Senior Solution Architect - AI & Data

Senior Solution Architect - AI & Data

Contract | Inside IR35 | Hybrid (1 day per week in London) | Up to £850 per day

(part time option also available at 2-3 days per week for candidates who prefer this to a Full time engagement.)

We are seeking an experienced Senior Solution Architect specialising in AI and Data to support a major international professional services organisation on an initial six-month contract.

This is an opportunity to play a key role in shaping the organisation's enterprise AI platform and broader AI technology strategy. Working closely with senior technology leadership, including the Chief AI Officer, you will help define the architectural requirements, assess potential platforms and establish the foundations for a scalable, enterprise-wide AI capability.

The organisation has already developed an initial view of its requirements and is looking for an architect who can challenge existing thinking, explore the options in depth and translate business needs into a robust, practical technology solution.

This is a hands-on, problem-solving architecture role suited to someone who combines strong technical expertise with the ability to influence senior stakeholders and drive architectural decisions.

Key Responsibilities

• Help shape the architecture and strategy for an enterprise AI platform, aligning technology capabilities with wider business objectives.

• Assess potential AI platforms and technologies, evaluating their suitability against business requirements, architectural principles and long-term needs.

• Develop and refine platform requirements, going beyond product selection to define the capabilities, components and architecture required.

• Work closely with the Chief AI Officer, data architects and data engineering teams to align AI platform design with the wider data architecture.

• Provide technical leadership and architectural recommendations across AI and data-related initiatives.

• Translate strategic objectives into practical solution architectures, ensuring solutions are scalable, secure, maintainable and fit for enterprise use.

• Engage with senior technology stakeholders and delivery teams to resolve complex technical challenges and maintain momentum.

• Provide immediate architecture capability while the organisation recruits a permanent Group Chief Architect, supporting an effective handover when they join.

Essential Experience

• Extensive experience as a Senior Solution Architect, Principal Solution Architect or in a comparable senior architecture role.

• Strong experience in AI architecture and enterprise AI platforms, including assessing platform options and defining architectural requirements.

• Deep knowledge of the Microsoft technology ecosystem, particularly Azure and its AI capabilities.

• Familiarity with Azure AI Foundry and the wider Microsoft AI landscape.

• Strong understanding of data architecture and data engineering, ideally with experience designing platforms that support enterprise AI initiatives.

• Experience working with senior technology stakeholders, translating strategic requirements into robust solution designs.

• A pragmatic, hands-on approach, with the ability to investigate complex problems, challenge assumptions and recommend practical solutions.

• Previous experience within financial services or a finance-sector environment.

Desirable Experience

• Experience with ServiceNow and its role within an enterprise technology landscape.

• Experience assessing and selecting enterprise AI platforms.

• Experience establishing AI platform capabilities, architecture patterns and technology foundations at scale.

• Experience operating within complex, international organisations.

The Opportunity

This is an opportunity to make a tangible contribution to an organisation's enterprise AI strategy at an important stage in its development. You will have direct exposure to senior technology leadership, influence decisions around the future AI platform and help establish the architectural foundations for wider adoption.

The role would suit an experienced architect who enjoys solving complex problems, shaping technology strategy and remaining close to the technical detail, rather than focusing primarily on enterprise architecture governance.

Interested? If you have the relevant AI, data and Microsoft architecture experience and are available for a new contract opportunity, please with your up to date CV to discuss the assignment in more detail.