Solutions Architect

POSITION: Solutions Architect

DEPARTMENT: IT Department

RESPONSIBLE TO: Chief Technology Officer

LOCATION: Edinburgh, Bristol, Leeds or Lutterworth

Help us turn business challenges into practical solutions that make a real difference.At Ultimate Finance, you'll connect business needs with technology delivery in a fast-moving, solution-focused environment. Working across the business and Technology team, you'll help shape secure, cost-effective solutions that improve processes, reduce manual activity and support better customer and colleague experiences.
This role suits someone who enjoys understanding how a business works, then turning that insight into clear requirements, smart design and practical delivery. You'll stay involved from discovery through to implementation and adoption, helping teams make informed decisions and ensuring solutions deliver the outcomes they were built for.
You'll work with Microsoft Azure, Power Platform, Dynamics 365, a range of AI tools and a wider range of business applications. If you're commercially aware, analytical and curious, and you're comfortable moving between strategic thinking and hands-on detail, this could be a great fit.

What you'll bring

Significant experience in solution architecture, business solution design or a closely related rolePractical experience with Azure and/or Power PlatformStrong business analysis, process design and requirements definition skillsExperience working with both business stakeholders and technical delivery teamsAn understanding of AI-enabled solutions, Copilot, automation and responsible AIClear communication, strong stakeholder management and a collaborative approach

Why Ultimate Finance?

We back ambition - properly. You'll join approachable experts who move quickly, speak clearly and take pride in doing the right thing. We trust people to take ownership, with supportive leaders and experienced teammates on hand. With 20+ years' experience and over £17bn funded, we're growing - and we're looking for people who want to do work that matters.

Key Responsibilities

UNDERSTANDING BUSINESS NEEDS

·Work with stakeholders across the business to understand problems, opportunities, objectives and expected outcomes.

·Turn business needs into clear requirements, options, recommendations and specifications that delivery teams can use.

·Constructively challenge assumptions and make sure the problem is understood before a solution is selected.

·Identify opportunities to simplify processes, reduce manual activity and improve customer and colleague experiences

DESIGNING EFFECTIVE SOLUTIONS

·Design end-to-end business and technology solutions that are practical, scalable, secure, supportable and cost-effective.

·Produce clear documentation, including process maps, context diagrams, data flows, integration designs, decision records and delivery specifications.

·Define how applications, data, integrations, automation and user experiences should work together.

·Assess different options and explain their benefits, limitations, risks, dependencies and costs in clear business language.

·Ensure designs align with the technology strategy, architecture principles, security standards and regulatory requirements.

·Develop and promote reusable patterns and standards that improve consistency and delivery speed.

AZURE, POWER PLATFORM AND AI
·Design solutions using appropriate Microsoft Azure services across integration, applications, workflow, security and platform capabilities. ·Design and review Power Platform solutions using Power Apps, Power Automate, Dataverse and related Microsoft services.·Identify appropriate opportunities to use AI, Copilot, AI agents and intelligent automation to improve business outcomes. ·Consider data quality, privacy, security, human oversight, monitoring and responsible use when designing AI-enabled solutions. ·Work with technical specialists to ensure platform choices and detailed designs follow agreed engineering and governance standards.
SUPPORTING DELIVERY AND IMPLEMENTATION

·Stay involved throughout development and delivery, providing architectural guidance and helping to resolve design questions.

·Work with developers, platform specialists, data teams, infrastructure colleagues and suppliers to turn designs into implemented solutions.

·Support estimation, delivery planning, testing, release readiness, adoption and the transition into operational support.

·Review completed solutions against agreed requirements and design decisions, identifying and addressing any gaps.

·Help define, track and deliver measurable benefits following implementation.

. Help ensure benefits and measurable outcomes are defined, tracked and realised after implementation.

WORKING WITH STAKEHOLDERS AND SUPPLIERS

·Build effective relationships with business leaders, subject matter experts, delivery teams and technology partners.

·Explain complex technical concepts clearly to technical and non-technical audiences.

·Present solution options and recommendations to support informed decisions and clear ownership.

·Contribute to supplier evaluations and technical reviews when third-party products or delivery partners are being considered.

·Support prioritisation and roadmap discussions by providing a clear view of value, complexity, dependencies and risk.

Skills, Experience and Knowledge

ESSENTIAL

·Significant experience in solution architecture, business solution design, technical consultancy or a closely related role.

·Experience across the full solution lifecycle, from discovery and analysis through to design, implementation and adoption.

·Practical experience designing or delivering solutions using Azure and/or Power Platform.

·Experience in systems integration, workflow automation and business process improvement.

·Experience working with both business stakeholders and technical delivery teams.

·Strong business analysis, process design and requirements definition skills.

·The ability to design end-to-end solutions across applications, data, integrations, workflows and user experience.

·Working knowledge of Microsoft Azure architecture and cloud design principles.

·Experience with Power Apps, Power Automate and Dataverse.

·An understanding of AI-enabled solutions, Copilot, AI agents, automation and responsible AI.

·Knowledge of API-led integration, event-driven design patterns and modern application delivery.

·An understanding of security, identity, resilience, supportability, data protection and governance requirements.

·The ability to document complex solutions clearly and communicate effectively with different audiences.

·Strong stakeholder management, workshop facilitation and decision-support skills.

·An understanding of Agile delivery and the software development lifecycle

DESIRABLE

·Experience with Dynamics 365, Microsoft 365, data platforms or related Microsoft business technologies.

·Experience designing or implementing AI, Copilot or intelligent automation solutions.

·Experience in financial services, asset finance or another regulated environment.

·Relevant Microsoft, architecture, analysis or delivery qualifications. Equivalent practical experience will also be considered.

You will be well suited to this role if you are commercially aware, analytical and curious, with the ability to move between strategic thinking and practical detail. You will be comfortable constructively challenging assumptions, bringing structure to complex situations and managing several initiatives at different stages. A collaborative and approachable style, together with an interest in continued learning across cloud, Power Platform and AI technologies, will also be important.

Benefits

Competitive bonus scheme, 25 days' holiday increasing with service, private medical insurance, pension contributions, flexible and hybrid working, learning and development opportunities, birthday and Christmas Eve leave, volunteering days and additional lifestyle benefits.
Please note that if you are successful in receiving an offer of employment from Ultimate Finance, your employment will be conditional upon satisfactory completion of a Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check. We use a third party provider to conduct the check on our behalf.

We kindly ask not be contacted by recruitment agencies, thank you.