Solution Architect
Job summary
The Solution Architect provides corporate-level architectural leadership, authoritative design governance and enterprise solution assurance across the Norfolk and Waveney Acute Hospitals Collaborative.
The postholder holds system-wide accountability for ensuring that all major digital investments, including EPR, PACS, LIMS, Microsoft platforms, integration services, infrastructure modernisation and data platforms are architecturally sound, secure, interoperable, scalable and aligned to enterprise strategy and national NHS frameworks.
The role carries substantial responsibility for:
- Patient safety implications of solution design
- Enterprise cyber resilience
- Multi-million-pound capital investment integrity
- Long-term sustainability and technical debt management
- Regulatory compliance (DSPT, Clinical Safety, IG)
- Organisational digital maturity
Decisions taken at this level directly influence service continuity, financial stewardship, system integration integrity, regulatory assurance and organisational reputation across multiple Acute Trusts.
The Solution Architect operates with significant professional autonomy and acts as a senior Design Authority across the Collaborative, providing executive-level advice to programme boards, digital governance committees and clinical leadership.
Main duties of the job
Act as senior Design Authority for solution and service architecture across major transformation programmes and cross-Trust initiatives.
Translate enterprise architecture strategy, target operating models and ICS digital objectives into executable architectural blueprints.
Lead the development and governance of enterprise solution patterns, standards, reference architectures and reusable design frameworks.
Influence technology direction and investment decisions to reduce technical debt, improve resilience and optimise long-term cost structures.
Provide architectural input to corporate digital strategy and enterprise roadmap planning.
Shape cross-organisational convergence strategies to standardise platforms and improve system interoperability.
Horizon scan emerging technologies (AI, cloud-native services, automation, interoperability innovations) and assess safe adoption pathways.
Chair or formally contribute to Architecture Review Boards and design governance forums.
Approve architectural designs for high-value, high-risk or system-critical digital investments.
Provide architectural oversight and assurance for substantial multi-million-pound digital programme investments.
Define cost models, lifecycle implications and total cost of ownership for proposed solution designs.
Provide formal input into business case development, investment prioritisation and capital planning.
About us
Join us at the Norfolk and Norwich University Hospital and be part of a workforce of over 10,000 staff!
The NNUH is one of the largest NHS trusts in the UK, providing first-class acute care for around one million people, living in Norfolk and surrounding areas. We are a teaching and research hospital, at the forefront of innovation, home to state-of-the-art facilities, such as the Quadram Institute. We are pleased to work closely with the University of East Anglia, providing teaching opportunities for our staff and placement opportunities for their students. We attract some of the best and leading professionals from across the country and are proud that our workforce represents 94 countries from across the world.
We are a friendly, collaborative hospital, working with local services and home to N&N Hospitals Charity.
We can offer you the full range of NHS benefits/discounts and in addition:
- Flexible working hours
- Fast Track Staff Physiotherapy Service
- Multi Faith prayer room at NNUH Colney Lane site
- Discounted gym memberships
- Excellent pension scheme and annual leave entitlement
- Wagestream - access up to 40% of your pay as you earn it
- Free Park & Ride service direct to NNUH Colney Lane site
- Free 24-hours confidential counselling support
- On-site Nursery at NNUH Colney Lane
- On-site cafes offering staff discounts at NNUH Colney Lane
- Support in career development
- Flexible staff bank
- Salary Sacrifice schemes including lease cars, Cycle to Work scheme and home electronics
Job description
Job responsibilities
- Act as senior Design Authority for solution and service architecture across major transformation programmes and cross-Trust initiatives.
- Translate enterprise architecture strategy, target operating models and ICS digital objectives into executable architectural blueprints.
- Lead the development and governance of enterprise solution patterns, standards, reference architectures and reusable design frameworks.
- Influence technology direction and investment decisions to reduce technical debt, improve resilience and optimise long-term cost structures.
- Provide architectural input to corporate digital strategy and enterprise roadmap planning.
- Shape cross-organisational convergence strategies to standardise platforms and improve system interoperability.
- Horizon scan emerging technologies (AI, cloud-native services, automation, interoperability innovations) and assess safe adoption pathways.
- Chair or formally contribute to Architecture Review Boards and design governance forums.
- Approve architectural designs for high-value, high-risk or system-critical digital investments.
- Provide architectural oversight and assurance for substantial multi-million-pound digital programme investments.
- Define cost models, lifecycle implications and total cost of ownership for proposed solution designs.
- Provide formal input into business case development, investment prioritisation and capital planning.
Please refer to the Job Description for the full specification of responsibilities and requirements for this post.
Person Specification
Qualifications
- Educated to Master's degree level (or equivalent depth of knowledge gained through substantial senior experience) in Computer Science, Information Systems, Digital Architecture, Engineering, Health Informatics or a related discipline, demonstrating highly specialised architectural expertise across multiple enterprise technology domains.
- Formal Enterprise Architecture and/or Solution Architecture certification (e.g., TOGAF, Zachman, ArchiMate, BCS Enterprise & Solution Architecture, or equivalent recognised framework), with demonstrable application within large-scale, regulated environments.
Experience
- Extensive senior-level experience in solution architecture, enterprise design authority or senior technical leadership roles within large, complex, multi-site organisations, ideally within the NHS or similarly regulated public sector environments.
- Proven track record of translating enterprise architecture strategies and target operating models into implementable, costed and risk-assessed solution designs across diverse programmes and stakeholder groups.
Skills
- Highly specialised and authoritative knowledge across application, integration, infrastructure, security and data architecture domains, with the ability to synthesise these into cohesive enterprise solutions
Attitude, aptitude
- Demonstrates an unwavering commitment to NHS values, public accountability and the delivery of safe, effective and compassionate digital services that directly support patient care and clinical outcomes.
- Acts as a visible role model for the Collaborative's values: QEHKL - Living our values, NNUH - PRIDE, JPUH - CARER
- Demonstrates understanding and commitment to Equality, Diversity and Inclusion
Disclosure and Barring Service Check
This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975 and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service (formerly known as CRB) to check for any previous criminal convictions.
Certificate of Sponsorship
Applications from job seekers who require current Skilled worker sponsorship to work in the UK are welcome and will be considered alongside all other applications. For further information visit the UK Visas and Immigration website.
From 6 April 2017, skilled worker applicants, applying for entry clearance into the UK, have had to present a criminal record certificate from each country they have resided continuously or cumulatively for 12 months or more in the past 10 years. Adult dependants (over 18 years old) are also subject to this requirement. Guidance can be found here Criminal records checks for overseas applicants.
Employer details
Employer name
Norfolk and Norwich University Hospital
Address
Norfolk and Waveney Acute Hospitals Collaborative
Norwich
NR4 7UY
United Kingdom
Employer's website
https://www.nnuh.nhs.uk/