Are you an experienced Solution Architect with a background in Retail, maybe looking for a new and exciting opportunity, if so, we would love to speak to you? While we’ve been around for a long time, this is a new journey for us as we have become a stand-alone PLC. Come and join our newly formed Technology team as we embark on a very exciting roadmap which introduces multiple new, foundational capabilities into Wickes to achieve the company's core objectives.
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.
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
- As a key part of the team you will translate business and technical requirements into architectural blueprints to achieve business objectives.
- 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, Lead Solution 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.
- 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.
- 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 providing consultancy to the business, designing and monitoring complex architectures and delivering architectural solutions to solve business requirements and concerns.
- We need someone who has got strong hands-on implementation skills in contemporary technologies and methodologies (Cloud, Integrations / APIs), comfortable working at the detailed level in complex technical environments
Alongside this you will also bring:
- Experience of designing solutions in a Cloud Environment (AWS Preferable).
- Experience designing and implementing bespoke as well as commercial-off-the-shelf (COTS) applications.
- Experience with designing APIs and microservices
- 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 solutions utilising at least one of Java, VB and .NETframeworks
- Experience of multiple database technologies.
- Recognised Architectural Framework Accreditation is preferable.
What's in it for you!
We offer flexible hybrid working, with two days a week in our Head Office of Watford. With ambitious plans, time together will create a winning culture. Time in the business will unlock opportunities for impact. Time at home gives you a career that doesn’t put your life on hold. It’s the best of both worlds really.
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 salary, an annual bonus and a car allowance
- 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.
Please contact us here if you require any adjustments within the application process. If you require any reasonable adjustments at the interview stage you will have an opportunity to inform us when we invite you to interview. Please note, this link is only for reasonable adjustments required - general enquiries, or direct CV applications cannot be accepted via this form.
Closing date for applications is Friday 17th November
