Location
Bristol or Manchester (hybrid, UK/Ireland travel)
Role Type
Permanent (full‑time preferred, flexible considered)
Role Summary
Lead technical delivery across major student systems and digital transformation programmes, combining architecture, integrations, data migration and delivery leadership to ensure scalable, secure and sustainable solutions.
About PACT Solutions
PACT Solutions is a specialist consultancy working with UK higher education institutions to deliver strategy, digital transformation and operational change. We combine deep sector expertise with a collaborative, partner‑first approach to deliver meaningful, lasting outcomes.
The Role
Act as a senior technical authority across complex transformation programmes, shaping technical approaches, leading workstreams and supporting clients through system implementation, integration, migration and transition activities.
What You’ll Be Doing
* Lead technical architecture and delivery across student systems programmes
* Shape integration, migration, testing, cutover and deployment approaches
* Define and assure system architecture, data models and integration patterns
* Lead technical workstreams and coordinate cross‑functional delivery teams
* Provide technical assurance across suppliers, vendors and third parties
* Translate technical complexity into clear recommendations for stakeholders
* Support governance, risk management and delivery planning
* Contribute to proposals, technical approaches and capability development
Our Values
* Partnership: We work with you, not for you.
* Integrity: We do the right thing, even when it requires difficult conversations.
* Inquisitive: We dig deeper to uncover what will truly deliver value.
* Transformative: We focus on outcomes that create lasting, measurable improvement.
Why join PACT?
Develop your data and consulting capability in a fast‑growing consultancy, working on impactful transformation programmes across UK higher education with strong support for learning and progression.
Requirements
Essential Skills and Experience
* Proven experience leading technical delivery on major enterprise systems implementations, upgrades, or replacements within higher education
* Experience acting as a client‑side technical lead, technical design authority, senior technical consultant, solution architect, or equivalent on a significant student systems transformation
* Strong understanding of Student Information System and student lifecycle processes, including admissions, enrolment, curriculum, assessment, progression, awards, graduation, and related reporting or statutory requirements
* Experience working with enterprise Student Record or Student Information Systems such as Tribal SITS, Ellucian Banner, TechnologyOne Student Management, Thesis, Unit4 Student Management, or equivalent
* Strong understanding of systems integration, including REST APIs, SOAP, middleware, iPaaS/ESB platforms, batch interfaces, and data feeds
* Strong knowledge of data migration strategy, including data mapping, cleansing, transformation, validation, reconciliation, and quality assurance
* Experience developing, leading, or assuring technical cutover planning, including migration windows, deployment sequencing, rollback planning, dress rehearsals, and go‑live readiness
* Ability to design and review architecture diagrams, data models, integration patterns, technical specifications, and supplier designs
* Experience leading technical teams or technical workstreams, including developers, analysts, testers, integration specialists, data specialists, and supplier resources
* Ability to work effectively with complex legacy estates, including bespoke integrations, local processes, reporting dependencies, and operationally critical interfaces
* Strong communication skills, with the ability to simplify complex technical concepts for non‑technical stakeholders
* Strong problem‑solving skills and the ability to bring structure to ambiguous or complex technical and organisational challenges
* Commercial awareness, including the ability to understand scope, manage expectations, identify delivery risks, and contribute to realistic estimates and delivery plans
* Ability to adapt technical leadership skills across different client environments, systems landscapes, sectors, and project types
Desirable Skills And Experience
* Experience guiding organisations through significant Student Information System transformations or wider digital change programmes
* Experience with cloud platforms such as Azure, AWS, or GCP
* Familiarity with modern DevOps pipelines, release management, automated testing, and environment management
* Hands‑on experience with database technologies such as SQL Server, Oracle, or similar
* Experience in Agile delivery approaches such as Scrum, Kanban, or hybrid delivery models
* Understanding of data protection regulations, including GDPR, and higher education sector compliance considerations
* Experience contributing to proposals, statements of work, client estimates, delivery plans, or consultancy business development
* Experience developing reusable consulting methods, templates, accelerators, or technical assurance approaches
* Technical certifications in cloud, architecture, integration platforms, or related disciplines
* Project management or Agile certification, such as PRINCE2, Scrum Master, or equivalent
Qualifications
* Degree in Computer Science, Information Systems, or a related field, or equivalent professional experience
* Relevant technical, architecture, cloud, integration, project management, or Agile certifications would be advantageous but are not essential
Personal Attributes
* Highly collaborative and able to work across technical and non‑technical teams
* Confident operating as a senior consultant in client‑facing environments
* Comfortable working with autonomy, taking ownership, and building trusted client relationships
* Analytical and structured, with strong attention to detail
* Able to manage multiple priorities in a dynamic project environment
* Calm and methodical during high‑risk delivery periods, including testing, migration, cutover, and go‑live
* Comfortable operating in ambiguity and bringing structure to complex technical and organisational problems
* Able to balance strategic architecture with pragmatic delivery decisions
* Confident challenging suppliers, technical teams, and senior stakeholders constructivelyWilling to work beyond Student Information System projects where required, applying technical leadership skills to wider digital, data, systems integration, and business transformation assignments
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