Location: Bristol (mostly onsite)
Duration: 6 month contract
Rate: £110ph UMB (Inside IR35)
Clearance: Active DV preferred
Role details:
Our client is seeking a Solutions Architect to support complex defence and security programmes in Bristol. This six-month contract offers the opportunity to provide technical leadership across secure, integrated solutions, with the role being predominantly onsite. Active DV clearance is preferred.
Key Responsibilities:
- Act as the technical authority for solution design across large-scale and multi-project programmes
- Define and evolve architectures that balance customer needs, enterprise principles and secure-by-design standards
- Contribute to technology roadmaps, identifying opportunities for innovation and technology insertion
- Lead technical reviews, trade-off studies and risk assessments for major design decisions
- Mentor and coach Solutions Architects and Engineers, supporting capability development across the technical community
- Represent the organisation at senior customer forums, technical boards and industry events
- Support business-winning activities, including solution strategy, bids and proposal development
- Champion architectural best practice, reuse and model-based design approaches
Job Requirements:
- Extensive technical expertise with a proven track record of designing secure, integrated solutions
- Significant experience in solution architecture across infrastructure, applications, data, networking and cloud
- Strong knowledge of enterprise and solution architecture frameworks, such as TOGAF, MODAF or NAF
- Advanced understanding of secure system design principles and cyber security standards
- Experience shaping architectures within Agile or SAFe delivery environments
- Experience working within UK secure environments and classified Ministry of Defence systems
- Strong communication skills, with the ability to influence technical strategy and engage senior stakeholders
- Ability to mentor, coach and provide thought leadership within a technical community
Desirable Skills:
- Active DV clearance
- Relevant industry certifications, such as TOGAF, Architect or ArchiMate
- Experience contributing to technology roadmaps and enterprise strategy
- Familiarity with service design, operational transformation and digital modernisation
- Exposure to cloud-native, DevSecOps and automation approaches
- Experience presenting at technical boards, customer forums or industry conferences
