Solution Architect - Payments

Contract Length: Initial 6 months

Day Rate: up to £700 per day inside IR35

We are seeking an experienced Solutions Architect with deep expertise in bank payments execution to support the design and delivery of complex payment platforms within a regulated financial services environment.

This role requires a hands-on, delivery-focused architect who understands how payments operate end to end - from initiation through clearing, settlement, reconciliation and exception handling - and who can design robust, scalable solutions aligned to ISO 20022 standards.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead the end-to-end solution design for payment processing platforms and services
• Design and document logical and functional architectures, defining clear system boundaries, responsibilities, and interactions
• Work closely with business stakeholders, engineering teams, and delivery leads to translate business requirements into scalable technical solutions
• Provide architectural oversight and governance across delivery teams to ensure alignment with agreed designs and standards
• Balance short-term delivery needs with longer-term platform and architectural strategy
• Support payment transformation initiatives, including ISO 20022 adoption and coexistence
• Act as a trusted advisor to stakeholders, providing clear guidance on trade-offs, risks, and design decisions

Required Experience & Skills

• Proven experience as a Solutions Architect in banking or financial services environments
• Strong, hands-on knowledge of end-to-end payments execution, including clearing, settlement, reconciliation, and exception handling
• Practical experience with multiple payment schemes such as Bacs, Faster Payments, CHAPS, SWIFT, or SEPA
• Deep, working knowledge of ISO 20022, including message structures, mapping, validation, and scheme differences
• Ability to design clear logical and functional architectures and govern designs delivered by engineering teams
• Familiarity with modern integration patterns (APIs, microservices, event-driven architectures)
• Strong communication skills with the ability to engage confidently with both technical and non-technical stakeholders
• Pragmatic, delivery-focused mindset with the ability to operate independently

About Korn Ferry

Korn Ferry unleashes potential in people, teams, and organizations. We work with our clients to design optimal organization structures, roles, and responsibilities. We help them hire the right people and advise them on how to reward and motivate their workforce while developing professionals as they navigate and advance their careers. To learn more, please visit Korn Ferry at www.Kornferry.com