Lead Solution Architect

Our Organisation

We share the core values set out in the NHS Constitution, which all colleagues are expected to demonstrate.

We support you to work in a way that is best for the NHS, our patients and you and your colleagues. Talk to us about how we might be able to accommodate a flexible working arrangement, whether that’s a job share, part time, hybrid working or another flexible pattern.

As part of our commitment to improving patient safety and maintaining safe and trusted services, all successful candidates will be subject to Baseline Personnel Security Screening (BPSS), which includes a Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check. By submitting your application, you are confirming your agreement to these checks being undertaken as part of the recruitment process.

Anyone who has received a voluntary or compulsory redundancy payment from NHS England since the start of the 2026/27 financial year is not eligible to apply.

Job overview

Data & Analytics is central to delivering the NHS 10 Year Health Plan, with responsibility for national programmes worth £1.5 billion. This generational opportunity will use technology to transform how NHS care is delivered, planned, managed and improved by turning national ambition into effective data, digital and platform capabilities. Key programs include: • Single Patient Record - transforming the current disjointed digital landscape to produce patient and clinician facing services that operate seamlessly regardless of care context or location • Event Based Architecture-providing a real-time data capability to enable better intelligence across all NHS services and join up care. We are building faster, safer services with better operational decisions to advanced analytics, research and responsible AI at scale. We are seeking a talented Lead Solution Architect to help shape some of NHSE’s most strategically important technology work, translating ambition into practical architectures, reusable patterns and assured solutions that operate safely at national scale. This is an exciting time to join NHSE as one of our Lead Solution Architects and support the delivery of the 10 Year Health Plan for England: fit for the future - GOV.UK . The Architecture Profession provides a range of services to our internal and external stakeholders. We provide architecture design, technical consultancy and architecture ownership to large scale NHS programmes and organisations.

Advert

As a Lead Solution Architect reporting into the Deputy Director of Technical and Security Architecture, you will:-

• Have responsibility for 5 to 10 staff, made up of permanent, interim and suppliers, co-ordinating across multiple directorates and complex programmes.
• Hold accountability for the architecture across a portfolio of national products and programmes, delivered through a combination of internal and supplier teams.
• Drive and support your team in their decision making
• Manage and influence executive stakeholders at a board level (CxO)
• Be responsible for the NHS England technical governance, architectural roadmaps and contribute to strategic planning
• Have broad experience across technical disciplines including Data, Security, Applications and Platforms alongside specialisms.

• Develop and mentor staff in your team and more widely.
• Lead in supporting and developing the architecture function and community of practice as well as participating in departmental leadership.
• Active participation in architecture governance, including attendance at relevant Boards.
• Able to influence direction across NHS England, the Department of Health and Social Care, other arm’s length bodies and the wider supplier community.

The role does not have significant direct financial responsibility but will have direct influence over setting technical direction for multi-million-pound spending decisions.

Working for our organisation

NHS England has a wide range of statutory functions, responsibilities and regulatory powers. These are focused on supporting the wider NHS to deliver high quality care, as well as doing those things that are best done once for the whole NHS.

Our staff bring expertise across clinical, operational, commissioning, technology, data science, cyber security, software engineering, education, and commercial specialisms — enabling us to design and deliver high-quality NHS services.

In March 2025, the Government announced that NHS England and the Department of Health and Social Care will increasingly merge functions, ultimately leading to NHS England being fully integrated into the department.

If you currently work within the NHS and if successful at interview, we will initiate an Inter Authority Transfer (IAT) via the Electronic Staff Record (ESR). This retrieves key data from your current or previous NHS employer to support onboarding, including competency status, Continuous Service Dates (CSD), and annual leave entitlement. You may opt out at any stage of the process.

Colleagues with a contractual office base are expected to spend, on average, at least 40% of their time working in our offices.

Staff recruited from outside the NHS will usually be appointed at the bottom of the pay band.

We cannot offer visa sponsorship for any vacancies.

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

About the Candidate:

Some of the skills and experience we’re looking for:

• Substantial industry experience within an Information Technology domain maintaining in-depth knowledge of specific technical specialisms’, provides expert advice regarding their application.

• Demonstrable evidence of taking a technical leadership role across large complex programmes.

• Experience of implementing large scale Big Data platforms

• Sound experience of architecture frameworks, methodologies and application of appropriate architecture methods.

• Team leading experience; experience of managing resources in a matrix organisation

• Development and management of technical governance processes relevant to the entire organisation.

• Excellent communication skills, with the ability to build and manage relationships and to engage and lead internal and external stakeholders proactively.

Full details of responsibilities, skills, and criteria are available in the attached Job Description. Please ensure your supporting statement includes demonstratable evidence and specific examples on how you meet the criteria for each of the key skills specified. This will be used in both the shortlisting and interview processes.

The post of Lead Solution Architect has been awarded a Recruitment and Retention Premia (RRP) in response to current labour market conditions. In recognition of this, the role attracts an additional monthly RRP payment equal to 20% per annum.

Please be aware that RRP is non-contractual and subject to review.

Our commitments to you

We are passionate about creating an inclusive workplace that promotes and values diversity. We know that different ideas, perspectives and backgrounds create a stronger and more creative work environment that delivers better patient outcomes.

We strive to ensure our people feel trusted, valued and empowered. When you join us, we want you to grow and excel, and we offer many opportunities for you to do that.

We welcome your talent and enthusiasm irrespective of age, disability, neuro-divergence, sex, gender identity and gender expression, race or ethnicity, religion or belief, sexual orientation, or other personal circumstances.

We ensure all applicants are treated fairly and consistently at every stage of the recruitment process. This includes considering reasonable adjustments for people who have a disability and/or who are neuro-divergent.

We welcome applications from disabled candidates. If you meet all the essential criteria, you will be guaranteed an interview.

Your application is your opportunity to demonstrate how you meet the requirements of the role. While we appreciate you may have had some support with your application (for example, using AI technology or guidance from a trusted individual), it’s important all the information you provide in it reflects your own knowledge, skills and experience and we trust that you apply on that basis.

If you’re applying for this role on a secondment basis, please get agreement from your current line manager before you apply.

We don’t accept applications via recruitment agencies, and we cannot offer visa sponsorship for any vacancies.

NHS Business Services Authority is responsible for processing your application; our privacy can be accessed directly on the application page when you select to apply.

If you are appointed to a post, your information will also be transferred into the NHS Electronic Staff Records system.

If you have a query about your application, please contact the recruitment team: [email protected] or 0300 330 1369.

NHS England