Title: Enterprise Solution Architect
Day Rate: Up to £848.96 PAYE (includes Holiday pay)
Type: Contract: Asap - July/30/2026 (high possibility for extension)
Location: Remote
Our client is seeking an experienced Enterprise Solution Architect with deep, hands-on expertise in payments migration within UK banking environments. This role focuses on complex, large-scale migration programmes involving legacy platforms, third-party payment processing capabilities, and scheme-driven transformations.
Responsibilities
* Lead solution architecture across end-to-end payments migration programmes
* Own data architecture bridging legacy (mainframe) and target platforms, including mapping, extraction, and migration controls
* Design and support migration of payment processing capabilities operated by third-party providers
* Define and validate migration strategies ensuring minimal disruption to live payment processing
* Work across the full payment lifecycle including gateway connectivity, clearing, settlement, and reconciliation
* Support Part 7 migration initiatives involving legal transfer of customers between banking entities
* Engage with SMEs, engineering, and delivery teams to align architecture with execution
* Identify risks early and implement controls aligned with regulatory and audit frameworks
* Produce clear documentation of architecture, assumptions, risks, and migration approach
Experience / Qualifications
* Proven experience delivering end-to-end payments migration programmes within UK banking
* Strong knowledge of UK payment schemes (e.g. BACS, Faster Payments) and international messaging (SWIFT, SEPA)
* Experience with Part 7 migrations (customer transfers between banks) – not necessarily legal expert but strong working knowledge
* Experience migrating payment processing capabilities from third-party providers
* Solid legacy bank experience
* Deep understanding of payment lifecycles and message flows across systems
* Strong experience working with mainframe-integrated architectures and constrained legacy environments
* Hands-on experience with IBM MQ / messaging middleware (MQMTMX environments)
* Experience with data migration in high-volume banking systems, including mapping, lineage, reconciliation, and ETL
* Strong understanding of risk, controls, and regulatory frameworks (e.g. CASS, audit/assurance)