Senior Solutions Architect

We are looking for a customer-obsessed Solutions Architect to lead the design and delivery of cloud-native, Azure-first solutions for our fintech clients and internal platforms. You will be a trusted technical advisor across the full delivery lifecycle - from discovery and architecture through to production - with a particular focus on modernising legacy financial systems and accelerating cloud adoption., Own end-to-end architecture for greenfield and brownfield fintech programmes, spanning payments, lending, open banking, and capital markets workloads.

• Produce architecture decision records (ADRs), HLD/LLD documentation, and reference architectures aligned to Azure Well-Architected Framework.

• Define integration patterns (API-led, event-driven, message-based) using Azure API Management, Event Hub, Service Bus, and Logic Apps.

• Lead application modernisation assessments - evaluating legacy monoliths for re-platform, re-architect, or retire strategies using the Azure Migrate framework.

Fintech Domain Expertise

• Apply deep knowledge of financial services regulations (FCA, PRA, PCI-DSS, DORA, Basel III) to ensure architectures are compliant by design.

• Design solutions for core banking modernisation, real-time payments (ISO 20022, Faster Payments, SWIFT), and open banking (PSD2 / CMA9 compliance).

• Advise on data architecture for financial reporting, risk models, and regulatory submissions - leveraging Azure Synapse, Fabric, and Purview.

• Partner with fraud, risk, and compliance teams to embed security controls - zero-trust networking, HSM key management, and Azure Confidential Computing where applicable.

Application Modernisation

• Lead lift-shift-to-modernise programmes: containerising legacy .NET/Java applications onto AKS, migrating on-prem SQL Server estates to Azure SQL / Managed Instance, and decomposing monoliths into microservices.

• Define CI/CD pipelines using Azure DevOps, GitHub Actions, and Infrastructure as Code (Bicep / Terraform) to enable high-velocity, low-risk deployments.

• Champion cloud-native patterns: serverless (Azure Functions, Container Apps), event sourcing, CQRS, and API-first design.

• Drive FinOps practices - tagging strategies, reserved capacity planning, and cost governance via Azure Cost Management.

Stakeholder Engagement & Delivery

• Act as the primary technical interface for C-suite and enterprise architects at client organisations, translating business strategy into actionable technical roadmaps.

• Collaborate with product, engineering, and delivery teams through agile ceremonies; provide technical governance at design and sprint reviews.

• Support pre-sales and bid activity: respond to RFPs, produce solution proposals, and present architecture to technical and business decision-makers.

• Mentor junior architects and engineers; contribute to internal practice development, standards, and reusable accelerators.

This is a hands-on role requiring deep Azure expertise, commercial awareness in regulated financial services environments, and a proven track record of translating complex business requirements into scalable, secure, and cost-effective technical solutions., 8+ years in solutions architecture, with at least 5 years in Azure-first environments.

• Strong breadth across Azure compute (AKS, App Service, Container Apps, Azure Functions), data (SQL MI, Cosmos DB, Synapse, Data Factory), integration (APIM, Service Bus, Event Grid), and security (Entra ID, Defender for Cloud, Key Vault, Sentinel).

• Azure certifications required: AZ-305 (Solutions Architect Expert). AZ-204, AZ-700, or DP-203 highly desirable.

• Hands-on experience with Terraform or Bicep for IaC and Azure DevOps / GitHub Actions for CI/CD.

Fintech & Regulated Industry

• Demonstrable experience delivering architecture within FSI: retail or investment banking, payments, insurance, or lending.

• Practical knowledge of PCI-DSS scoping, FCA operational resilience requirements, and cloud outsourcing obligations under PRA SS2/21.

• Familiarity with open banking standards, payment rail integration, and financial data models.

Application Modernisation

• Proven track record of migrating and modernising on-premises workloads to Azure - including relational databases, middleware, and distributed monoliths.

• Experience with containerisation (Docker, Kubernetes / AKS), microservices design, and API gateway patterns.

• Competency in at least one primary application language used in financial services: .NET (C#), Java, or Python.

Competitive base salary with performance bonus and equity participation.

• Flexible hybrid working - we trust you to manage your time and output.

• Azure training budget and paid certification exam support.

• Access to Microsoft FastTrack and engineering leadership community.

• Private healthcare, enhanced pension, and 25 days annual leave + bank holidays.

We are an equal opportunity employer and welcome applications regardless of age, disability, gender identity, race, religion, or sexual orientation.

Job Type: Permanent

Pay: £70,000.00-£90,000.00 per year