Senior Solutions Architect

Gleeson Recruitment Group; Birmingham; On-site; GBP 60,000 - 100,000; Full time

Job description

** Important note - Candidates must be eligible for UK Government security clearance. **

Gleeson Recruitment Group have just been briefed on a fantastic opportunity for an experienced Solutions Architect to join an exciting and growing business based in the heart of Birmingham.

We are looking for a Senior Solutions Architect who can operate at both strategic and hands-on levels. This role is ideally suited to a pragmatic architect with proven cloud architecture experience who is equally comfortable leading design workshops as they are on the command line troubleshooting or implementing infrastructure.

You will be instrumental in designing and deploying secure, scalable solutions across Microsoft Azure, Amazon Web Services (AWS), and enterprise IBM applications. This role directly supports the businesses growing focus on facilities and asset management solutions, bringing architectural leadership and technical depth to complex client environments.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead the design and deployment of hybrid and cloud-native solutions on Azure and AWS, integrating with IBM platforms and third-party services.
• Architect and implement high-availability enterprise deployments in a cloud setting including SaaS, IaaS, hybrid-cloud.
• Engage in infrastructure delivery where required: command line configuration, server provisioning, cloud resource setup, and performance tuning.
• Champion "Security by Design", embedding secure architectural principles across all layers.
• Act as solution lead across bids, client engagements, and project delivery.
• Produce architecture deliverables: HLDs, LLDs, reference architectures, and operational runbooks.
• Support system upgrades, migrations, automation (Terraform, Ansible), and containerisation initiatives (Docker/Kubernetes).
• Collaborate across disciplines (network, app, security, data) to ensure integrated solution delivery.
• Mentor junior consultants and architects, and contribute to practice capability development.
• Define and maintain architecture governance processes, including design authority reviews and architectural sign-off.
• Engage directly with C-level stakeholders to translate business goals into scalable, secure technical solutions.
• Act as technical design authority on complex programmes, managing cross functional architecture dependencies.
• Contribute to bid responses and proposals, including architecture modelling, risk identification, and technical cost estimation.
• Understanding of serverless computing models (e.g., AWS Lambda, Azure Functions) and when to apply them.
• Experience in designing or supporting event-driven architectures using services like Amazon SNS/SQS, EventBridge, or Azure Service Bus.

Essential Skills and Experience

• 5+ years of experience in cloud solution architecture and hands-on infrastructure delivery.
• Proven experience designing solutions on AWS and Azure, including IaaS, PaaS, IAM technologies, and networking components.
• Proven experience working within highly secure environments and within structured security frameworks including ISO27001:2022, Cyber Essentials+, NIST CSF, and NCSC CAF.
• Strong working knowledge of Linux (RHEL, Ubuntu) administration and scripting (Bash, PowerShell, Python).
• Working knowledge of RH OpenShift technologies.
• Experience supporting or deploying a number of proprietary databases including, but not limited to: IBM DB2, MS SQL Server, Oracle, MongoDB.
• Ability to act as a technical SME and lead on infrastructure builds, integrations, and troubleshooting.
• Familiarity with security architecture principles (zero trust, IAM, encryption, hardening, patching).
• Exposure to infrastructure automation and DevOps practices (Terraform, Ansible, CI/CD pipelines).
• Experience with system design within regulated or security-conscious environments.

Desirable Qualifications and Experience

• AWS or Azure certification (e.g., AWS Solutions Architect, Azure Solutions Architect).
• TOGAF, SABSA, IAF or equivalent architecture qualification.
• Familiarity with containerisation (Docker, Kubernetes).
• Exposure to enterprise integration patterns and middleware technologies.
• Experience in public sector organisations and technical design/implementation.

Additional Notes

• Candidates must be eligible for UK Government security clearance.
• This is a client-facing role and may involve occasional travel to customer sites.
• Training on IBM applications will be provided; prior experience is an advantage but not mandatory.

At Gleeson Recruitment Group, we embrace inclusivity and welcome applicants of all backgrounds, experiences, and abilities. We are proud to be a disability confident employer.

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