Solution Architect in Manchester

A leading organisation in the Healthcare sector is seeking an experienced Senior Solution Architect with a strong infrastructure background to play a pivotal role in shaping and delivering modern technology solutions across a complex hybrid estate. This is an excellent opportunity for someone who enjoys working at both the strategic and hands-on levels, combining architectural design with real delivery impact. Around half of the role involves hands-on, delivery-focused activity, supporting projects, shaping solutions, and guiding engineering teams to ensure high quality outcomes.

The team is responsible for infrastructure, identity, cyber resilience and cloud strategy, and the organisation is advancing a cloud-first approach while maintaining a significant on-prem footprint. This role is central to progressing that journey.

The Opportunity

You will join an established architecture and delivery function responsible for end-to-end project delivery, platform engineering, and M365 services. You will work across a broad and varied portfolio of initiatives, giving you exposure to identity, core infrastructure, cloud platform modernisation, and resilience-focused programmes. You will work closely with senior stakeholders, infrastructure teams, information security, policy and governance, and delivery leads. The environment is collaborative, pragmatic and outcome-focused, and the right cultural fit matters just as much as technical depth.

This role is ideal for someone who:

• Brings deep infrastructure knowledge but is forward-thinking about cloud.
• Can operate across multiple projects with varied scope and complexity.
• Enjoys influencing strategy but still wants to be actively involved in delivery.
• Has a balanced, pragmatic approach and thrives in a supportive team culture.

Key Responsibilities

Architecture and Strategy

• Lead the design of end-to-end infrastructure and cloud solutions across a hybrid Azure and on-prem environment.
• Contribute to infrastructure, identity, cloud and cyber-resilience strategy.
• Develop architectural roadmaps and ensure solutions align with best practice and organisational goals.
• Present solutions to the Technical Design Authority and provide expert technical guidance.

Hands-on Technical Delivery (circa 50 percent)

• Support the delivery of infrastructure projects by providing practical expertise across compute, storage, virtualisation, identity, and cloud services.
• Contribute to IaC development using Bicep and support CI/CD practices using GitHub and Octopus Deploy.
• Engage directly with delivery teams, platform engineers, M365 specialists, and application teams to ensure the successful execution of designs.

Cloud and Modern Platform Enablement

• Drive adoption of Azure services, including PaaS and identity-focused workloads, particularly Entra ID and Exchange Online.
• Support automation, optimisation and cloud-first patterns.
• Guide teams on performance, resilience, cost efficiency and security within Azure.

People and Culture

• Provide inclusive leadership and support the development of a small team.
• Foster a collaborative, open environment where discussion, challenge and innovation are encouraged.
• Promote positive behaviours and contribute to a healthy, supportive team culture.

Governance and Compliance

• Ensure designs meet security, regulatory and compliance requirements.
• Collaborate closely with information security and governance teams, with awareness of controls without being responsible for building them.
• Support organisational sustainability and safeguarding responsibilities.

What You'll Bring

Essential experience

• Strong background in core infrastructure including compute, storage, SANs, VMware, HP hardware and Windows environments.
• Significant experience delivering complex infrastructure projects in hybrid cloud environments with regulatory oversight.
• Deep Azure knowledge at Solution Architect level, including PaaS and identity workloads.
• Hands-on experience with IaC, primarily Bicep, with PowerShell and ARM templating.
• Experience with GitHub, Octopus Deploy and CI/CD approaches.
• Familiarity with enterprise security standards and alignment to cloud-first security tooling.
• Strong communication skills, with the ability to articulate technical concepts clearly.
• Ability to work across varied initiatives and manage shifting priorities.
• Collaborative, pragmatic approach with strong interpersonal skills.
• Experience leading or mentoring team members in an inclusive and supportive manner.

Desirable experience

• M365 platform administration and implementation.
• Exposure to Terraform.
• Microsoft Azure, M365, or DevOps certifications.
• TOGAF or BCS architecture certifications.

Technology Environment

You will be working with: Azure, M365, VMware, HP hardware and HP SANs, F5 Big-IP, Windows-centric infrastructure, Some Legacy Oracle equipment (not a focus).

Who Will Succeed in This Role

The right person will be:

• Open, collaborative and comfortable engaging in constructive discussion.
• Able to balance strategic thinking with hands-on delivery.
• Broad in experience rather than narrowly specialised.
• Pragmatic, approachable and not overly opinionated.
• Motivated by building reliable, modern platforms and working in a supportive environment.

This role is not suited to someone who:

• Wants a purely strategy-only or governance-heavy position.
• Sees themselves strictly as a developer or narrow domain specialist.
• Prefers working in isolation or in highly rigid structures.

Benefits

You will receive a comprehensive benefits package including:

• 30 days annual leave with the ability to buy or sell up to 5 days.
• 15 percent employer pension contribution through Aviva.
• Flexible working, hybrid arrangements, private medical insurance, life assurance and income protection.
• Learning and development programmes including workshops, courses and online learning.
• Employee assistance programme, cycle-to-work scheme, and discounts.
• Season ticket loans and additional wellbeing benefits.