Job Title: Solution Architect Location: Leeds, UK (2 days on site) Type: 6 months contract Day rates: £600-£700 outside IR35 About the Role Our client is undergoing the largest technology transformation in their history, with a full-scale core banking migration to a cloud-native environment. As part of this journey, they are building a new Payments Platform to support future-ready, scalable, and secure payment processing capabilities. We are seeking an experienced Solution Architect - Payments to play a pivotal role in this transformation. This position will be responsible for designing high-level solutions aligned with the target architecture and roadmap, focusing on payments requirements and system integrations. You will act as the key bridge between business analysts defining functional requirements and the technical leads developing low-level designs. Your work will directly influence mission-critical design decisions and guide the successful delivery of payment capabilities in a complex, cloud-based landscape. Key Responsibilities Define and deliver high-level solution designs for the new Payments Platform. Align solutions with the enterprise target architecture and transformation roadmap. Identify, document, and gain agreement on critical design decisions. Translate business requirements into technical architecture artifacts. Work closely with Business Analysts, Enterprise Architects, and Technical Leads. Ensure compliance with payment scheme requirements (FPS, CHAPS, BACS, Cards, Cheques). Provide guidance on payment processing flows and associated accounting entries. Contribute to the design of cloud-native and hybrid-cloud solutions. Advocate modern architectural practices including microservices, APIs, containerization, and event-driven design. Required Experience & Skills 7 years of experience in the Payments domain, with deep scheme-level understanding. 5 years of experience in Solution Architecture, preferably within transformational change programs. Strong knowledge of payment processing systems and flows (FPS, CHAPS, BACS, Cards, Cheques). Familiarity with accounting principles related to payment transactions. Experience in cloud architecture, particularly using public cloud platforms (e.g., AWS, Azure, GCP). Expertise in API-centric design, containerisation, microservices, and event-driven architectures. Exceptional communication and stakeholder management skills across business and technical teams.