Solutions Architect

Solutions Architect - Unified Lending Transformation

Location: London or Manchester (Hybrid)

Duration: Initial 12-Month Contract (Likely Extension)

Start Date: October 2026

Overview

We are seeking an experienced Technology Lead to lead a major lending transformation discovery and architecture engagement for a leading UK financial services organisation.

The organisation is undertaking a strategic initiative to exit its existing lending platforms and define the future-state architecture for its Business Banking lending capabilities. The successful candidate will play a critical leadership role in shaping the target technology landscape, providing architectural direction, and leading delivery teams through a complex transformation programme.

This is a high-profile role requiring a blend of consulting expertise, enterprise architecture leadership, stakeholder management, and lending technology experience.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead the technology workstream for a large-scale lending transformation programme.
• Define and shape target-state architecture for Business Banking lending capabilities.
• Provide strategic guidance on platform selection and transformation approach.
• Assess existing lending technology estate and make recommendations regarding future architecture.
• Engage closely with senior stakeholders across business and technology functions.
• Lead discovery activities, architecture assessments, and technical roadmap creation.
• Drive engineering best practices and architectural excellence across the programme.
• Provide oversight and leadership to distributed and offshore delivery teams.
• Ensure agile delivery practices are embedded throughout the engagement.
• Support the transition from current lending platforms to the agreed target-state solution.

Required Experience

Lending Technology Leadership

• Proven track record leading large-scale lending technology transformation programmes.
• Extensive experience defining lending platform strategy and architecture.
• Experience delivering complex technology engagements within banking and financial services environments.

Lending Platforms

Strong experience with one or more of the following:

• nCino
• Salesforce Financial Services solutions
• Commercial lending platforms
• Business Banking lending solutions
• Other enterprise lending platforms

Architecture & Engineering

• Strong enterprise and solution architecture expertise.
• Demonstrable experience designing and implementing microservices-based architectures.
• Experience defining target operating models and target-state technology landscapes.
• Strong understanding of integration patterns, APIs, cloud technologies, and modern engineering practices.

Delivery Leadership

• Experience leading large-scale agile delivery programmes.
• Proven leadership of offshore and distributed engineering teams.
• Strong governance, risk management, and programme oversight capabilities.

Consulting & Stakeholder Management

• Previous experience working within a Big 4 consultancy environment.
• Excellent stakeholder management and executive-level communication skills.
• Ability to influence senior business and technology leaders.
• Experience producing strategic recommendations and presenting to executive audiences.

Desired Experience

• Business Banking domain expertise.
• Experience supporting platform exit or large-scale migration programmes.
• Knowledge of digital lending transformation initiatives.
• Experience operating within highly regulated financial services environments.
• Track record of leading discovery and strategy engagements prior to transformation delivery.

Candidate Profile

We are looking for a senior technology leader who combines deep lending domain expertise with strong consulting and architecture credentials. The ideal candidate will be comfortable operating at executive level, leading complex technical discussions, and driving consensus on future-state technology decisions.

This role would suit an individual who has successfully led similar lending transformation engagements and can confidently guide both strategic decision-making and delivery execution across large-scale programmes.