Solution Architect - Payments

Hybrid/Manchester City Centre 35 hours p/week

Want to change the world? A career that makes a difference. We’re not a bank that follows the crowd. Instead, we like to stand out for all the right reasons. Our bank is built on co-operative values that stand strong today. We don’t just help people with their money, but help people fight for justice and the causes they care about. Our unique customer-led Ethical Policy has made us a natural leader in environmental and social issues today, and we’re market leaders in ESG as rated by leading ESG ratings agency Sustainalytics. There has never been a more pressing time to join a Bank that focuses on causes that matter to our customers and colleagues.

You’ll be joining our bank at an exciting critical time working on projects related to the integration of data centres during our acquisition. You’ll need to have a Development background with experience of Cloud and great communication/influencing skills within a financial services environment. There will be a variety of projects ongoing related to the integration of platforms. You will have the opportunity to truly own our digital domain. We promote a hybrid working environment, which means you will work at our office in Manchester as required during critical points in project delivery and then remotely from home. To enable you to work from home, you will need to have a suitable office setup which includes a desk and a chair in a location which is free from the interruptions of day-to-day life.

The role: Specifically focusing on Digital transformation and direction, as a Digital Architect, you will be responsible for the Mobile-Online Banking & Open Banking aspects of the Bank's digital strategy. You will have the ability to operate in both agile and waterfall methodologies defining the change needed (in the form of design decisions, project designs, roadmaps and/or technology selection) to meet stated business outcomes and align to the bank's IT strategy. Additionally, you will offer forward thinking within the digital space, road-mapping the direction of architecture strategies for the Bank.

Key Accountabilities:

• Be a thought leader in digital technologies, develop and own the architecture of the domain and projects you work on.
• Support engineers to design services for our customers and colleagues and deliver our Technology strategy.
• Make key architectural decisions impacting individual designs, the wider portfolio or the longer-term strategy.
• Translate business requirements and strategy into designs and roadmaps which align to the bank’s standards and principles.
• Be an active member of the bank's architecture community participating in design review and governance processes.
• Co-ordinate and direct all IT design activity to ensure the solution is coherent and deliverable.
• Lead resources involved in design elements including 3rd parties and other internal bank resources.
• Select and propose suitable technologies and manage their approval through bank governance processes.

Knowledge, Skills and Experience Required:

• Experience of working within a regulated industry.
• Strong consulting and influencing skills, including excellent presentation skills.
• Strong interpersonal skills with the ability to communicate effectively at senior levels, both written and oral, within the business and IT strategy areas.
• A good working knowledge of architecture frameworks and models (e.g. Systems Engineering, TOGAF).
• Experience of projects with significant integration challenges.
• Deep understanding of integration approaches and technologies.
• Extensive experience of at least one technical architecture discipline; our preference would be application, and some knowledge of data and infrastructure.
• Considerable experience in senior roles on major application development or systems integration (e.g. application architect, technical architect, lead designer, lead developer).
• Experience of building applications within a Cloud Infrastructure and a good understanding of DevOps practices.
• Experience of managing and reviewing 3rd party activities including commercials and deliverables.

What You Can Expect From Us:

• Flexible and home working options.
• Car allowance of 5.5k and private medical insurance.
• 27 days holiday rising to 30 with service, plus opportunity to buy 5 extra days.
• Competitive pension with up to 10% employer contribution.
• Income protection / life assurance.
• Wellbeing support ‘Help@Hand’ offers mental health support, physiotherapy, GP’s for both you and your family.
• 2 paid days for volunteering per year.
• ‘MyReward’ corporate discount for over 800 retailers and Cycle to Work Scheme.
• Family-friendly policies and supportive working environment.
• Colleague network groups committed to inclusion and diversity within our Bank.