Senior Solution Architect in Essex

Your impact

Are you ready to shape and lead solution designs that underpin the UK’s most critical missions? At Leonardo, our Senior Solutions Architects are trusted experts who provide technical leadership across programmes, influence roadmaps, and ensure solutions are secure, resilient, and future‑ready. Your work at Leonardo UK will see you take the lead in solving customer problems in an agile, innovative and team‑centric manner. The role may involve a blended hybrid working model, with a mixture of working from home and working on site at one of our Leonardo offices to ensure close collaboration with the wider team and with our customers.

What You Will Do

• Act as the technical authority for solution design across large‑scale or multi‑project programmes.
• Define and evolve architectures that balance customer needs, enterprise principles, and secure‑by‑design standards.
• Contribute to divisional and line‑of‑business roadmaps, identifying opportunities for technology insertion and innovation.
• Lead technical reviews, trade‑off studies, and risk assessments for major design decisions.
• Mentor and coach Solutions Architects and Engineers, raising capability across the community.
• Represent Leonardo at senior customer forums, technical boards, and industry events.
• Support business winning, including solution strategy, bids, and proposal development.
• Champion best practice, reuse, and model‑based design approaches across the architecture community.

What You’ll Bring

• Extensive technical expertise with a proven track record of designing secure, integrated solutions.
• Ability to influence technical strategy and act as a recognised authority within your domain.
• Strong communication skills with the ability to engage effectively with senior stakeholders.
• Proven experience in solution architecture across multiple domains (infrastructure, applications, data, networking, cloud).
• Strong knowledge of enterprise and solution architecture frameworks (e.g. TOGAF, MODAF, NAF).
• Advanced understanding of secure system design principles and cyber security standards.
• Experience shaping architectures within Agile or SAFe delivery environments.
• Ability to mentor, coach, and provide thought leadership within a technical community.

Desirable

• Industry certifications (TOGAF, AWS/Azure Architect, ArchiMate).
• Experience contributing to technology roadmaps and enterprise strategy.
• Familiarity with service design, operational transformation, and digital modernisation.
• Exposure to cloud‑native, DevSecOps, and automation approaches.
• Experience presenting at technical boards, customer forums, or industry conferences.

This is not an exhaustive list, and we are keen to hear from you even if you might not have experience in all the above. The most important skill is a good attitude and willingness to learn.

Security Clearance

This role is subject to pre‑employment screening in line with the UK Government’s Baseline Personnel Security Standard (BPSS). An additional range of Personnel Security Controls referred to as National Security Vetting (NSV) may apply, this could include meeting the eligibility requirements for The Security Check (SC) or Developed Vetting (DV).

Location

This role can be based at one of our UK sites, typically Bristol, with hybrid/custom working options where appropriate. Customer is based in Reading.

Why join us

At Leonardo, our people are at the heart of everything we do. We offer a comprehensive, company‑funded benefits package that supports your wellbeing, career development, and work–life balance. Whether you’re looking to grow professionally, care for your health, or plan for the future, we’re here to help you thrive.

• Time to Recharge – Enjoy generous leave with the opportunity to accrue up to 12 additional flexi‑days each year.
• Secure your Future – Benefit from our award‑winning pension scheme with up to 15% employer contribution.
• Your Wellbeing Matters – Free access to mental health support, financial advice, and employee‑led networks championing inclusion and diversity (Enable, Pride, Equalise, Armed Forces, Carers, Wellbeing and Ethnicity).
• Rewarding Performance – All employees at management level and below are eligible for our bonus scheme.
• Never Stop Learning – Free access to 4,000+ online courses via Coursera and LinkedIn Learning.
• Refer a friend – Receive a financial reward through our referral programme.
• Tailored Perks – Spend up to £500 annually on flexible benefits including private healthcare, dental, family cover, tech.