Principal Solution Architect & Practice Manager

Principal Solution Architect & Practice Manager
£80,000 to £90,000 plus private healthcare, company car or car allowance and more great benefits (Work Level 4)
Manchester city centre - in this role you’ll work in a hybrid way splitting your time between home and the office once or twice per month (find out more about our hybrid working policy at

We’re reshaping our Digital, Technology and Data function for the future, creating new opportunities, strengthening our capability, and building clearer, more resilient ways of working so we can deliver even better services for our Co-op, our colleagues, members and customers.

At Co-op, technology helps us deliver better experiences for our colleagues, members and customers. We're looking for a Principal Solution Architect & Practice Manager to combine strategic architecture leadership with people leadership, shaping technology solutions that deliver real business value while supporting and developing a team of talented Solution Architects.

Why this role matters

This is an opportunity to influence how technology enables our future business strategy while helping others grow and succeed. You’ll work closely with our Value Stream Leadership teams and the other Solution Architecture Practice Managers to bringing people together, share expertise and fostering a collaborative architecture community, you'll help make sure we deliver high-quality solutions and build a strong, engaged team for the future.

What you'll do

• Own end-to-end solution architecture for key initiatives, ensuring designs align with business goals, enterprise architecture and technology strategy
• Define and maintain solution roadmaps that support long-term business priorities and technology direction
• Lead architectural decision-making, balancing standard capabilities, configuration options and bespoke solutions where appropriate, while guiding teams through complex design decisions and technical trade-offs
• Support the delivery of scalable, resilient, secure and well-integrated solutions across the wider technology landscape
• Lead, coach and develop a team of Solution Architects, supporting their growth, performance and career development
• Build and evolve the Solution Architecture practice, including capability frameworks, career pathways, succession planning, community growth, mentoring and measurable development plans
• Work with other Practice Managers to foster a strong architecture community, encouraging collaboration, knowledge sharing and continuous improvement
• Drive quality across solution designs, ensuring alignment with architecture standards, governance requirements and best practice, while managing the deployment of Solution Architects across change initiatives to meet business needs
• Build trusted relationships with engineering teams, value stream delivery colleagues, vendors and external partners

What you'll bring

We’re committed to making our roles as accessible as possible, so we only ask for the minimum criteria. To thrive here, you’ll need to bring:

• Significant experience as a Solution Architect, with a strong track record of designing and delivering complex solutions within retail or similarly complex environments
• Strong architectural judgement, with the ability to balance business needs, operational requirements and technical considerations while challenging assumptions, evaluating evidence and making pragmatic decisions in complex environments.
• A passion for people leadership, with experience coaching, mentoring and developing others while creating an inclusive and supportive team environment
• Excellent communication and influencing skills, with the ability to translate complex technical concepts into clear, practical guidance for a range of audiences
• A collaborative mindset, with a focus on building strong relationships, sharing knowledge and bringing people together to achieve shared goals
• The ability to foster innovation and continuous improvement, helping both people and technology capabilities evolve and succeed

We know some people may hesitate to apply if they don’t meet every requirement. At Co-op, we’re committed to building diverse and inclusive teams, so if you’re excited about this role but your experience doesn’t align perfectly, we still encourage you to apply.

Why Co-op?

At Co-op, we’re owned by our members. And because we’re owned by you, we can do right by you. So when you join us, you’re not just taking a job, you’re joining a movement. We’re an organisation that puts people and communities first, and we’re powered by purpose. We want this to be a place where you can thrive, so you’ll also receive:

• An annual bonus (based on personal and business performance)
• 28 days holiday (rising to 32 with service) plus bank holidays
• A pension with up to 10% employer contributions
• A company car or £6,000 car allowance
• Private healthcare
• Access to a subsidised onsite gym (at our Manchester HQ)
• 30% discount on Co-op products and 10% off other brands
• Stream – early access to a percentage of your pay as you earn it
• Virtual healthcare including GP appointments, mental health support, nutrition and fitness advice
• 24/7 colleague support service
• Training and support for your development and career progression
• Cycle-to-work scheme

A place you’ll belong

We’re building diverse and inclusive teams that reflect the communities we serve. We welcome applications from everyone and are committed to creating a workplace where colleagues can feel like they belong, supported by our inclusive policies and the ways we work. We’re proud to be part of the Disability Confident scheme and offer interviews to disabled candidates who meet the minimum criteria for a job. If you need any adjustments during the recruitment process, we’ll support you. Learn more about our recruitment process at jobs.coop.co.uk/apply-process and our inclusion commitments at jobs.coop.co.uk/diversity-inclusion

Please note that we may close applications for this role early.