At Virgin Media O2, our power-coupling gives has given us a unique opportunity to shake things up, rebelling against the status quo for the better. In the B2B IT team, we’re at the very starting blocks of a major evolution – picking apart everything we do today, and conceptualising what ‘rocket-to-the-stars’ stuff we’ll deliver tomorrow.

We’re ready to provide a new type of digital partner to our commercial customers. Whether it’s network resilience, security or customer service, we’re challenging ourselves to do things differently and help them to do business in a simpler way. This is no place for comfort zones. We’re well-funded, sponsored from the top, and have everything we need to make a success of this. Except you. So, join us and be part of the story.

About the role

Purpose of this role is to provide (or to lead other Solution Architects in providing) highly experienced Solution Architecture Support to Projects and Programmes within their CIO function. This role is a generic role which will ensure ability to cycle people as required. Senior Solution Architects work across the full ‘horizontal’ end to end length of project solutions rather than on individual ‘vertical’ sections of the design.

Key Responsibilities

• Provide technical consultancy to B2B Stakeholders across multiple opportunities
• Work alongside Enterprise Architecture to ensure that all solutions align with IT and group architecture strategy, principles and design patterns
• Build a knowledge of Technical Products, Applications & Platforms that support the business of the Portfolio
• Task-manage the solution architecture activities of other external managed service resources across multiple projects, whilst remaining accountable for the outcome of the work.
• Ensure solutions are proposed that outline products and services which provide a great Customer Experience
• Ensure deliverables are produced and maintained and that all artefacts are delivered to time, cost
• Ensure designs are produced that satisfy both the functional and non- functional requirements and include a full service wrap
• Build strong relationships with stakeholders and regularly review and playback solutions to seek and incorporate feedback to ensure they meet the business need and all requirements
• Provide early engagement with the relevant IT delivery teams to ensure clarity on responsibilities, planning and resourcing, and provide indicative cost/time estimates
• Ensure there is E2E technical compliance across deliverables and artefacts
• Develop a culture of continuous improvement and regularly attend project and team meetings
• Regularly report on progress and issues using standard tools provided

The must haves

• Lead activities with minimal supervision and demonstrates strong initiative & decision making skills
• Ability to manage challenging situations
• Team Player with strong Leadership Skills
• Provide expert advice and guidance to stakeholders with the ability to challenge/influence business thinking
• Experienced in creating solution options and making recommendations based on balancing business needs
• Demonstrates analytical and systematic approach to problem solving
• Able to rapidly absorb new techniques and apply them effectively
• Strong Organisational Skills
• Excellent communication, influencing, negotiation and relationship-building skills; ability to build consensus within and across a diverse organisation
• Experience in project lifecycle(s), e.g. Estimating, planning, identifying dependencies, both Agile and Waterfall methodologies
• Experience in a similar role

 

We\'d also love you to bring;

• TOGAF/ITIL Desireable
• Knowledge of industry trends, research and developments relating to the Architecture and Solution Design profession; particularly within Telecoms
• Understand of the Virgin Media O2 Business Operations & Strategy
• Demonstrates strong initiative & decision making skills
• Able to exercise independent judgment, and take the lead role on enterprise level projects/products with minimal direction