At a Glance
- Tasks: Design modern, scalable cloud-native business services and lead architectural governance.
- Company: Join a charity undergoing a major digital transformation in Leeds.
- Benefits: Flexible hybrid working, competitive salary, and a commitment to diversity.
- Other info: Collaborative environment with opportunities for personal and professional growth.
- Why this job: Shape the future of technology in a meaningful way while making a real impact.
- Qualifications: Experience in architecture, CRM solutions, and strong communication skills.
The predicted salary is between 55000 - 65000 £ per year.
Are you a Solution Architect with a passion for designing modern, scalable, cloud native business services? Are you excited by the opportunity to shape a brand new digital landscape and play a pivotal role in a multi-year transformation? Do you have the architectural expertise to help StepChange modernise its technology estate, strengthen governance, and deliver high quality solutions that support our clients and colleagues?
We are embarking on a major digital transformation as part of our new 5-year strategy, redesigning our technology landscape and building modern, integrated services that will power the charity's future. This newly created role will be central to maturing our architecture discipline and ensuring that our digital advice journey and wider business capabilities are built on strong, well-governed foundations. You will work cross-functionally with senior stakeholders, programme teams, vendors, and technical specialists, while collaborating closely with colleagues across Digital and Change Services to ensure architectural integrity, governance, and alignment with organisational strategy.
What will you be doing?
In this role, you will take ownership of designing critical business services and producing the architectural artefacts that underpin our new digital advice journey. You will lead the development and maintenance of our Charity Design Catalogue (CDC), ensuring strong design governance and supporting downstream solution, integration, and testing activities. As a key architectural authority, you will guide programme-level decisions, support RFP processes, and ensure solutions are grounded in well-considered architectural viewpoints. Your experience of implementing CRM solutions and integrating with wider business systems will be tremendously valuable as the charity embarks on this major feature of our digital transformation.
You will help shape and govern the charity's architectural landscape by producing detailed designs, maintaining standards, and contributing to governance forums and design assurance meetings. Collaboration will be central to your work, as you build strong relationships across Digital and Change Services and work with cloud partners and vendors to influence and oversee solution designs. You will also author and maintain architectural principles, policies, standards, and rules, while supporting the ongoing maintenance of the Application Portfolio.
This role is ideal for someone who thrives in transformation environments and is passionate about the value of architecture in delivering high-quality, sustainable solutions. You will bring strong foundational knowledge of enterprise IT and cloud-native operating models, experience across modern technology stacks and integration patterns, and the ability to balance cost, quality, and timeliness in design decisions. As a self-starter with excellent communication skills, you'll be able to translate complex concepts, mentor others, and design with both people and technology in mind.
Equality, Diversity & Inclusion
Belonging is central to who we are. We're committed to building a workforce that reflects the clients we support, and a culture where everyone feels valued and able to be themselves. We welcome applications from people of all backgrounds and life experiences. If you need a reasonable adjustment to our recruitment process so you can perform at your best, just let us know - we're here to support you.
Solutions Architect - Leeds/Hybrid in Sharlston employer: StepChange
Contact Detail:
StepChange Recruiting Team
StudySmarter Expert Advice 🤫
We think this is how you could land Solutions Architect - Leeds/Hybrid in Sharlston
✨Tip Number 1
Network like a pro! Reach out to folks in your industry on LinkedIn or at local meetups. Building connections can lead to opportunities that aren’t even advertised yet.
✨Tip Number 2
Prepare for interviews by researching the company and its culture. Understand their digital transformation goals and think about how your skills as a Solutions Architect can help them achieve those.
✨Tip Number 3
Showcase your expertise during interviews. Bring examples of past projects where you’ve designed scalable solutions or led architectural changes. This will demonstrate your hands-on experience and problem-solving skills.
✨Tip Number 4
Don’t forget to apply through our website! It’s the best way to ensure your application gets seen by the right people. Plus, it shows you’re genuinely interested in being part of our team.
We think you need these skills to ace Solutions Architect - Leeds/Hybrid in Sharlston
Some tips for your application 🫡
Tailor Your Application: Make sure to customise your CV and cover letter for the Solutions Architect role. Highlight your experience with cloud-native services and how you've contributed to digital transformations in the past. We want to see how you can shape our new digital landscape!
Showcase Your Collaboration Skills: Since this role involves working cross-functionally, emphasise your ability to collaborate with various stakeholders. Share examples of how you've successfully worked with teams or vendors to deliver high-quality solutions. We love a team player!
Demonstrate Your Architectural Expertise: Be sure to include specific examples of your architectural work, especially around designing business services and maintaining governance. We’re looking for someone who can guide programme-level decisions, so show us what you've got!
Apply Through Our Website: We encourage you to apply directly through our website. It’s the best way for us to receive your application and ensures you don’t miss out on any important updates. Plus, we can’t wait to hear from you!
How to prepare for a job interview at StepChange
✨Know Your Architecture Inside Out
Make sure you’re well-versed in the latest architectural principles and cloud-native solutions. Brush up on your knowledge of enterprise IT and integration patterns, as you'll need to demonstrate how your expertise aligns with the charity's digital transformation goals.
✨Showcase Your Collaboration Skills
Prepare examples that highlight your ability to work cross-functionally with various stakeholders. Think about times when you’ve influenced decisions or guided teams through complex architectural challenges, as this role will require strong collaboration with both technical specialists and senior management.
✨Be Ready to Discuss Governance
Understand the importance of design governance in architecture. Be prepared to talk about how you've maintained standards and contributed to governance forums in previous roles. This will show that you can uphold the integrity of the charity’s architectural landscape.
✨Communicate Complex Ideas Simply
Practice explaining intricate concepts in a straightforward manner. As a Solutions Architect, you’ll need to mentor others and ensure everyone is on the same page. Use clear, concise language to convey your thoughts during the interview, demonstrating your communication prowess.