Job Title: Solution Architect Salary: £45,624 - £52,038 per annum (pro rata if part-time) Grade: F Contract Type: Permanent Working Hours: 37 hours per week About the department This role which sits within the ICT and Digital team in the Corporate Services Directorate. This is a newly structured team responsible for supporting and enabling the Council to deliver modern services, through resilient technology infrastructure and a wide range of digital applications which are constantly being developed and improved as digital innovations emerge. The team works collaboratively across council services, providing digital services to residents and service users whilst ensuring colleagues have the devices and access to systems to keep services running and continually improving. As an experienced Solution Architect, you will help shape and deliver secure, effective and innovative technology solutions across Thurrock Council. Working closely with business directorates, senior stakeholders and suppliers, you will design end‑to‑end solutions that align with enterprise architecture, technical standards and security requirements, enabling improved services for residents and staff. This role plays a key part in translating business needs into robust technical designs, developing solution blueprints and roadmaps, and providing expert architectural guidance to support transformation, efficiency and value for money across a complex local authority environment. About the Role In this role, you will work closely with business directorates to understand their needs, identify opportunities for innovation, and design secure, effective and scalable technology solutions that support critical council services. You will be responsible for producing end‑to‑end solution designs that align with our enterprise architecture, technical standards and security requirements, while enabling real business outcomes for residents and staff. You will act as a trusted technical advisor to senior stakeholders, supporting the development of business cases, technology roadmaps and Digital and ICT plans. Working collaboratively with internal teams, partners and third‑party suppliers, you will ensure that solutions are well‑designed, compliant and deliver value for money. This role sits within Corporate Services and reports to the Business Systems Manager. It offers a genuine opportunity to influence how technology is used across a complex local authority, contributing directly to transformation, efficiency and service improvement. What We're Looking For We're looking for someone who has: - Proven experience designing and overseeing end‑to‑end solution architectures, ideally within a local authority or similarly complex organisation - Strong knowledge of application, data and infrastructure architectures, including cloud and hybrid environments - The ability to translate business requirements into clear, robust and secure technical designs - Experience developing solution blueprints, integration strategies and technology roadmaps - Confidence working with senior stakeholders, suppliers and non‑technical colleagues, providing clear advice and guidance - A good understanding of cyber security, data protection, and architectural governance - Experience applying architecture principles and frameworks (such as TOGAF or equivalent) You will also bring: - Excellent written and verbal communication skills - A collaborative approach, with the ability to influence and guide others - Awareness of emerging technologies and how they can deliver value in a public‑sector context - The ability to manage competing priorities, work flexibly, and proactively resolve issues We are looking for someone who shares our values, is committed to continuous improvement, and is motivated by making a real difference to services and communities through technology. Benefits of Working with Us At Thurrock Council, we value our employees and offer a comprehensive benefits package, including: - Generous annual leave entitlement - Local Government Pension Scheme - Flexible and hybrid working opportunities (where applicable) - Ongoing training and professional development - Employee assistance programme and wellbeing support - Staff discounts and local offers - A supportive and inclusive working environment Important Dates Closing Date (Internal & External): 10th May 2026 Interview Date: 18th May 2026 Additional Information If you have any questions about the role or interview process, please contact: Sean Taylor, Business Systems Manager Please provide a contact number and you will receive a return phone call. To view the Job Profile and Person Specification, please follow the link below: Solution_Architect_Job_Profile_2026.pdf If the Job Profile and Person Specification list any qualifications as essential, please also upload copies of those relevant qualifications. Proud member of the Disability Confident employer scheme Disability Confident About Disability Confident A Disability Confident employer will generally offer an interview to any applicant that declares they have a disability and meets the minimum criteria for the job as defined by the employer. It is important to note that in certain recruitment situations such as high-volume, seasonal and high-peak times, the employer may wish to limit the overall numbers of interviews offered to both disabled people and non-disabled people. For more details please go to Disability Confident .