemented consistently.
  • Contribute to architecture communities of practice, improving patterns, templates and standards and sharing learnings across teams.

What good looks like

• Delivery teams have clear, implementable solution designs and build with speed and confidence.
• Solutions align to corporate functions target architecture and avoid unnecessary customisation or duplication.
• Security, privacy, control operation and resilience are embedded by design, not retrofitted.
• Integration and data flows support end‑to‑end processes without manual workarounds or reconciliation risk.
• Architectural risks and technical debt are surfaced early with clear remediation recommendations.

Qualifications & Experience

Essential

• Demonstrated experience as a Solution Architect in Digital/Technology environments, with hands‑on system design capability.
• Proven ability to translate business requirements into implementable solution architectures and guide delivery teams through implementation governance.
• Strong understanding of enterprise integration patterns, APIs, and data flows.
• Experience embedding security, privacy, compliance and operational controls into solution designs.

Preferred

• Experience architecting solutions in one or more corporate functions domains (Finance/HR/Procurement/Legal/Corporate Affairs).
• Experience working in environments aligned to strategic enterprise platforms and standards‑first approaches.
• Experience operating within architecture governance and standards models at scale.

Skills & Capabilities

• Strong solution design skills: logical architecture, integration, data flows, non‑functional design.
• Ability to provide pragmatic “minimum viable architecture” guidance that accelerates delivery.
• Clear communication and stakeholder management across Product, Engineering and Delivery teams.
• Structured problem solving and comfort operating across ambiguity and trade‑offs.