Solutions Architect
Also advertised as: Cloud Solutions Architect, Enterprise Architect, ICT system architects, ICT systems architect, ICT systems architects, information systems architect
Designs how systems and technologies fit together to meet business needs.
What the job involves
Solutions architects design the technical approach for a project, choosing platforms, defining integrations and balancing cost, security and performance. You work with stakeholders to translate business requirements into a workable technical design, then guide development teams as they build it. It is typically a senior role reached after years as a developer or engineer.
Typical responsibilities
- Design end-to-end technical solutions
- Evaluate platforms and technology choices
- Produce architecture documentation and diagrams
- Advise stakeholders on cost, risk and trade-offs
- Guide development teams during delivery
Common employers
- Consultancies
- Banks
- Government digital services
- Large retailers
- Telecoms providers
Pay, hours and working environment
Typical pay
£45,000 – £55,000 a year
With experience
£70,000 – £105,000 a year
Typical hours
37.5 hours
Working environment
Office or hybrid, frequent stakeholder meetings
Remote working
hybrid
Demand for this work
steady
Pay ranges are indicative guidance drawn from advertised UK vacancies and published careers information. They are not an offer, and actual pay varies by employer, location and experience.
Skills and qualifications
Core skills
- System design
- Cloud platforms
- Integration patterns
- Stakeholder communication
- Security and compliance awareness
- Cost modelling
Transferable skills you may already have
- Technical leadership experience
- Translating business needs into requirements
- Presenting to senior stakeholders
Requirements employers ask for
- System design
- Cloud platforms
- Integration patterns
- Stakeholder communication
- Security and compliance awareness
- Cost modelling
- Significant experience as a developer, engineer or architect expected
- acquire system component
- manage database
- analyse business requirements
- design information system
- use markup languages
- business process modelling
- align software with system architectures
- integrate system components
- design enterprise architecture
- define technical requirements
- assess ICT knowledge
- database development tools
Useful but not essential
- Technical leadership experience
- Translating business needs into requirements
- Presenting to senior stakeholders
- AWS Certified Solutions Architect
- TOGAF certification
- Microsoft Certified: Azure Solutions Architect Expert
- TypeScript
- apply technical communication skills
- Haskell
- JavaScript
- PHP
- COBOL
- Visual Studio .NET
- Smalltalk (computer programming)
Helpful qualifications
- AWS Certified Solutions Architect
- TOGAF certification
- Microsoft Certified: Azure Solutions Architect Expert
Ways into this career
A degree is only one route. Where an apprenticeship, work-experience or qualification route exists, it is listed here alongside the academic option.
Apprenticeships and work-based routes
- Digital and Technology Solutions Professional (Level 6)
Degree and college routes
- Related subject: Computer science
- Related subject: Software engineering
Where this career can lead
next
Enterprise Architect
next
Chief Technology Officer
next
Head of Engineering
The good parts and the hard parts
What people enjoy
- High earning potential
- Influence over major technical decisions
- Broad exposure across a business
What people find hard
- Requires years of hands-on experience first
- Can become disconnected from day-to-day coding
Common questions
- Do you need a degree to become a solutions architect?
- No. As well as degree routes, this career can be entered through an apprenticeship or by building experience and qualifications on the job. preferred
- How much does a solutions architect earn in the UK?
- Typical advertised pay runs from £45,000 to £55,000 a year, rising towards £105,000 with experience. Figures are indicative guidance rather than an offer.
- What skills transfer into this career?
- Skills that transfer well include Technical leadership experience, Translating business needs into requirements, Presenting to senior stakeholders.
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Where this information comes from
- National Careers Service
- Institute for Apprenticeships
Last reviewed 15 September 2026.
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