VodafoneThree - Solution Architect

About the job

Location: London OR Newbury+ Hybrid
Salary: Excellent basic salary plus bonus and Vodafone benefits
Working hours: Full time 37.5 hours per week – Monday to Friday
Hybrid
We believe that through collaboration and connection with our colleagues we can achieve great things. Our hybrid working approach allows our people to work both in the office and at home, providing the flexibility and resources you need to succeed in your role. We don't require you to be in on specific days; instead, we ask people to come into the office 2-3 days each week, for at least 8 days per month. You should work with your line manager to understand what their expectations are for you, your specific role and your team.

Who We Are
We’re here to build a network the UK can count on – one that connects people, places and potential. Because no matter where you live, what your background is, or how you get online – we think everyone deserves the same chance to stay connected, and with VodafoneThree, that future’s being built – today.
We’re creating more than the UK’s best network. We’re helping close the digital divide, empower communities and drive meaningful progress.
We believe that everyone should feel they belong. Whoever you are and whatever your story, there’s space for you here. We’re building a workplace where different perspectives are welcomed, voices are heard, and everyone feels safe to show up as themselves.
You’ll join a team that genuinely cares – about each other, about our customers, and about the future we’re building. From day one, you’ll be welcomed, valued and encouraged to bring your whole self to work.
Why VodafoneThree
Join us and you’ll be at the heart of change. That means building responsibly, investing sustainably and creating opportunities that last.
We’re not just expanding connectivity; we’re reimagining what a connected nation looks like. With £11bn invested in 5G and digital infrastructure, your work will directly power businesses, services, and communities across the country.
You’ll work on real challenges, with real impact, across every corner of the country. Wherever you join us, whatever your role, you’ll be helping to build a future that works better for everyone.
We move at pace, because what we’re building matters – and we’re learning as we go. We’re proud of the progress we’ve made, but we’re just getting started.
Join our Digital teams where we harness the power of digital and embody the spirit of innovation to deliver the best solutions for our customers.

What you’ll do
You’ll join a collaborative Digital Architecture team at the heart of Vodafone’s digital transformation, helping to shape the customer experiences used across web and mobile channels. Working within a modern cloud-native environment built on microservices, APIs and event-driven architecture, you’ll play a key role in designing scalable, resilient and user-focused digital solutions. From turning business ideas into end-to-end solution designs to influencing the evolution of our technology landscape, you’ll help create seamless experiences that deliver value for millions of customers while supporting innovation, operational excellence and long-term sustainability.

• You'll partner with Product Owners, UX specialists, architects and business stakeholders to understand customer and business needs and translate them into end-to-end digital solutions.
• You'll assess new initiatives and provide high-level solution options, assumptions and Rough Order of Magnitude (ROM) estimates to support informed decision-making.
• You'll define solution architectures, functional requirements and non-functional requirements that deliver secure, scalable and resilient digital experiences.
• You'll shape customer journey-focused solutions across a modern ecosystem of microservices, APIs, cloud-native technologies and event-driven platforms.
• You'll ensure solutions align with AWS Well-Architected principles, balancing security, performance, scalability, maintainability and cost efficiency.
• You'll work closely with Technical Architects and engineering teams to establish architecture guardrails and support feature refinement and delivery planning.
• You'll champion simplicity, reusability and consistency, helping to protect the integrity of solutions throughout their lifecycle.
• You'll support teams in investigating and resolving complex technical challenges, identifying solution options that enhance service reliability and customer experience.
• You'll contribute innovative thinking and emerging architectural approaches that improve delivery speed, operational quality and business value.
• You'll play an active role throughout the delivery lifecycle, collaborating with multidisciplinary teams working within a SAFe Agile environment.

Who you are

• You’ll bring experience designing enterprise-scale digital solutions for customer-facing B2C and/or B2B platforms.
• You’ll have strong knowledge of modern architecture approaches, including microservices, micro-frontends and distributed systems.
• You’ll be confident designing cloud-native applications using technologies such as serverless computing, containerised services, managed data platforms and auto-scaling environments.
• You’ll have experience defining and documenting solution designs, including key non-functional requirements such as security, performance, resilience and maintainability.
• You’ll possess a strong understanding of REST APIs and API design best practices.
• You’ll have working knowledge of event-driven architecture and related design principles.
• You’ll be able to communicate complex technical concepts clearly using architectural modelling frameworks such as UML, C4 Model or similar approaches.
• You’ll understand how to balance customer needs, technical excellence and commercial considerations when making architecture decisions.
• You’ll be a collaborative and inclusive team player who builds strong relationships across product, UX, architecture and engineering teams.
• You’ll have excellent communication and stakeholder management skills, with the ability to influence and engage a wide range of audiences.
• You’ll be comfortable working within Agile delivery environments such as Scrum, Kanban, Lean or SAFe.
• You’ll bring curiosity, creativity and a continuous improvement mindset, with a passion for exploring new technologies and architecture patterns.

It would be great if you also have:

• Experience working within large organisations with significant digital customer platforms.
• Knowledge of SAFe practices and Value Stream-aligned delivery models.
• Experience designing and delivering event-driven architecture solutions.
• Familiarity with TM Forum-compliant APIs.
• Exposure to technologies such as Node.js, React or similar JavaScript frameworks.

Worried that you don’t meet all the desired criteria exactly?
We know that everyone is unique, with multiple aspects to their identity and different experiences behind them. We are passionate about Inclusion for All and creating a workplace where everyone can thrive, whatever their personal or professional background. If you’re excited about this role but your experience doesn’t align exactly with every part of the job description, we encourage you to apply as you may be the right candidate for this role or another role, and our recruitment team can help you see how your skills fit in.