Solution Architect MICROSOFT UK
Thames Valley Park, Reading

Role Overview
The Solution Architect is responsible for the logical design of the solution and the overall technology strategy and direction for the solution. The Solution Architect focuses on ensuring that the solution meets specified goals from both an end-user and service management perspective.

Solution Architect responsibilities include:
•Driving the overall technical design of the solution.
•Ensuring appropriate functional specification work is delivered and integrated across all areas of the programme
•Managing the solution scope and critical technology trade-off decisions.

Owning the logical design, and working with the Programme Manager, the Solution Architect provides a vital link between the Business Requirements and the Technology delivery. The Solution Architect is responsible for ensuring consistency across the different areas of the programme and within the overall Solution Architecture. The Solution Architect leads the delivery team (development, infrastructure, test, user experience, release management etc) to achieve consensus about the design and implementation of the solution and communicates the agreed approach to the project stakeholders. The Solution Architect is also responsible for ensuring traceability of features back to requirements (and ultimately to the generation of business value), so that all features can be seen to support stated requirements, and so that the team can assess the impact of any feature changes on the value of the solution.

What are the main challenges of the role?
Any complex or mission-critical enterprise solution will have a degree of risk associated with the project due to use of new technology, an innovative approach or significant performance goals e.g. throughput, availability. The architect role spans multiple software areas and focuses on the broader, long-term and high-level issues, beyond the specific technology area or point solution. Translating the business goals into an architectural strategy, setting the technical direction for the enterprise, preserving the architectural integrity of the solutions and guiding their successful delivery are key capabilities.

What type of person are we looking for?
Experience working with architect teams within customer & global service partners.
Experience delivering service oriented architectures, high performance integration solutions & large-scale consolidated infrastructure.
Experience of technical consulting, project envisioning, planning & management & development.
Evidence of business impact through project engagement.
Candidates should have proven track record delivering successful end to end projects in the IT industry with an approx value in excess of £2 million & team size greater than 30, and must be capable of taking overall technical responsibility for a project.
Architecture & design of complex systems – application, infrastructure, security
Overall Project Management Skills – PMI, PRINCE2, SSADM or equivalent exp
Familiar with & capable of applying Microsoft Solutions Framework & Microsoft Operations Framework

Our Promise
We work with all our people to identify their true strengths and inner talents. We also encourage our people to grow and evolve as Microsoft evolves. A continual investment in learning and development empowers our people and leads us to achieve great results.

The environment
Our aim is simply to make everyone feel as stress-free as possible whilst they are at work, so they can focus on doing their best. Through technology and support we ensure that a true work life balance is a reality for everyone. We believe that it’s our people who make Microsoft what it is – and we have a team of great people, with great values.
Here are some of the facilities available to our staff
•Modern buildings, relaxed, informal setting.
•Onsite Starbucks/ Restaurant
•Shop, dry cleaning, photo development, post office facility
•Cash machines and independent financial advisors
•The fastest broadband connection and wireless at work and at home
•Chill-out zones to unwind and relax
•Wellbeing centre – health advice.
•Independently-operated day nursery facility
•The latest mobile devices and smart phones
•Access to all our latest software

Benefits
Excellent benefits package including, competitive basic salary, annual bonus, car allowance, on hire share award and flexible benefit scheme.
We promote Diversity and Inclusion by encouraging multicultural perspectives at all levels, understanding workplace challenges and valuing the global population of our employees, customers and partners. Our goal is to create an environment where diverse talent is attracted and retained and where their perspectives are voiced and appreciated – an environment where employees are able to do their best work.