At a Glance
- Tasks: Shape innovative banking solutions and connect business strategies with cutting-edge technology.
- Company: Join a leading financial services firm focused on technology and innovation.
- Benefits: Attractive salary, flexible working options, and opportunities for professional growth.
- Other info: Collaborative environment with a focus on continuous learning and career advancement.
- Why this job: Make a real impact in the banking sector while working with advanced cloud technologies.
- Qualifications: Experience in solution architecture and strong knowledge of GCP or Azure.
The predicted salary is between 63000 - 77000 £ per year.
- 1. Strategy, target state and roadmaps
- Convert strategic intent into domain and solution architecture views, capability gaps, transition architectures and investment-ready roadmaps.
- Connect business, data, application, integration, infrastructure and security viewpoints into one traceable end-to-end design.
- Shape the solution architecture forward look for the relevant lab or platform, informing product roadmaps, funding and technical planning.
- Define guiding principles, architecture guardrails and solution success criteria that enable teams to make consistent local decisions.
- 2. Solution design and option assessment
- Produce proportionate architecture artefacts, including context and container views, data flows, interface contracts, deployment views, non-functional scenarios and architecture decision records.
- Evaluate build, buy, reuse and retire options; assess vendor products and strategic services against functional fit, total cost, lifecycle risk and exit considerations.
- Validate assumptions through spikes, prototypes and engineering consultation. Ensure designs are buildable, testable, supportable and suitable for incremental delivery.
- Design for modularity and loose coupling using appropriate API, event-driven, workflow, microservice and batch integration patterns.
- 3. Strategic platform alignment
Champion reuse and convergence.
Where the outcome touches customer servicing, workflow, lending or digital channels, assess the role of the following strategic capabilities before introducing new technology:
- Customer information and servicing alignment
- Stride
- Pega
- Workflow, decisioning and case management
- Digital Services
- Reusable digital and API-enabled capabilities
- ACBS
- Commercial lending and servicing alignment
- Consistent integration, discoverability and reuse
- 4. Risk, resilience and governance
- Embed secure-by-design, privacy-by-design and resilient-by-design controls from discovery through production and live service.
- Define and assure non-functional requirements for availability, recoverability, performance, capacity, observability, accessibility and operational support.
- Own architecture risks, assumptions, issues and dependencies; make technical debt visible and agree time-bound treatment plans.
- Navigate architecture governance pragmatically. Present decisions clearly, respond to challenge and ensure approved designs remain aligned during delivery.
- Support lifecycle and currency planning, including software, infrastructure, third-party and cloud service risks, with clear evergreening recommendations.
- 5. Leadership and collaboration
- Influence senior business and technology stakeholders using concise narratives, visual models and evidence-led recommendations.
- Partner with Product Owners and Engineering Leads to balance delivery milestones with long-term platform health and engineering effectiveness.
- Coach architects and engineers, promote adaptive and intentional architecture practices, and raise the quality of design decisions across teams.
- Contribute to estimation, investment cases, supplier engagement and commercial decisions where architecture materially affects cost or risk.
Experience, capability & assessment criteria
- Extensive solution architecture or systems engineering experience in a large, regulated, technology-led organisation, ideally banking or financial services.
- Proven ownership of complex, cross-platform architecture from discovery and options assessment through engineering delivery and production operation.
- Demonstrable ability to translate business strategy into target states, roadmaps, transition architectures and sequenced delivery plans.
- Strong software and integration architecture grounding across APIs, microservices, event-driven patterns, data flows and modern application delivery.
- Practical cloud and platform engineering knowledge, including public cloud such as GCP or Azure, containers/Kubernetes, CI/CD, observability and infrastructure considerations.
- Experience defining and assuring security, resilience, performance, scalability and other non-functional requirements.
- Confident architecture governance, risk management and compliance experience, including clear documentation of decisions and exceptions.
- Ability to influence executives and non-technical audiences while maintaining credibility with senior engineers and specialist architects.
- Experience working in multidisciplinary Agile product, feature or platform teams and enabling frequent, incremental value delivery.
Banking Solution Architect (GCP/Azure) employer: PRACYVA
At PRACYVA, we pride ourselves on being an exceptional employer, offering a dynamic work culture that fosters collaboration and innovation within the Lloyd’s Market. Our employees benefit from continuous professional development opportunities, competitive remuneration, and a supportive environment that values work-life balance, making it an ideal place for those looking to grow their careers in a vibrant London setting.
StudySmarter Expert Advice🤫
We think this is how you could land Banking Solution Architect (GCP/Azure)
✨Tap into Campus Networks
If you're still in uni, don’t forget to engage with your campus's career services and attend finance-related events. Banks often do presentations and recruitment drives on campus, so put yourself out there and make use of these opportunities to show off your passion for the field.
✨Get Certified
Consider pursuing relevant certifications like the CFA or ACCA while you’re job hunting. They not only beef up your CV but also connect you with professional bodies which can lead to networking opportunities and even job openings in banking and financial services.
✨Connect on Professional Platforms
Join finance-focused groups on platforms like LinkedIn and engage in discussions. This can really help you stand out from the crowd, allowing potential employers to see your knowledge and interest in industry trends. Plus, you might stumble upon job postings shared exclusively within the group.
✨Apply Directly and Be Proactive
Don’t shy away from reaching out directly to firms like PRACYVA. Use their websites and apply through them, but also consider following up with a polite email to express your enthusiasm. Being proactive can make a huge difference in getting noticed in the competitive financial services sector.
We think you need these skills to ace Banking Solution Architect (GCP/Azure)
Some tips for your application 🫡
Show Off Your Numbers!:In the banking and financial services world, quantifiable achievements are key. Make sure your CV highlights your grades in relevant subjects, any financial certifications you hold, and specific projects where you've delivered measurable results. Employers love to see how your skills translate into real-world success.
Tailor Your Cover Letter to the Role:When applying for a full-time position, your cover letter should make a direct connection between your experience and the job description. Don't just state your enthusiasm for finance—dive into how your background in banking or financial analysis sets you apart. Let your passion shine through while being specific about what you can bring to PRACYVA.
Include Relevant Financial Software Experience:If you've worked with financial modelling tools or software like Excel, SAP, or specific analytical tools during your studies or internships, bring that up! Highlighting your proficiency can really make your application pop and show you're ready to hit the ground running in a full-time role.
Research and Reflect:Before hitting that 'apply' button on PRACYVA's website, do a little digging. Look up their recent projects, values, and culture. Reflecting their ethos in your application can make a huge difference and show you’re genuinely interested in being part of the team!
How to prepare for a job interview at PRACYVA
✨Brush Up on Financial Analysis Skills
Make sure you're well-versed in financial concepts and analytical techniques relevant to banking and financial services. Get comfortable with tools like Excel for modelling or financial forecasting, as technical questions in this area are common during interviews with PRACYVA.
✨Prepare for Case Studies
Expect to tackle case studies that demonstrate your problem-solving skills in real-world banking scenarios. Familiarise yourself with the types of problems you might face—think risk assessments or investment evaluations—and be ready to articulate your thought process clearly.
✨Show Your Passion for Finance
Since this is a full-time position, employers at PRACYVA will be keen to see your genuine interest in finance. Be prepared to discuss recent industry trends or news articles that excite you, showcasing your enthusiasm and engagement with the field.
✨Network with Industry Professionals
Before your interview, reach out to current or former PRACYVA employees on platforms like LinkedIn. They'll offer unique insights into the company's culture and the interview process, which can give us a delightful edge in showcasing a good fit for the team.
