25 Days Annual Leave plus bank holidays.
81997 - Senior Solution Architect (Operational Technology)
This Senior Solution Architect (Operational Technology) position will report to the Architecture Manager and will work within the Strategy Regulation and Support Services directorate based in our Ipswich office. You will be a permanent employee. You will attract a salary of up to £95,000 depending on skills, qualifications and experience and a bonus of 7.5%. This role can also offer blended working after the probationary period (6 months) – 3 days in the office and 2 days remote.
Close Date: 19/03/2026
We also provide the following additional benefits
* 25 Days Annual Leave plus bank holidays.
* Reservist Leave – Additional 18 days full pay and 22 days unpaid.
* Personal Pension Plan – Personal contribution rates of 4% or 5% (UK Power Networks will make a corresponding contribution of 8% or 10%).
* Tenancy Loan Deposit Scheme, Season Ticket Loan.
* Tax‑efficient benefits: Cycle to Work, Home & Tech, and Green Car Leasing Schemes.
* Occupational Health support.
* Switched On – scheme providing discount on hundreds of retailers' products.
* Discounted gym membership.
* Employee Assistance Programme.
Job Purpose
UK Power Networks is dedicated to the advancement of its operational technology (OT) systems to lead business transformation, operational efficiency, and modernisation. The Senior Solution Architect (Operational Technology) plays an important role in this journey, ensuring that technology investments translate into tangible improvements in operational performance, customer experience, and organisational resilience. You will manage a comprehensive evaluation of the core Advanced Distribution Management System (ADMS) estate, with a focus on defining and communicating both the current and target state architectures. You will also lead initiatives to modernise critical capabilities, including agentic orchestration and the integration of AI‑enabled dispatch and fault prediction, positioning UK Power Networks at the forefront of technological innovation within the energy sector. An important aspect of this position is the development and management of the platform architecture lifecycle. This includes establishing reference models, technical standards, design patterns, and reusable frameworks that underpin the best operational systems. You will ensure that business capabilities are thoroughly documented and that design patterns are consistently applied, supporting the organisation's commitment to operational excellence and customer satisfaction. You will provide expert guidance on the adoption and deployment of technology across a diverse range of operational scenarios and departments. By promoting agreement on core solutions and minimising unnecessary customisation, you will help maximise the value of technology investments. You will function as a trusted advisor to business, offering recommendations that enhance the value derived from technology assets. Your role will require collaboration with business counterparts, project managers, and system owners to ensure that technical solutions are aligned with organisational goals and industry best practices. You will be instrumental in shaping the future of UK Power Networks' operational technology landscape. Through leadership, technical expertise, and a commitment to innovation, the architect will support the organisation's mission to deliver safe, dependable, and sustainable electricity supply while enabling the transition to a low‑carbon future.
Dimensions
* Direct reports: none.
* Budget: none directly, influencing £20M in solutions and projects.
* Portfolio: Operational Technology.
Principal Accountabilities
* Influence technology strategy by collaborating with business teams and leadership to understand needs and ensure agreement on technical solutions.
* Engage with business counterparts in aligned directorates to become a trusted advisor and solution partner.
* Provide recommendations to maximise the value of operational technology assets via implementation, access, and utilisation.
* Overall responsibility for the design and assurance of activities across the ADMS Platform and working across the organisation.
o Lead the technical design authority to resolve design problems and ensure the design aligns with architecture principles. Ensure approval of technical design with the UKPN Architecture Review Board.
o Advocate standardisation and minimal customisation of the chosen solution.
o Institutionalise a design assurance process with suppliers to ensure delivery in line with system requirements and IT standards.
o Deliver business capability models and design patterns via enterprise architecture tools.
o Support the department with data migration, environment design, interface design, legacy retirement, data archiving, code management, and documentation of standards.
o Work with business and IT partners building credibility as a trusted advisor.
* Lead complex and technically challenging architectural transformations, coordinating technical SMEs across multiple vendors and internal technology teams.
* Lead on the design and implementation of operational technology solutions and roadmaps for different technology domains.
* Produce roadmaps allowing frequent and incremental delivery of value.
* Perform architecture assessments to identify gaps and recommend remediation.
* Ensure solutions comply with UKPN architecture principles and cyber‑security standards.
* Recommend operational technology solutions that align with UKPN strategic goals and roadmap.
* Develop technical documentation, including architecture diagrams and specifications.
* Collaborate with partners, scrum masters, project managers, and product owners to define technical solution designs.
* Translate roadmaps into work packages for change programmes and projects.
* Track, analyse and monitor technology performance metrics.
* Seek and use feedback, supporting adaptive design and agile engineering practices.
* Coach junior members on technology, strategy and delivery.
Nature & Scope
We ask that you have a first‑hand approach to provide direction and guidance, ensuring that architecture strategy and projects align with the organisation's goals and architecture and security principles and standards. Additionally, you will help communicate the technology strategy to senior leaders and the broader business. You will lead the specification and design of next‑generation solutions, contributing to the technology landscape and business capabilities to support the architecture strategy. You will be an integral part of a multidisciplinary team, collaborating with cloud architects, infrastructure and network architects, security architects, data science specialists, solution developers, and business stakeholders. The primary goal of this role is to deliver an optimal solution architecture by implementing strategies and projects to establish UK Power Networks as the leading UK DNO.
Qualifications & Experience
* Bachelor's degree in computer science, information systems or a STEM field (or equivalent project‑related experience).
* Experience with Advanced Distribution Management Systems.
* Expertise in API standards and protocols for building and integrating complex systems.
* Experience with large‑scale, transformation projects.
* Experience integrating on‑premises applications with cloud solutions.
* Experience working with business solution vendors, technology vendors and products within the energy market.
* Experience as a Senior Architect or similar role in a large, complex IT environment.
* Excellent collaboration and partner management skills.
* Experience developing, syndicating and communicating architectures, designs and proposals for action.
* Experience capturing business capabilities, reference architectures in an enterprise architecture tool/repository.
* Knowledge of cyber‑security architecture, system integration, access and identity management.
* Experience applying enterprise architecture frameworks (TOGAF or ArchiMate).
* Experience reviewing technical designs to approve implementation.
* Experience providing oversight and advice to other architects or vendors redesigning existing systems.
* Experience in the utilities or electricity distribution industry would be beneficial.
* Assess changing technologies and apply them to our needs.
* Understanding of agile methodologies with experience working in an agile team.
Important Behaviours & Competencies
* Communication between technical and non‑technical staff and suppliers.
* Turning business problems into solution designs.
* Seeking opportunities to create change and help people make informed decisions.
* Influencing and persuading peers and leadership.
* Understanding long‑term and short‑term perspectives of situations.
* Quickly comprehending functions and capabilities of innovative technologies.
Health & Safety Responsibilities
Managers and supervisors carry both legal and company responsibilities for ensuring the health and safety of their employees, those under their control and those who might be affected by the work undertaken, i.e. public, visitors and employees of other organisations. This includes briefing individuals working for them and ensuring there is the necessary understanding, competence and application of requirements to work safely and without harming the environment. Employees will ensure they understand the health and safety risks involved in their work activities and their responsibility to apply the controls needed to manage those risks to acceptable levels. Similarly where work activities can have an adverse impact upon the environment, and where there are legal requirements, employees will understand those impacts and the controls they must ensure are applied. If in doubt ask!.
Equal Employment Opportunity Statement
We are committed to equal employment opportunity regardless of race, colour, ancestry, religion, sex, national origin, sexual orientation, age, citizenship, marital status, disability, gender, gender identity or expression, or veteran status. We are proud to be an equal opportunity workplace.
If you have any queries in connection to this vacancy or your application, please contact us at careers@ukpowernetworks.co.uk quoting the vacancy reference number and a member of the team will get in touch with you as soon as possible.
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