Solutions Architect – Banking & Payments (6‑month contract)

About the role

We are seeking an experienced Solutions Architect to lead the architecture of a regulatory‑driven payments transformation programme for a financial services organisation. This is a 6‑month contract role focused on delivering compliant, scalable solutions across multiple systems.

Key responsibilities

• Own end‑to‑end solution architecture for the payments regulatory programme, ensuring alignment with target architecture and enterprise strategy.
• Define, maintain and govern the architecture blueprint for current‑state and future‑state environments.
• Identify architectural risks, gaps, dependencies and integration points across systems, domains and workstreams.
• Prepare, document and present architecture decisions, design papers and recommendations to governance forums.
• Ensure all solution designs meet enterprise standards, regulatory requirements and business objectives.
• Provide architectural leadership and guidance to multiple teams, vendors and delivery streams.
• Support vendor assessments, make‑or‑buy analysis and trade‑off decisions.
• Collaborate with senior stakeholders to deliver fit‑for‑purpose architecture outcomes.

Required profile

• Minimum 8 + years of solution architecture experience in banking, payments or financial services.
• Proven track record delivering architecture for payments, regulatory transformation or large‑scale financial programmes.
• Strong understanding of open banking, payment regulations and compliance‑led technology change.
• Experience designing enterprise‑level solutions across multiple systems and technology domains.
• Knowledge of enterprise architecture frameworks such as TOGAF.
• Excellent stakeholder management and ability to operate at senior leadership level.

Required skills

• TOGAF (or equivalent enterprise architecture framework)
• Modern API platforms
• Microservices architecture
• Cloud‑based architecture
• Integration patterns for complex financial environments