At a Glance
- Tasks: Design and implement innovative solutions for customer care using cutting-edge technology.
- Company: Join the dynamic team at Very, a leading digital retailer.
- Benefits: Enjoy flexibility, great perks, and opportunities for personal growth.
- Other info: Be part of an inclusive culture that values diversity and innovation.
- Why this job: Make a real impact on customer experiences while advancing your career.
- Qualifications: Experience in solution architecture and strong communication skills required.
The predicted salary is between 60000 - 80000 € per year.
About us
We’re the team behind digital retailer Very. Our purpose, helping families get more out of life, powers everything we do. And we want our people to get more out of life too! If you’re high-performing, ambitious and make the most of every opportunity, we want to hear from you. In return, you’ll enjoy heaps of flexibility, great perks and benefits, and the freedom to be yourself, keep learning and take your career wherever you want it to go. If you love making a difference, you’ll love making it sparkle for millions of Very customers.
About the Team
At The Very Group, customer care is at the heart of everything we do, combining knowledgeable, empathetic support with fast, reliable resolutions across all channels. The Customer Care (CC) Performance Unit is responsible for designing, building, changing and running technology across all our customer facing and supporting functions. It supports Customer Service Management, Operations Service Management, Contact Centre Management and Customer Communications.
Tech Stack: Java, AWS RDS, AWS API Gateway, Apex, Salesforce Lightning Web Components
About The Role
As Senior Solution Architect you are expected to help shape architectural design and technology roadmaps for complex applications supporting high volume, mission critical products and services. Responsible for designing solutions across Customer Care that meet both the functional and non-functional requirements for initiatives. Solutions will be a combination of custom-built software, utilising primarily AWS, and external providers’ SAAS components.
A key requirement for the role is the ability to analyse existing implementations, sometimes including legacy systems, and present options (Key Design Decisions) showing the strategic option (if known) plus other options which are pragmatic roadmap phases balancing long-term strategy and shorter-term business value. A benefit for this role will be strong system analysis skills. Defining roadmaps for the domains which define the as-is and to-be architectural states and the proposed transitionary phases to be followed to achieve the proposed target state. Roadmap phases will balance strategic direction with business delivery.
Working with the Lead Architect, you will be responsible for implementing the policies and standards that guide technology delivery, possessing significant experience in modern, cloud-based technology standards and practices. Assessing 3rd party providers to ensure the proposed solution meets the TVG standards for security, privacy, data integration, performance and reliability. You will be experienced in actively addressing the most complicated risks, issues and dependencies including managing dependencies where ownership exists outside of the team. We need the right person to help identify innovative ways to unblock issues whilst evolving our architecture towards a defined target.
The Senior solution architect must both contribute towards strategic thinking as well as ensuring that appropriate technology standards are created and adhered to – including solution designs, strategic alignment, growing technology capabilities, introducing best practice and leading technology selection. The Senior Solution Architect must be an integral part of the Solution Architecture team, working in collaboration with the Lead Architect within a Performance Unit/Tribe.
You'll work hand in hand with our Product Managers, Delivery and Technical Leads in order to influence and define a technology roadmap to meet both our commercial and technology aims. We're looking for a role model within the discipline to engage the wider community whilst coaching/mentoring other architects, technical leads and engineers.
To be successful in the role, we need someone who can mediate between people and explain complex technical concepts to non-technical audiences, particularly someone who is confident communicating with stakeholders at all levels. Someone who understands the evolutionary nature of technology delivery in an agile environment. As you may imagine, our stakeholder expectations are high, and we'll need you to facilitate discussions about high risk and complexity even within constrained timescales. We want to be known as the best in class for this space, so here you can speak and represent the community to large audiences inside and outside of the Very Group! The role also has a focus on promotion and leadership of the architectural vision both inside the architecture team and across the wider technology and business teams.
About You
Demonstrable experience in designing complex solutions balancing strategic direction and business delivery. Experience in defining roadmaps and influencing, communicating and guiding stakeholders. Conceptual and strategic thinker. Technical expert. Team member with good interpersonal skills but able to work independently. You are known for your thought leadership and critical thinking in the technical space, while being able to apply business context. You have experience of the following technology skills or knowledge: Salesforce Service Cloud, Amazon AWS and Azure. Experience working with the following technologies would be a bonus: Bizz Design, Confluence, Jira, Alvaria (or other CCaaS), Call Miner, Blue Prism, Oracle DB & AWS specifics: API Gateway and RDS. Domain experience in Customer Care, working with a CRM and contact centre technologies. Awareness of Financial Services, preferable Retail Financial Services / Banking / Insurance / Credit / Loans.
How to apply
Please note that the talent acquisition team are managing this vacancy directly, and if successful in securing this role, you will be required to undertake a credit, CIFAS, Right to Work checks and if a specific requirement of your role a DBS (criminal records) check. Should your application progress we require you to let the team know if there is anything you need to disclose in relation to any of these checks prior to them being undertaken, including any unspent criminal convictions.
What happens next?
Our talent acquisition team will be in touch if you’re successful so keep an eye on your emails! We’ll arrange a short call to learn more about you, as well as answer any questions you have. If it feels like we’re a good match, we’ll share your CV with the hiring manager to review. Our interview process is tailored to each role and can be in-person or held remotely. You can expect a two-stage interview process for this position:
1st stage - A 60-90 minute interview, ideally in person with the hiring team to discuss your skills and relevant experience. This is a great opportunity to find out more about the role and to ask any questions you may have.
2nd Stage - a 30 minute call with a member of the Leadership team.
As an inclusive employer please do let us know if you require any reasonable adjustments.
Diversity, inclusion and equal opportunities
We’re building a culture of everyday inclusion, and welcome applications from anyone who believes they can do the job. We don’t discriminate based on age, disability, gender reassignment, marriage or civil partnership, pregnancy or maternity, race, religion or belief, sex, or sexual orientation. We want our recruitment process to be accessible to everyone. If you need reasonable adjustments to apply, interview, or perform a role, let us know via talentacquisition@theverygroup.com. We’ll be happy to support you. We’re proud to be a Disability Confident Committed Employer and have nine brilliant colleague networks - including DAWN (Disability Awareness at Very) and Think (Neurodiversity at Very) - that are helping us make Very an even more inclusive place to work.
Senior Solutions Architect - Customer Care (Contract role Inside IR35) in Liverpool employer: The Very Group
At The Very Group, we pride ourselves on being an exceptional employer that champions flexibility, personal growth, and a vibrant work culture. As a Senior Solutions Architect in our Customer Care team, you'll not only have the opportunity to shape innovative technology solutions but also benefit from a supportive environment that encourages continuous learning and collaboration. With a commitment to diversity and inclusion, we ensure that every employee feels valued and empowered to make a meaningful impact for millions of customers.
StudySmarter Expert Advice🤫
We think this is how you could land Senior Solutions Architect - Customer Care (Contract role Inside IR35) in Liverpool
✨Tip Number 1
Network like a pro! Reach out to people in your industry, especially those who work at Very. A friendly chat can open doors and give you insights that might just land you an interview.
✨Tip Number 2
Prepare for the interview by understanding our tech stack. Brush up on Java, AWS, and Salesforce. Being able to discuss these technologies confidently will show us you're serious about the role.
✨Tip Number 3
Show off your problem-solving skills! Be ready to share examples of how you've tackled complex issues in the past. We love candidates who can think on their feet and come up with innovative solutions.
✨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 us you’re genuinely interested in joining our team.
We think you need these skills to ace Senior Solutions Architect - Customer Care (Contract role Inside IR35) in Liverpool
Some tips for your application 🫡
Tailor Your CV:Make sure your CV reflects the skills and experiences that align with the Senior Solutions Architect role. Highlight your experience with AWS, Salesforce, and any relevant tech stack to show us you’re the right fit!
Craft a Compelling Cover Letter:Use your cover letter to tell us why you’re passionate about customer care and how your strategic thinking can help shape our technology roadmap. Be genuine and let your personality shine through!
Showcase Your Problem-Solving Skills:In your application, give examples of how you've tackled complex issues in previous roles. We love seeing innovative solutions, so don’t hold back on sharing your thought process!
Apply Through Our Website:We encourage you to apply directly through our website for a smoother process. It helps us keep track of your application and ensures you don’t miss out on any updates from our talent acquisition team!
How to prepare for a job interview at The Very Group
✨Know Your Tech Stack
Familiarise yourself with the technologies mentioned in the job description, like Java, AWS, and Salesforce. Be ready to discuss how you've used these tools in past projects and how they can be applied to the role at Very.
✨Showcase Your Strategic Thinking
Prepare examples of how you've defined roadmaps and balanced strategic direction with business delivery. Highlight your experience in analysing existing implementations and presenting options for improvement.
✨Communicate Clearly
Practice explaining complex technical concepts in simple terms. You'll need to mediate between technical and non-technical stakeholders, so being able to communicate effectively is key.
✨Engage with the Team
Demonstrate your ability to work collaboratively by discussing how you've influenced and guided teams in previous roles. Show that you're not just a tech expert but also a team player who can mentor others.