Solutions Architect

*Experience the best of both worlds with our flexible hybrid working arrangements. Enjoy the freedom to work from home while still benefiting from in-person collaboration at our Chelmsford office, typically around 2 to 3 days per month dependent on business need. Join a Council Shaping the Future of Public Services Essex Digital Service is transforming how Essex County Council delivers services, making it easier and safer for people to get things done, whether they're colleagues or residents. We design and deliver modern, user-focused digital solutions that support everything from social care and education to transport and the environment. Our vision is to build digitally empowered, 21st-century services that work across teams and boundaries, delivering real value to the people who rely on them every day. In this influential technical role, you’ll connect business needs, service outcomes and technology delivery, leading the design of scalable, secure and efficient solutions that support better public services. As Solution Architect, you’ll help shape ECC’s digital services in line with architectural principles and technical standards, supporting simpler, reusable and innovative ways of working. You’ll work across teams and suppliers to develop solutions that deliver real value for residents, staff and partners. Key Responsibilities: Design business, technical, data and security solutions that translate user and service requirements into practical, sustainable technology services. Ensure solutions align with ECC’s architectural principles and technical standards to support standardisation and reuse. Apply policies, standards and good practice to ensure solutions are aligned with business needs, technology plans and governance requirements. Provide expert input into technical initiatives, ensuring consistent design and implementation across ECC’s digital estate. Contribute to innovation by identifying market trends and alternative approaches that deliver business benefits and align with enterprise architecture. Advise the Commercial Team on supplier and product selection, ensuring alignment with ECC’s architecture and operational principles. Collaborate with business relationship managers, architects, designers and suppliers to shape and present business cases for significant digital and technology Assess technology options and present strengths, weaknesses, and costs to stakeholders through clear, evidence-based recommendations. The Experience You Will Bring: Educated to degree level or equivalent in a relevant subject. Strong experience in solutions architecture, ideally within a large local authority or public sector service provider. Proven track record of designing business and technical solutions that meet complex requirements and support simplification and reuse. Accredited in TOGAF, or able to demonstrate equivalent architecture framework experience, with working knowledge of approaches such as ArchiMate, BPMN, COBIT and IT4IT. Clear understanding of ICT standards and experience applying them in enterprise environments. Skilled in using enterprise architecture, modelling or design tools to describe current and future-state services, capabilities and technology landscapes. Experience developing systems in line with GDS principles and relevant cyber security standards or good practice. Excellent communication, presentation and stakeholder engagement Committed to continuous professional development and staying current with emerging technologies and delivery practices. Why join ECC? As one of the largest and most dynamic UK local authorities, Essex offers a stimulating public service environment. Covering over 1,420 square miles and serving 1.8 million residents, we’re committed to improving services, making better use of technology, and delivering better quality at lower cost. Recognised in the top three of the latest IMPOWER index for productivity, we ensure everyone matters in Everyone's Essex . With flexible working, excellent development opportunities, and the chance to influence digital services that make a difference, Essex is the ideal place to develop your architecture career. Ready to help shape the future of public services in Essex? Apply now and become a key player in ECC’s digital transformation journey. What else do you need to know? In February 2025, Greater Essex was accepted onto the Government’s devolution priority programme, with local authorities in Essex working towards establishing a Mayoral Combined County Authority. You can read more about devolution and local government reorganisation (LGR) on our careers site. Essex County Council is proud to be a Disability Confident Leader. We’re committed to interview all disabled applicants who choose to apply under our Job Interview Scheme if they meet the minimum requirements of the job. Please speak to our Recruiters if you require any reasonable adjustments during the process. We’re also committed to interview all veterans and care leavers, who meet the minimum requirements of the role for which they are applying. Once you’ve secured your role within Essex County Council you will receive many great employee benefits, including support for unpaid carers and flexible working arrangements to accommodate their needs. At Essex County Council, we value integrity and ethical behaviour. We kindly ask that you embrace our code of conduct and the Nolan principles , including throughout the recruitment process. Your commitment to these standards helps us maintain a positive and respectful workplace for everyone. As part of employment with Essex County Council (ECC) should your role require a DBS check you will be required to register with the DBS update service. The DBS update service ensures all registered DBS certificates are kept up to date and allows authorised parties to view the status of your certificate. This is an annual subscription, and you will be responsible for ensuring this is maintained. For further information on the DBS update service please go to https://www.gov.uk/dbs-update-service Essex County Council is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and vulnerable adults, and expects all employees and volunteers to share this commitment. If you would like to be kept up to date on other relevant opportunities, blogs, news, events and industry related news at Essex County Council, please join The Essex Talent Community If you have queries on this role or require anything further, please email resourcing.team@essex.gov.uk Follow us on Facebook , Twitter , Instagram and LinkedIn . Further details can be found on our careers page . Links / Downloads Pay and Reward | Our Ways of Working | About Us | Organisation Behaviours