Solution Designer

1.1 Purpose

Collaborate with internal teams and external partners to design, prototype and guide the delivery of solutions across multiple components that meet the needs of the user, comply with customer design principles and fall within Brand Guidelines. Lead and support both technical design processes and embed the culture of good user experience, whilst ensuring the solution remains fit for purpose, meets the business and system(s) requirements and is successfully transitioned into business-as-usual (BAU) operations.

1.2 Accountabilities

1. Understand, evaluate and challenge IT system requirements from Subject Matter Experts and Business Analysts to ensure that they are complete and provide sufficient clarity to produce fit-for-purpose system design documents and enable accurate IT solution development estimates.
2. Define all potential options for the end-to-end solution and make reasoned recommendations as to the suitability of options to ensure that the Solution Designers are fully prepared to enable evidence-based decisions at the relevant boards.
3. Coordinate, create, and maintain system design collateral aligned to the business objective, architectural blueprints, design principles and Brand Guidelines, ensuring they adhere to documented design patterns and follow templates, standards and governance frameworks set out by the Solution Design function.
4. Build and maintain effective working relationships with internal stakeholders, delivery teams and outsourced service providers, supporting problem solving, gaining consensus and help to facilitate the build process.
5. Communicate solutions to delivery teams and stakeholders, ensuring all relevant teams are effectively engaged throughout the process to aid the efficient and effective delivery of the solution.
6. Control and evaluate interaction and integration designs and enforce the integrity of the end-to-end user journey throughout the delivery lifecycle, to ensure that the final IT solution remains fit for purpose and meets the agreed business and user requirements.
7. Facilitate and support the transition of the solution into business-as-usual (BAU) operation, assisting in resolving live technical incidents and system problems as and when required, in accordance with the Information Technology Infrastructure Library (ITIL) framework to ensure that the solution continues to deliver in line with business requirements.
8. Provide input into the creation and maintenance of design patterns; producing designs in compliance with these patterns to ensure best practice is defined and adhered to.
9. Continuously develop skills and behaviours that promote the value of the solution design function and embrace the principles and values as set out in the Solution Design Team Charter.
10. Deliver short term / one-off projects and activities as required by and to the standards and outcomes agreed with Line Manager.

Experience and Knowledge:

• Extensive relevant and demonstrable experience of IT system design and/or software development.
• Total Experience from 10+ years and 4+ years of relevant experience required for this role.
• Experience of UML, C4-Model (preferred – at least conceptual level).
• Assist architects in creating ‘Solution Vision’.
• ITIL (v4) & COBIT awareness.
• Experience of various software development methodologies.
• Excellent communication skills (verbal and written) with the ability to communicate complex technical content and processes in a clear and coherent way.
• Previous working experience in a Financial services, insurance, investments and/or pensions environment [essential/desirable/advantageous].
• Ability to create and maintain effective working relationships with stakeholders [at all levels].
• Middle layer /API / Backend system integration / Basis Database and ETL knowledge.
• Experience in AWS /Azure Cloud and on-premises application hosting, at least 1 project.
• Experience in Web app and infra security.
• Non-Functional Requirements.
• Front end exposure is good.

Qualification/Education:

Essential: An Information Technology related degree, or equivalent industry experience.

Desirable: Formal qualification in technical area of specialism.