Solutions Architect - Business Applications

Our client has a Digital Strategy to 2030 to review, upgrade and replace IT and business applications and to improve processes, ways of working and student experiences. Within this, there is a programme of work to review their portfolio within Estate Management covering Facilities, Leisure Systems, Student Accommodation, Booking for sports, parking and so on. A Solutions Architect is required to provide facilitation, analysis, and design around the development of their business application architecture, translating business requirements into scalable and efficient technical solutions. The role‑holder will develop standards, guidelines and security considerations to ensure that their systems and applications enable the successful delivery of business outcomes and KPIs. They will also be responsible for helping eliminate current technical debt. Current business applications include Kinetics Software for Accommodation, Planon for real estate management and others. All need to be reviewed to be replaced or upgraded and pushed into the Cloud wherever possible.

Major Duties

• Lead the development of architectures and standards for their enterprise solutions, ensuring that they adhere to the client’s IT guardrails and principles.
• Guide the management of both software‑as‑a‑service and in‑house solutions (whether cloud based or on premise).
• Analyse current technologies to detect critical deficiencies, legacy and technical debt and recommend solutions for improvement, taking into account the Digital Strategy, available resources and capital planning.
• Drive digital innovation by leveraging innovative technologies and approaches to renovate, extend and transform the existing development and solutions environment.
• Evaluate technologies, frameworks and tools, understanding both technical and business requirements to determine the best for the particular business outcome, working within the University’s guardrails & principles, and our infrastructure and data architectures.
• Establish principles, standards and strategy for the selection of solution architecture technologies, taking responsibility for the methods used in implementing a solution architecture for the business.
• Ensure that the technical solution strategies, policies, standards and practices are applied correctly and consistently.
• Create detailed documentation, including diagrams, specifications, and guidelines, to help teams understand the architecture and implementation plan.
• Advise on appropriate quality standards and quality control processes relating to solution architecture, ensuring that quality control activities (including testing and accessibility compliance) are carried out satisfactorily and adhere to best practices, industry standards, and security protocols.
• Collaborate closely with teams across ISS, including developers, engineers, project and service teams, providing continued architectural expertise throughout the delivery lifecycle, troubleshooting and making adjustments as necessary during development, and supporting the deployment and early‑life implementation of any solution.
• Maintain knowledge of solution architectures at the highest level by representing the business at conferences and seminars; meeting and maintaining contact with other professionals involved in solution architecture; and through taking an active part in appropriate professional bodies.

Skills And Experience

• You will have demonstrable Solutions Architecture experience designing solutions for business applications.
• Reviewing existing systems and deciding on upgrading or replacing. If replace then capture requirements and assist with vendor selection.
• Architecture design for on premise and Cloud solutions.
• Higher Education Experience a Bonus But Not Required.
• You will need to be in Lancaster 2 days per week and the rest is remote.
• As this is an FTC, start no later than 1 months notice.