Solution Architect

At AQA, we’re committed to advancing education and we’re committed to our people. As the largest provider of academic qualifications in the UK, we mark over 10 million exam papers each year and it’s our people who make this happen.

Solution Architect Permanent Manchester: £73,600 - £85,800 Milton Keynes: £76,700 - £89,300 Hybrid working - a minimum of 2 days per week in the office

Introduction Are you a solution architect who enjoys turning complex business needs into practical, scalable technology solutions? This is an opportunity to shape enterprise‑wide technology decisions, influence strategy and work across a varied technology landscape while helping AQA deliver services that support learners and education.

Purpose of the Role As a Solution Architect, you'll play a key role within the Enterprise Architecture team, working closely with business and technology stakeholders to design solutions that deliver real business value. You'll provide architectural leadership across enterprise technologies, guide solution delivery and help ensure technology investments align with long‑term strategic goals. You'll also contribute to the evolution of AQA’s technology landscape by balancing innovation, governance and practical delivery. In this role, you'll be responsible for:

• Designing and guiding technology solutions that meet business requirements while aligning with architectural standards, strategic objectives and delivery priorities.
• Providing expert architectural advice and leadership to stakeholders, project teams and technology colleagues, ensuring solutions are scalable, secure and fit for purpose.
• Driving architecture governance and continuous improvement, including technology roadmaps, horizon scanning, standard development and compliance with enterprise architecture principles.

What's in it for you? You'll have the opportunity to influence technology decisions at an enterprise level while continuing to develop your expertise across a broad and evolving technology environment. Shape strategic technology direction and influence major business and transformation initiatives. Work with a wide range of stakeholders, gaining exposure to enterprise, assessment and group technology teams. Develop your professional capability through complex architecture challenges and emerging technology opportunities. A 35‑hour working week with flexible, hybrid working. 25 days’ annual leave rising to 30, plus Christmas closure days.

Benefits package including up to 11.5percent pension contribution, BUPA healthcare support, wellbeing programmes and volunteering opportunities.

You'll thrive in this role if you have:

• Proven experience as a Solution Architect with a strong track record of delivering technology solutions within complex enterprise environments.
• Strong knowledge of enterprise architecture, cloud platforms, integration approaches and modern technology frameworks, including experience working across applications, infrastructure and data environments.
• The ability to communicate and influence effectively with technical and non‑technical stakeholders at all levels.
• Experience balancing strategic thinking with practical delivery, helping organisations modernise technology while managing legacy environments and operational realities.
• A collaborative, pragmatic mindset with a focus on solving problems, improving ways of working and delivering positive outcomes.

Diversity and Inclusion Statement At AQA, we is committed to fostering a workplace that celebrates diversity and promotes equity and inclusion. We believe that a diverse team brings richer perspectives and drives better outcomes. Our ED&I strategy ensures that everyone—regardless of religion, ethnicity, gender identity or expression, age, disability, sexual orientation, or background—is valued, respected, and empowered to thrive. We actively promote inclusive language, avoid stereotypes, and strive for representation across all dimensions of diversity. We welcome applications from individuals of all backgrounds and lived experiences.

Full Job Description Summary Purpose

In your role as Solution Architect you will operate within the (Enterprise Technology) Enterprise Architecture team working closely with the Enterprise Architect. You will lead on the delivery of Solutions Architecture services, designing and ensuring delivery of IT solutions that meet business requirements. You will provide solution architecture consultancy support to colleagues and business stakeholders, providing effective and pragmatic advice, guidance, direction and architectural liaison between technology and business stakeholders shaping and guiding solution delivery in the drive to deliver proportionate and effective solutions that meet desired business outcomes. You will deliver a solution architecture service and approach that positively influences and evolves the information technology landscape across both Enterprise and Assessment technology areas of the business, providing overarching architectural oversight and compliance assurance. You will support the delivery of effective architectural strategies within Enterprise Technology that promote proportionate and effective solutions and will engage with key stakeholders across Assessment Technology and (where appropriate) wider group entities to ensure alignment and oversight of approaches. You will maintain and apply high levels of technology knowledge and architectural expertise in the production of architectural designs and approaches ensuring attainment of business objectives whilst balancing deliverability, architectural principles and alignment to the wider AQA strategy and objectives. You will establish, lead on and champion coherent corporate wide architecture model(s) and standards where appropriate, taking ownership of, and resolving (or escalating), related issues or concerns you identify. You will design, implement, guide and support the delivery of technology solutions to address business requirements and liaise between technology / business stakeholders, peers and colleagues both within the team and across the wider business. You will maintain and apply a high level of technology design knowledge in the production of solution architecture designs and solutions and demonstrate appropriately commensurate levels of knowledge and expertise across other related architectural areas.

Landscape

The Enterprise Technology Division sits within the Corporate Services Division, enabling the centralised delivery of core corporate services. In addition, Enterprise Technology operates in close partnership with Assessment Technology and Programme Management, collectively delivering the full IT service portfolio of current operations to future change programmes.

Enterprise Technology consists of the following functions:

• Service Delivery
• Enterprise IT Services (Core IT Delivery teams - desktop, systems & infrastructure)
• Enterprise Applications Architecture & Security Architecture & Security consists of: Architecture (including Enterprise oversight)
• Security & Risk
• Security Operations (including Security Operations Centre)
• Data Protection & Compliance

The Architecture team compromises of 5 team members delivering into the roles of: Enterprise Architect Information Architect Solution Architect(s)

Due to the nature of the role and function, stakeholder engagement with colleagues / teams within other AQA UK locations may be required.

Key relationships

Key internal (AQA Education and AQA Milton Keynes) relationships

Enterprise Technology functions

AQA Assessment Technology architecture and development teams

AQA Education business functions

Key external relationships

Third party technology providers

Relevant third-party providers

Other teams within the AQA Group (e.g. AlphaPlus and Doublestruck)

Activities

To maintain the required knowledge and expertise in the following architectural areas and take the lead in the area of Solution Architecture, supporting colleagues in delivery across the areas of Solution and Domain Architecture in the fulfilment of business requirements and delivery of Enterprise Technology priorities.

Business Architecture Information/Data Architecture Application Architecture Technology Architecture Develop, take ownership of, and maintain policies, procedures, guidance and standards that make up the IT Strategy & Enterprise Architecture management system, evolving them in line with business drivers and goals to establish robust yet flexible and adaptive controls. Support the Enterprise Architect in refreshing and implementing the AQA technology strategy, leading on specific areas as required. Active participation, contribution, control, and management of architectural community, forums, and design authorities. Directly contribute to the definition and verification of adherence to technical standards covering areas such as Application, Infrastructure and Integration architectures, Security and Access Control, Resilience and Reliability, Processing, Storage and Network architectures etc. Take ownership, work with, and support business stakeholders and Enterprise Technology colleagues in the design and delivery of appropriately scoped architectural solutions ensuring that what is proposed satisfies business requirements and quality, cost and time criteria and is in line with current architectural standards ensuring buy‑in to the proposed solution propositions. Undertake purposeful 'horizon scanning' ensuring that AQA is positioned well to be able to benefit from emerging technologies, architectures and standards. Research and explore opportunities for solutions to meet AQA’s business objectives and develop clear cost benefit analysis for the adoption of particular approaches. As part of the evolution of the IT strategy, establish and regularly review clear technology roadmaps and associated systems life cycles ensuring that AQA is able to identify technology opportunities and manage technology and architecture related risks effectively. Review all systems solutions implemented across Enterprise and Assessment Technology areas of the business to ensure compliance with the IT strategy and related Enterprise Architectural policies, quantifying and proposing mitigations to any risks identified through effective operation of a ‘design control’ governance function. Ensure architecture and standards maintained by the architecture team are fully compliant with all statutory and regulatory legislation. Develop and maintain architectural artifacts of all systems, their interdependencies, technical profiles and their position in the estate. Develop and maintain high levels of technical expertise across all relevant areas to support good architectural design. Ensure aspects such as compatibility with current and future business strategy, integration with existing systems, support of business processes including usability and performance and ease of maintenance are key areas of focus in any designs. Guide and support Enterprise Technology team members through relevant transformational activities, ensuring that team members remain motivated and engaged. Collaborate with programme and project management functions in order to establish product roadmaps, delivery plans, identify and advise on architectural cross project / portfolio dependencies including recommendations to address such items. Drive professional development and actively facilitate cross skilling. Ensure full compliance with all AQA policies and other legislative requirements, including but not limited to HSE / Equal Opportunities / Information & Cyber Security / Data Protection related legislation and policies. Where business needs dictate to undertake other responsibilities which are of a commensurate level and may be outside the terms of this role profile.

To be successful in this role, you will need to know:

• Proven solution architect with a strong track record of related IT expertise and delivery across a number of practices within the IT industry.
• Expert working knowledge and understanding of Enterprise applications frameworks, Service Oriented Architecture, Enterprise architecture, Information modelling and design frameworks, Physical Infrastructure and deployment models, Architecture and design frameworks such as TOGAF, ZACHMAN etc
• Expert knowledge and understanding of Mainstream computing platforms and architectures, Operating systems, Databases, End user computing platforms, Networks and communications, Cloud computing delivery platforms (IaaS, PaaS & SaaS), Virtualisation, Integration services, architecture design standards, development methodologies.
• Extensive experience of enterprise class organisations with cloud / mixed IT footprints and related modernisation of corporate architecture and application of appropriate governance.
• Expert knowledge and understanding of implementing technical changes in existing legacy IT estates.
• Possess a broad understanding of and experience in working within programme and project management methodologies and governance.
• Experience of operating with and within hybrid support functions - internal and external / 3rd party organisations.
• Responsive to short‑term challenges / priorities whilst holding to clear strategy and direction.
• Direct experience of working and communicating effectively with peers, sponsors and business stakeholders at all levels both organisationally and across large scale programmes / IT developments.
• Organises, plans and designs effectively whilst retaining focus on the bigger picture.
• Ability to frame solution architecture trends and opportunities within AQA’s strategic objectives.
• Proven expertise in identifying and improving high level processes and ways of working.
• Aptitude for sharing and embedding best practice.
• Skills to build rapport and influence across a diverse range of internal and external stakeholders.
• Conversant with and able to navigate major corporate structures including regulatory environment, financial management and budgeting, programme / project delivery and information security and risk management practices.
• Excellent delivery credentials, with a flexible, pragmatic “can do” attitude and a resilient ability to deliver rapid and effective solutions within a dynamic environment.

AQA is an independent charity that sets and marks over half of all GCSEs and A‑levels in the UK every year. Our purpose is to advance education by helping students and teachers to realise their potential. As part of AQA, you’ll very quickly appreciate the determination and unwavering passion to deliver this goal in everything we do. To help drive these ambitions, AQA invests in the development of its people by offering a range of professional development and learning opportunities leading to over 50% of our permanent roles being filled internally.

Reasonable Adjustments

If you have any requirements for reasonable adjustments in relation to the application, interview or the prospective job, please contact Faye Harrison (she/her) at or on . We are asking for this information to make the process as equitable as possible for each candidate. Please note that Faye will not be able to assist you with enquiries regarding Temporary vacancies or non‑recruitment enquiries. If you have query regarding Temporary vacancies, please contact:

Smart Working

We’re operating a smart working model. This allows for our colleagues to work from two days a week in one of our offices across England.

Equality, diversity and inclusion

AQA is an equal opportunity employer committed to fostering an inclusive and diverse workplace where everyone—regardless of religion, ethnicity, gender identity or expression, age, disability, sexual orientation, or background— is valued, respected, and supported to thrive.

Conflict of Interest

Please note that due to the confidential nature of our work, we are unable to employ people for our temporary roles who are currently a candidate for Key Stage 4 and 5 public examinations.

Safeguarding

AQA is committed to the safeguarding of children and adults at risk. We’re dedicated to reducing the risk of employing or contracting any person intent on abusing their position of trust, along with identifying and responding to any incident of alleged abuse from its employees or associates fairly and swiftly. For more information on safeguarding at AQA please visit the AQA website here.

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