The Need To Knows
* Interview process: ~4 hours over 2 weeks, including practical work
* Location: Fully Remote from anywhere GMT +/- 5hrs with face-to-face meet ups 2 times a year
* Salary: £70,000–£90,000 (DOE)
* Ask us anything: joel@noloapps.com
About Us
Nolo Apps designs and builds Airtable applications that streamline ecommerce and retail operations, from product data and development to purchasing, shipments, and everyday workflows.
We're looking for a Solutions Architect to join our team and translate operational chaos into elegant, scalable systems that actually work.
About the Role
We kill the Dark Stack
Most brands run on a hidden ecosystem of messy spreadsheets, manual workarounds, and knowledge trapped in people's heads. We call this the "Dark Stack."
We don't just implement another disconnected system. We build the operating system that product-driven brands need.
Our Framework:
* Makes the invisible visible
* Connects what exists rather than replacing it
* Creates interfaces everyone uses, not just the ERP elite
* Evolves without expensive consultants
Our work has become the backbone for brands like Jaded London, Passenger, and Wild Cosmetics. Whether augmenting an existing ERP or building a custom operational layer, we deliver the right system at the right time.
Your Mission
You're the technical brain behind our client transformations. A Client Solutions Consultant hands you a scoped project. A Project Manager keeps everything on track and owns client communication. Developers build what you design.
Your job? Work out what to build and how to build it. Design database architectures that scale. Map integrations that connect the dots. Design the workflows and UX that make complex operations feel intuitive. Create prototypes that prove the concept. Get clients genuinely excited about what's possible.
You'll work on 2-3 live projects at once. One might be designing an end-to-end product development system. Another could be architecting a complex multi-system integration. A third might be rethinking how purchasing connects to inventory.
A typical Tuesday might include:
* Translating a brand's messy reality into a clean data model that makes developers nod
* Designing user workflows that turn a 12-step process into something elegant
* White-boarding table relationships with a PM, working through edge cases
* Building a quick Airtable prototype to test whether your architecture actually works
* Walking a client through why approach A scales better than approach B
* Pushing back (constructively) on a request that would compromise performance
* Feeding back reusable patterns that could become part of our core framework
What we're after:
* Someone who thinks in databases and can explain them in plain English
* A technical problem-solver who spots risks before they become crises
* A person who can get clients excited about elegant solutions
* Someone who balances "what's technically best" with "what's right for this client"
The path forward: Success here means clients who trust your technical judgment, developers who ship without confusion, and systems that still work beautifully two years later.
Responsibilities
As a Solutions Architect, you'll lead the technical design of client projects, working closely with Project Managers and Developers to deliver robust, scalable Airtable-based systems. You'll translate business needs into technical reality, ensuring we're building the right thing in the right way.
Solution Design & Architecture
* Lead technical design of client projects from handover through to delivery
* Translate business requirements into database schemas, workflows, and integration blueprints
* Design high-level workflows and architecture-dependent UX elements that shape how users interact with the system
* Design and document architecture diagrams showing tables, relationships, and data flows
* Build prototypes within Airtable to test assumptions and validate design decisions
* Assess technical feasibility and risk (record limits, automation complexity, integration constraints)
Client Engagement
* Represent Nolo in technical discussions and design sessions
* Adapt your communication style for different audiences - from non-technical founders to operations leads
* Explain the "why" behind technical decisions and trade-offs
* Get clients excited about what you're building for them
* Push back constructively when requests risk compromising performance or scalability
Cross-Functional Collaboration
* Partner with Project Managers who own delivery timelines and client communication
* Own the entire scope of what gets handed to Developers - architecture, workflows, and UX direction
* Maintain and evolve our UX design principles library, signposting developers to relevant examples for specific features
* Contribute learnings and reusable patterns that strengthen our technical standards
* Participate in retros and reviews to continuously improve how we design solutions
Technical Practice & Quality
* Uphold and evolve Nolo's architectural standards and design principles
* Ensure all solutions are maintainable, documented, and scalable
* Support internal teams with technical mentoring where appropriate
* Stay current with low-code tools, data design best practices, and ecommerce technology trends
Your Profile
Skills & Experience
We welcome candidates from diverse backgrounds; if the role excites you, please apply even if you don't meet every requirement.
Technical Skills (Must-Haves)
* Experience designing systems using low-code/no-code platforms (Airtable, Softr, Retool, Glide)
* Integration platform knowledge (Make, Zapier, n8n, Parabola)
* Strong database thinking - you naturally structure data into scalable models
* Comfortable working with APIs and mapping data flows between systems
* Ability to assess technical risk and complexity early
Domain Knowledge (Must-Haves)
* Understanding of ecommerce and retail operations
* Familiarity with product data, purchasing, shipments, or product lifecycle management
* Experience in fast-paced, client-facing environments
Communication Skills (Must-Haves)
* Can explain technical concepts in plain language
* Confident representing technical work to clients
* Able to collaborate effectively with PMs and developers
Helpful Experience
* Agency or consultancy background, managing competing priorities
* Agile project delivery experience
* Technical mentoring or documentation creation
* 5+ years in solutions architecture, technical consulting, or system design roles
Personal Attributes
* Holistic problem solver - looks beyond the stated issue to find the real challenge
* Adaptable communicator - technical with developers, clear with clients
* Systems thinker - connects dots across platforms, workflows, and business logic
* Collaborative and pragmatic - balances ideal design with client reality
* Curious and proactive - stays current with emerging tools and best practices
A Day in the Life
* Designing database architectures and integration flows
* Building prototypes to validate technical approaches
* Collaborating with PMs on project direction and feasibility
* Defining the full scope of builds for developers
* Contributing to technical standards and documentation
Success Looks Like
* High client satisfaction with solution quality and robustness
* Reduced technical debt and rework within projects
* Clear architectural documentation that developers can execute against
* Consistent design standards across delivery teams
* Systems that scale and remain maintainable over time
How We Work
* Work on 2-3 concurrent client projects
* Mix of multi-sprint transformations and focused customisations
* Full technical focus - no sales or commercial responsibilities
* Supportive co-founders and team culture
* Remote-first with quarterly meetups
Our Values Are Actions, Not Posters
* Go Together: Close loops religiously. Partner closely.
* Find a Way: Simplify complexity. Solve creatively.
* Lead with Energy: Impact over inputs. Face challenges optimistically.
Our Commitment to DEI&B
* Nolo is committed to building a diverse, equitable, and inclusive team. We welcome applicants from all backgrounds and ensure every candidate is treated with fairness, respect, and openness. You don't need to meet every criterion to be considered; if this role excites you, we'd love to hear from you.