Lead Solutions Architect

Base Location: You’ll be expected to spend 50% of your working week in one of the following locations: Perth, Glasgow, Aberdeen and Inverness.

Salary: £66,100 - £99,100 + car allowance + performance‑related bonus and a range of benefits to support your finances, wellbeing and family.

Working Pattern: Permanent | Full Time | Flexible First options available.

The role: As Lead Solutions Architect IT you will provide technical leadership, facilitation, analysis and design expertise to develop the IT domain solution architecture for the Transmission Business Unit.

You will:

• Report to the Head of Architecture and create high level solution models, domain roadmaps and solution architectures, including solution patterns/blueprints, to guide solution decisions for the IT domain aligned to business operations and RIIO‑T3 investment needs.
• Enhance and enrich the IT domain target architecture including vision, roadmap and guardrails. Provide IT domain solutions architecture direction and guidance to the Transmission Business Unit.
• Work with relevant stakeholders to understand the business requirements so that recommended solution options provide the best fit against requirements and budget.
• Propose changes in process, policy and guardrails as they relate to the architecture framework and methodology.
• Deliver high‑level solution models and solution architectures in line with business requirements, organisation and industry standards.
• Collaborate with SSE Group enterprise architects, infrastructure, networks and security teams in the development of architecture deliverables.
• Ensure compliance of all high‑level solution models and solution architectures to the target architecture, roadmaps, guardrails, IT principles and standards and that any deviations to the standards follow the Architecture Governance process.
• Ensure solutions are secure by design and are built within defined security guidelines and guardrails to protect the Transmission Business Unit from cyber‑attack and data loss.
• Ensure projects comply with architectural governance processes and represent projects at governance boards as required.
• Maintain an up‑to‑date understanding of the main technology base, and a general understanding of the other technology bases which together form the overall technical direction.
• Engage with a range of stakeholders in developing solutions that meet the needs of the business.
• Promote and encourage enterprise and innovation throughout, look for new answers and delivery of a fresh approach.

You have:

• Bachelor's degree in computer science, system analysis or a related study, or equivalent experience, with extensive experience in IT domain solutions architecture in asset intensive industries, ideally in energy and more so in power.
• Ability to understand the long‑term ('big picture') business strategy and goals, along with short‑term perspectives of situations.
• Ability to translate business needs into solution architecture requirements.
• Practical experience of agile development processes, including but not limited to DevOps, Scrum, Kanban and lean development and the ability to estimate the financial implications of proposed solutions architectures.
• Strong stakeholder management skills, using strong influencing skills and a deep understanding of business objectives to shape the strategic direction of Transmission's IT domain solutions architecture.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills.

Flexible benefits to fit your life: Enjoy discounts on private healthcare and gym memberships. Wellbeing benefits like a free online GP and 24/7 counselling service. Interest‑free loans on tech and transport season tickets, or a new bike with our Cycle to Work scheme. Generous family entitlements such as maternity and adoption pay, and paternity leave.

Work with an equal opportunity employer: SSE will make any reasonable adjustments you need to ensure that your application and experience with us is positive. Please contact David.Brickell@sse.com / 01738 275 846 to discuss how we can support you.

We're dedicated to fostering an open and inclusive workplace where people from all backgrounds can thrive. We create equal opportunities for everyone to succeed and especially welcome applications from those who may not be well represented in our workforce or industry.