Solutions Architect

Solutions Architect

Salary: £54,143 – £59,748 per annum, with an additional £10,000 Market Forces Supplement (MFS).

Directorate: Resources

Reports to: Head of Digital & Data

Location: Chesterfield

Politically Restricted: No

Shape the technology architecture of a new organisation

The East Midlands Combined County Authority (EMCCA) is building an organisation with an ambitious vision for the region — making the East Midlands more prosperous, sustainable and fairer, while creating opportunities for people and businesses.

Technology will be fundamental to achieving that ambition.

We are looking for an experienced and forward-thinking Solutions Architect to provide strategic and technical leadership across EMCCA's digital and technology landscape.

This is an exciting opportunity to help shape the architecture of a new organisation from the ground up, designing secure, scalable, integrated and future-ready technology solutions that support public service transformation and EMCCA's wider regional ambitions.

The role

As Solutions Architect, you will operate at both a strategic and delivery level, translating organisational priorities into robust technical solutions.

You will define and maintain architecture standards, frameworks and governance, while providing expert assurance across programmes, projects, procurements and technology investments.

Working closely with senior leaders, internal teams, local authority partners, government bodies and technology suppliers, you will ensure that technology decisions are aligned to business needs, statutory requirements, security standards and long-term value.

You'll have the opportunity to influence everything from enterprise architecture and cloud strategy through to data, integration, cybersecurity, infrastructure and business applications.

This is a role for someone who can see the bigger picture while also getting into the detail when required.

What you'll be doing

Your responsibilities will include:

• Defining and maintaining EMCCA's enterprise architecture framework, standards and governance processes.
• Developing technology roadmaps aligned to organisational priorities, transformation plans and available budgets.
• Providing architectural leadership across major digital transformation programmes.
• Designing high-level and detailed solution architectures, including logical, physical, data and integration models.
• Designing secure, scalable and resilient solutions across cloud, applications, data and infrastructure.
• Championing cloud-first approaches across IaaS, PaaS and SaaS environments.
• Developing integration strategies using APIs, middleware, microservices, event-driven architecture and data exchange standards.
• Embedding secure-by-design principles, including identity and access management, encryption and appropriate security controls.
• Ensuring architecture aligns with relevant cybersecurity frameworks and guidance, including NCSC principles and the Cyber Assessment Framework (CAF).
• Supporting EMCCA's data strategy, including data governance, master data management, interoperability and data architecture.
• Providing architectural assurance across programmes and projects, reviewing technical designs, procurement specifications and supplier proposals.
• Identifying and managing technical risks, ensuring compliance with cybersecurity, data protection and regulatory requirements.
• Producing high-quality architecture artefacts, including solution blueprints, standards, reference models, roadmaps and solution designs.
• Supporting procurement activity through technical requirements definition, supplier evaluation and assessment of proposed solutions.
• Building effective relationships with internal stakeholders, local authorities, government organisations and technology partners.
• Providing expert advice across areas including enterprise architecture, cloud, data, integration, CRM, case management, infrastructure and networking.
• Promoting reuse, interoperability, accessibility and inclusive design across EMCCA's technology landscape.
• Contributing to corporate strategy, digital transformation and organisational design discussions.

About you

You'll be an experienced Solutions Architect or Enterprise Architect who is comfortable working in complex environments and navigating competing priorities, challenging requirements and diverse stakeholder needs.

You'll have a proven track record of designing and assuring technology architectures at scale, ideally within complex or highly regulated organisations.

We're looking for someone with strong experience in:

• Enterprise or solutions architecture within complex organisations.
• Cloud architecture, particularly Microsoft Azure and/or AWS, including legacy system migration.
• Secure architecture and cybersecurity best practice, including Zero Trust principles and ISO 27001-aligned approaches.
• Large-scale digital transformation programmes.
• Integration architecture, including APIs, microservices and enterprise service bus technologies.
• Data architecture, analytics platforms, data governance and modelling.
• Infrastructure, networking, hosting, resilience and disaster recovery.
• Identity and Access Management (IAM).
• CRM, ERP, case management or other line-of-business systems.
• Producing professional-quality HLDs, LLDs, roadmaps, standards and solution designs.
• Technical procurement, supplier evaluation and contract management.
• Presenting complex technical and sensitive information clearly to senior leaders, elected members and external partners.

Experience of working in a public sector or politically sensitive environment would be valuable, as would knowledge of Government Digital Service (GDS) standards, ITIL, Microsoft Power Platform and GIS platforms.

You'll also hold an architecture qualification such as TOGAF, alongside evidence of continued professional development in digital architecture. A relevant degree-level qualification is required.

Cloud or cybersecurity certifications, such as Azure Solutions Architect Expert, AWS Solutions Architect Professional, CISSP or CISM, would be an advantage.

More than an architecture role

Joining EMCCA means joining an organisation where you can have a direct influence on how technology enables public services and regional growth.

You'll be joining at an exciting stage in our development, giving you the opportunity to help establish architecture principles, standards and technology foundations that will shape the organisation for years to come.

You'll work across organisational boundaries, bringing together people, technology and partners to deliver solutions that are:

• Secure – designed with security, privacy and resilience at their core.
• Scalable – capable of supporting EMCCA as the organisation develops.
• Integrated – enabling systems, services and data to work together effectively.
• Cost-effective – delivering value and making the best use of public resources.
• Future-ready – able to evolve alongside emerging technologies and changing organisational needs.
• Inclusive – designed around the needs and experiences of the people who use them.

Our values

Our values underpin how we work and the culture we are building at EMCCA.

Lifting our region

We put wider outcomes ahead of personal or organisational gain and act as passionate advocates for our region, policies and programmes.

Working together

We build relationships across organisational boundaries, welcome different perspectives and bring partners together to solve complex challenges.

Making an impact

We turn strategic thinking into practical action, clearly articulate the value of our proposals and focus on delivering meaningful improvements.

Being human

We value diverse perspectives, connect with people at a human level and bring authenticity to our relationships with colleagues, partners and stakeholders.

Join us

If you're an experienced architect who wants to do more than design individual solutions, someone who wants to shape the technology foundations of a new organisation and help transform public services across the East Midlands.

You'll have the autonomy, influence and technical challenge to make a genuine difference, working alongside senior leaders and partners to create an architecture that supports EMCCA's long-term ambitions.

Closing Date: 19/10/2026

Proposed Interview Date: w/c 02/11/2026