Wickes are a digitally led, service enabled organisation with a vision to have a project in every home. We are more than the nation’s favourite DIY store, we are a growing multichannel organisation, with a strong culture of authenticity and innovation.
As part of a transformation programme into a standalone PLC business and the build of a new tech team, Wickes are looking for a number of Solutions Architects who will translate business and technical requirements into architectural blueprints to achieve business objectives.
This is a great time to join a growing business, to be part of a new technology team. The Solutions Architects will work closely with the product owners and product/project managers to ensure a robust architectural runway that can support future business requirements throughout the product life cycle.
Key Responsibilities
- Understands business drivers and business capabilities (future and current state) and determines corresponding enterprise solution designs and change requirements to drive Wickes’s targeted business outcomes
- Identify risks within the system architecture and propose appropriate mitigation.
- Ability to react to issues with legacy systems and suggest innovative approaches to day to day challenges within the existing bounds of those platforms.
- Work with the Enterprise Architects, Technical Architects and Director of Strategy and Architecture to communicate the systems architecture plan and the benefits that it will provide to the business units.
- Work with, and contribute to, the Solution Architecture working group to ensure that designs adhere to established architectural governance, including conformity to preferred technical approaches, benefit the business and will operate robustly and efficiently.
- Working within the published Architectural Principles exercise the appropriate judgement to all architectural decisions ensuring alignment to the architectural and business goals, and strategies.
- Attend and present at appropriate review boards in order to ensure all Architects and stakeholders are aware of, and contribute to, the system architecture roadmap.
- Input into the architecture design process,ensuring it is effective and efficient.
- Define and maintain the artefacts, principles and practice documentation to support the architecture design process.
What we are looking for
We are looking for someone with experience of working in multi-channel retail, who has experience of working with various backend development languages like Java, Go and Python; as well as someone who has knowledge of various frontend web development languages like JavaScript, HTML and CSS.
You will bring excellent analytical, planning, organisational and technical skills, including systems development lifecycle methodologies, knowledge of different modelling languages and knowledge of IT service management (ITSM) and Information Technology Infrastructure Library (ITIL).
Alongside this you will also bring:
- Understanding and knowledge of IT service management (ITSM) and Information Technology Infrastructure Library (ITIL)
- Knowledge of different modelling languages (such as UML and ArchiMate)
- Excellent understanding of application development methodologies and infrastructure and network architecture
- Excellent analytical, planning, organisational and technical and skills
- Excellent written and verbal communication skills
- Experience of delivering Service Oriented Architecture design and/or Microservices
- Experience of delivering solutions utilising Java, VB and .NET frameworks
- Experience of multiple database technologies.
- Recognised Architectural Framework Accreditation
What we Offer
The position for Solution Architect is based out of our head office in Watford, Wickes supports a hybrid work model. You will be working closely with the Wickes IT services team and will have the opportunity to advise and shape the technology landscape of Wickes.
We’ll also equip you with a benefits package that includes
- Competitive bonus
- Save-as-you-earn scheme
- Contributory pension scheme
- Colleague discount
- Discount platform including savings and cash back at numerous retailers, savings on gym membership, cycle to work scheme
Our widely recognised wellbeing strategy is something we’re proud of at Wickes. As part of this, we offer a range of health and wellbeing benefits and support, including an Employee Assistance Programme, financial education & loans, and access to parental, menopause and fertility support. We are also encouraging our teams to work flexibly, with a blend of remote / office working.
About Us:
Wickes is a multi-channel retailer operating in the home improvement market. With 40 years in industry, Wickes now generates revenue in excess of £1.3Bn across 230 stores delivered by 8,000+ colleagues.
But it is the Wickes’ culture that is considered its best kept secret; it’s a collaborative, down to earth, fun and inclusive environment where people feel part of a winning team. All our colleagues come from different backgrounds, but what we all have in common is a determination to succeed and a passion for being the best we can be. If that sounds like you, we’ll make you feel right at home.
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