Principal Solution Architect / Lead Data & AI Architect

Start date: 21/9/2026 Duration: 6 Months Location / Remote 650 per day Inside IR35 Principal Solution Architect / Lead Data & AI Architect rather than a pure delivery or technical lead role. Role Purpose The Principal Solution Architect is responsible for defining and driving the technical vision, architecture, and strategic direction of the Data & AI platform estate. The role combines deep technical expertise, architectural leadership, stakeholder influence, and technology partner engagement to ensure scalable, secure, and future-ready solutions that align with business objectives. The Architect acts as a trusted advisor to both technical and business stakeholders, leading solution design, driving adoption of best practices, and guiding engineering teams through complex implementations while maintaining alignment with industry standards and emerging technology trends. Key Responsibilities Architecture & Technical Leadership Define and own the end-to-end architecture strategy for Data, Analytics, and AI platforms. Lead solution design and architectural decision-making across multiple initiatives and workstreams. Conduct deep technical reviews and identify opportunities for optimisation, modernisation, and innovation. Establish architecture standards, design principles, and governance processes. Provide technical guidance and oversight throughout the delivery lifecycle.Technical Expertise Extensive experience in Data Platform Architecture, Analytics, and Cloud Solutions. Strong expertise in Databricks, Azure Data Services, and modern data architectures. Experience designing enterprise-scale data platforms and AI-enabled solutions. Deep understanding of data engineering, governance, security, and platform operations. Experience with CI/CD, DevOps, infrastructure automation, and cloud-native patterns.Leadership & Influence Demonstrated ability to lead technical transformation initiatives. Strong decision-making and problem-solving capabilities. Experience influencing senior stakeholders and driving technical alignment. Proven track record of leading cross-functional and geographically distributed teams.Partner & Industry Engagement Active engagement with Microsoft, Databricks, and relevant technology communities. Strong understanding of technology roadmaps, best practices, and reference architectures. Ability to leverage partner expertise to maximise client value.Success Measures The successful candidate will: Drive architectural excellence across the platform landscape. Provide trusted technical leadership and strategic guidance. Improve solution quality, maintainability, security, and scalability. Influence technology direction through deep expertise and industry knowledge. Develop engineering capability through mentoring and technical leadership. Strengthen relationships with technology partners and key stakeholders. Ensure the organisation remains aligned with emerging industry trends and best practices