Technical Architect in Manchester

Ready to grow your architectural expertise in a supportive team? Do you want to work alongside expert architects and grow your skills in a supportive, collaborative environment? Are you ready to take on projects to open new opportunities? If so, Opencast could be the place for you. We’re a growing tech consultancy that creates user-centred solutions with purpose for our clients in government, healthcare and purpose-driven businesses.

As a Technical Architect you'll contribute to software development projects, ensuring that the applications are efficient, performant and user-friendly. You’ll broaden your experience while connecting with experts across the practice, gaining and sharing insights, and benefitting from opportunities to grow your career.

The role

You’ll use your experience of defining and implementing software architectures using patterns and best-practice approaches to define detailed designs that form part of large enterprise-scale applications to meet our clients’ business outcomes. You’ll collaborate with colleagues and take your solutions through architecture governance and document architecture accurately and in detail.

Responsibilities

This role involves weekly on-site work, and you’ll be required to travel regularly to client locations across the UK. We’re looking for people who value in-person collaboration, enjoy building strong relationships, and are passionate about delivering solutions that make a real difference for our clients.

Due to the nature of this role, you must either hold active Security Check (SC) clearance or be eligible and willing to undergo the clearance process. SC clearance is granted in line with UK Government security vetting requirements. Typically, applicants must have UK citizenship and have lived continuously in the UK for at least the past five years, with no single absence exceeding 28 consecutive days. Nationality and immigration status may also be considered as part of the vetting process. We are unable to progress applications from candidates who do not meet these requirements.

If you are unsure whether you meet the eligibility criteria, we encourage you to review the guidance or discuss this with us before applying. We are recruiting for multiple positions, with opportunities available immediately and in the coming months. If you are interested in joining Opencast, we encourage you to apply.

To succeed in this role, you’ll have experience as a Technical Architect and be able to demonstrate, with tangible examples, that you can:

• Design and implement technical architecture for modern, enterprise-scale services using effective patterns and technology.
• Explain end-to-end architecture and the rationale behind your design decisions to a range of stakeholders.
• Take ownership of technical designs through their evolution and transition into service.
• Work with non-functional requirements and architecture quality attributes such as performance, security, scalability and maintainability.
• Apply strong software development knowledge, including programming concepts, modelling approaches (such as UML or C4) and delivery methodologies.
• Break architecture into deliverable components and guide teams to implement solutions that meet user and business needs.

Essential consulting skills

In addition to technical architect skills, there are essential core skills you’ll need to be an Opencast consultant. You’ll need to demonstrate how you:

• Work effectively with both business and technical stakeholders to provide technical direction and build consensus for your technical designs.
• Take a methodical and considered approach to solving problems.
• Take a collaborative and consultative approach.
• Keep up to date with new and emerging technology trends and their practical application.
• Deliver business outcomes and work effectively with colleagues.

During the interview process, we’ll ask questions to explore your experience across these areas.

Some areas of experience are not essential but relevant to the role:

• Knowledge of architecture frameworks (e.g. TOGAF, Zachman, Open Agile Architecture).
• Experience of delivering digital services and familiarity with the GDS toolkit, including the Service Manual, Agile delivery phases and Service Assessments.
• An understanding of user-centred design and accessibility standards.
• Understanding of DevOps and in-life service management.

If you have this experience, please show it on your CV and we can talk about it in the interview. If you don’t have this experience please do still apply, as we can coach you in these areas if you join us.

What we offer

A competitive package including a 7% employer pension contribution, share options, and a discretionary bonus. You’ll also benefit from 25 days’ holiday and access to 3 annual “life happens” days to support unexpected situations. We provide wellbeing support, ongoing professional development, volunteering opportunities, and the chance to be part of a genuinely supportive team.

Where you’ll work

This role requires regular on-site attendance at our HQ, hub offices, and client sites, as well as the ability to work from home. Applicants must be able to travel to offices and client sites across the UK as part of their normal working arrangements, as travel is essential for fulfilling the responsibilities of the role.

We include you

We welcome candidates from all identities, attributes, ways of thinking and backgrounds to thrive in a career at Opencast. Our aim is for the diversity of our people to be reflected in the solutions we deliver, to help create a fairer society for all.

Interview

Interviews will be conducted via Microsoft Teams. We’re happy to make adjustments to support your needs.

Want to know more? Visit our website or email careers@opencastsoftware.com