At a Glance
- Tasks: Lead solution architecture for top global brands and retailers, driving digital transformation.
- Company: VML, a creative powerhouse part of WPP, known for innovative work with leading brands.
- Benefits: Competitive salary, bonus scheme, training, medical insurance, and discounts with retailers.
- Why this job: Shape the future of eCommerce solutions and make a real impact on global brands.
- Qualifications: Experience in solution ownership and designing large-scale solutions for enterprise clients.
- Other info: Join a dynamic team with excellent career growth opportunities and a culture of innovation.
The predicted salary is between 60000 - 80000 £ per year.
VML, part of WPP, is a leading creative company that combines brand experience, customer experience, and commerce, creating connected brands to drive growth. VML is celebrated for its innovative and human first, award-winning work for blue chip client partners including AstraZeneca, Colgate-Palmolive, Dell, Ford, Microsoft, Nestlé, The Coca-Cola Company, and Wendy's.
The opportunity: A Solution Architect is required for a high-profile role giving the successful applicant the chance to lead the solution architecture for some of the world's largest online brands and retailers and be an integral part of our talented and expanding Solution Architecture team. You will be responsible for creating and assuring solution architecture using a wide range of technologies, from SaaS eCommerce platforms through to client-specific cloud solutions. You'll develop relationships with key client-side stakeholders in charge of IT and digital strategy and architecture, and you'll work closely with our internal delivery teams to ensure your architecture vision is realised.
Our Solution Architecture team not only focus on delivery but also work with our clients in delivering the best consulting advice to ensure world class solutions that enable our clients to transact more digitally.
What you’ll be doing:
- Working on large-scale digital transformation programmes with global clients, designing solutions for all the opportunity and complexity this brings.
- Own the solution architecture, document it, and communicate that architecture to a wide range of audiences.
- See out and develop relationships with key client stakeholders responsible for digital and architecture strategy.
- Orchestrate and run design workshops, and translate business strategy and requirements into solution architecture.
- Ensure your architecture vision is realised by our teams, across all phases of programme delivery.
- Understand common problems, design patterns and considerations for a distributed eCommerce architecture and apply this knowledge to your solutions.
- Understand the level at which solution architecture applies, and help transition your solutions to application and cloud architects and technical leads.
- Make and justify key architectural decisions considering all relevant constraints.
- Follow the principles and guidance set out by the Solution Architecture team.
- Contribute to the initiatives of our Solution Architecture team, including developing common patterns for new technologies and developing PoCs against industry trends.
What we want from you:
- Core understanding of the capabilities of a wide range of technologies typically found within an eCommerce landscape, including enterprise eCommerce platforms and components, and apply this knowledge to your solutions.
- Proven experience of solution ownership.
- Experience delivering solution transformations, roadmaps and (or) Integration strategies.
- Understand the capabilities of public cloud platforms and be an advocate of cloud-native solutions.
- Proven experience Designing quality solutions, often large scale and transactional in nature, for global enterprise clients.
- Be client and delivery focussed, able to adapt a solution to meet additional requirements and constraints and apply pragmatism when required.
- Prior experience running design workshops.
- Strong stakeholder management skills.
- Have excellent communication, presentation and documentation skills.
If you know some of this, even better:
- Experience with OMS.
- Experience with PIM.
- Specific Solution Architecture experience with the following technologies: React, Next.js, GraphQL (incl. federated), Salesforce Commerce Cloud, Sanity.io, GCP.
What we can offer you:
Alongside the opportunity to work with some of the most exciting brands around the world, we’ll also prioritise your career development and help you grow your skills. We’ll empower you to make a difference, allow you to be yourself, and respect who you are.
Our culture thrives on our core values, designed for impact-driven individuals: Heart, Brains and Courage. We lead with Heart, fostering empathy and trust where genuine connections and human-centric work flourish. We empower your Brains for innovation, valuing relentless curiosity and collaborative intelligence to solve complex challenges. And we champion Courage, inspiring you to speak up, embrace experimentation, and advocate for bold solutions that push our thinking to be better than yesterday.
AT VML Enterprise Solutions Our Enterprise Solutions division houses strategic consultants, creative and technical architects and skilled developers and operators that together help some of the world’s leading organisations to deliver outstanding digital experiences across all major routes to market worldwide: marketplaces, online retailers, D2C, B2B and social platforms.
Solution Architect in London employer: VML South Africa
Contact Detail:
VML South Africa Recruiting Team
StudySmarter Expert Advice 🤫
We think this is how you could land Solution Architect in London
✨Tip Number 1
Network like a pro! Reach out to people in your industry on LinkedIn or at events. A friendly chat can lead to opportunities that aren’t even advertised yet.
✨Tip Number 2
Prepare for interviews by researching the company and its projects. Show them you’re not just another candidate; you’re genuinely interested in what they do and how you can contribute.
✨Tip Number 3
Practice your pitch! You need to be able to clearly explain your experience and how it relates to the role of a Solution Architect. Keep it concise and engaging.
✨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, we love seeing candidates who take that extra step!
We think you need these skills to ace Solution Architect in London
Some tips for your application 🫡
Tailor Your Application: Make sure to customise your application for the Solution Architect role. Highlight your experience with eCommerce platforms and solution ownership, as this will show us you understand what we're looking for.
Showcase Your Skills: Don’t just list your skills; demonstrate them! Use examples from your past work to illustrate how you've successfully designed solutions or led digital transformations. We love seeing real-world applications of your expertise.
Be Clear and Concise: When writing your application, keep it clear and to the point. We appreciate well-structured documents that communicate your ideas effectively. Remember, we want to see your thought process!
Apply Through Our Website: For the best chance of success, make sure to apply through our website. This way, your application goes directly to us, and we can review it more efficiently. Plus, it’s super easy!
How to prepare for a job interview at VML South Africa
✨Know Your Tech Inside Out
As a Solution Architect, you need to be well-versed in various technologies, especially those relevant to eCommerce. Brush up on your knowledge of SaaS platforms, cloud solutions, and any specific technologies mentioned in the job description, like React or Salesforce Commerce Cloud. This will help you confidently discuss how you can leverage these tools to meet client needs.
✨Showcase Your Stakeholder Management Skills
Since you'll be working closely with key client stakeholders, it's crucial to demonstrate your ability to build relationships. Prepare examples from your past experiences where you've successfully managed stakeholder expectations and collaborated effectively. This will show that you're not just technically savvy but also a great communicator.
✨Prepare for Design Workshops
Running design workshops is part of the role, so think about how you would facilitate these sessions. Be ready to discuss your approach to translating business strategies into solution architecture. You might even want to outline a mock workshop scenario to showcase your organisational skills and creativity during the interview.
✨Articulate Your Architectural Vision
You’ll need to own and communicate your solution architecture clearly. Practice explaining complex concepts in simple terms, as you’ll be addressing diverse audiences. Consider preparing a brief presentation or visual aid that illustrates your architectural vision, which can help convey your ideas more effectively during the interview.