Lead Technical Architect (Contract) in Manchester

We are looking for multiple Lead Technical Architects who will play a central role in the successful delivery of technology projects. You will work closely with clients and internal teams to understand context, co-design solutions, and lead technical teams through product development.

In this role, you will lead architecture work on client programmes. You will design and oversee end-to-end technology solutions that are scalable, secure, user-centred, and ethically responsible. This role involves translating business needs into technology solutions, creating architecture artefacts, and supporting clients to make sustainable and user-focused technology choices.

You might be a specialist in a particular technology domain or platform, such as legacy system migration, M365, Azure, GCP, AWS, data platforms or intelligent process automation - but you will apply a technology agnostic perspective. You'll operate as a trusted advisor, often leading smaller engagements or playing a senior role on larger ones.

You will also support the development of junior colleagues while contributing to practice improvement and business development. We are committed to having a positive impact on the clients and the communities we serve. We actively encourage applications from women, disabled, Black, Asian, and Minority Ethnic candidates and historically under-represented groups.

• Lead project workstreams or small/medium client engagements in technology engagements.
• Collaborate with client teams to align technical solutions with organisational strategies and user needs.
• Define and communicate end-to-end solution architectures for programmes and services, translating business and user needs into scalable, ethical, and maintainable technical designs.
• Support client architecture governance, ensuring alignment with enterprise, data, and security standards.
• Contribute to delivery planning to support agile product development.
• Facilitate architecture decision-making with clients, balancing strategic and tactical needs.
• Produce high-quality artefacts, roadmaps, diagrams, architecture models, and written briefs.
• Create artefacts such as technology roadmaps, options appraisals, and architecture diagrams.
• Communicate complex technical information to non-technical stakeholders.
• Collaborate with multidisciplinary teams across design, data, and delivery.
• Input into bids and proposals with a focus on technology content.
• Maintain a strong understanding of emerging trends and technologies.
• Mentor or line manage more junior consultants and contribute to internal learning.
• Provide thought leadership and contribute to business development and marketing activities.
• Contribute to the continual development of our technology and data practice.
• Develop and maintain strong client relationships, building trust with senior stakeholders.

• Strong experience designing architectures for complex solutions ensuring consistency with agreed requirements and standards.
• Knowledge of enterprise systems, APIs/integration, cloud platforms (AWS, Azure, GCP), and data ecosystems.
• Experience developing and reviewing architecture artefacts. Experience of architecture modelling (C4, ArchiMate, UML), and tools such as Visio, Lucidchart or Draw.io.
• Proven ability to work with stakeholders at multiple levels across organisations.
• Experience of communicating technical concepts and recommendations to both technical and non-technical audiences.
• Experience of leading architectural governance and assurance.
• Experience working with agile product delivery teams in complex organisational settings.
• Experience throughout the product lifecycle.
• Experience delivering projects in a consultancy environment.
• Experience of user research in the context of technology and product development.
• Committed to personal and professional development, staying abreast of industry trends.
• A technology and platform agnostic perspective.
• Strong verbal and written communication skills.

• Experience working with public sector architecture standards and platforms (e.g. gov.uk PaaS, NHS Spine).
• Experience working in diverse, remote, and multi-disciplinary teams.

• Communicating between the technical and non-technical; ability to interpret and negotiate between needs of technical and non-technical stakeholders.
• Requirements definition and management; ability to advise on requirements management approaches and coordinate requirements prioritisation.
• Strategic thinking; ability to contribute to the development of strategies and policies.
• Technology systems analysis; ability to lead the analysis of IT system capabilities.
• Governance and assurance; ability to assure services and support clients to define governance.
• User focus; ability to champion user research and define approaches to understanding user needs.
• Lifecycle perspective; ability to manage the delivery of products and services at different phases throughout the product lifecycle.
• Sourcing technology assets and solutions; ability to lead supplier discussions as part of procurement processes.
• Solution architecture; ability to lead development of solution architecture in line with standards.

If you would like to express interest in this role, please apply by submitting your CV and a cover letter (max 2 pages) highlighting your relevant experience against the essential requirements for the role.

Deadline for applications: 11:59 pm on Friday 27th February.

Screening calls: ongoing.

First round interviews to take place: ongoing.

Second round interviews & presentation to take place: ongoing.

Please note: We have multiple roles available so the interview process may extend but we will still be able to proceed with offers for successful candidates before the round closes.

We are committed to having a positive impact on the clients and the communities we serve. We actively encourage applications from all genders, ethnicities, disabled people, members of the LGBTQIA+ community, and those from lower socio-economic backgrounds.

Don’t meet 100% of the criteria? We still want to hear from you. Please let us know if you require any adjustments during the recruitment process.

We’re a purpose-driven organisation, supporting organisations to build a better future for people, places and the planet. Combining vast experience in the public, private and third sectors and expertise in human-centred design, data, experience and technology, we’re creating sustainable solutions ready for an ever-evolving world.

At the heart of TPXimpact, with people and for people. That’s why we believe in people-powered transformation. Working in close collaboration with our clients, we seek to understand their unique challenges, questioning assumptions and building in their teams the capabilities and confidence to continue learning, iterating and adapting.

• ~30 days holiday + bank holidays.
• ~2 volunteer days for causes that you are passionate about.
• ~Maternity/paternity - 6 months Maternity Leave, 3 months Paternity Leave.
• ~Life assurance.
• ~Employer pension contribution of 5%.
• ~Health cash plan.
• ~Personal learning and development budget.
• ~Employee Assistance Programme.
• ~Access to equity in the business through a Share Incentive Plan.
• ~Green incentive programmes including Electric Vehicle Leasing and the Cycle to Work Scheme.
• ~Financial advice.
• ~Health assessments.

We drive fundamental change in approaches to product and service development, delivery and technology. Our agile, multidisciplinary teams use technology, design and data to deliver better results, improving outcomes for individuals, organisations and communities.

By working in the open, in partnership with our clients, we not only transform their systems and services but also build the capability of their teams, so work can continue without us in the longer term. Our focus is sustainable change, always delivered with positive impact.

We’re an inclusive employer, and we care about diversity in our teams. Let us know in your application if you have accessibility requirements during the interview.