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⚡ Source: ReedRef: 56309898

Solution Architect

Appcast Enterprise·Farnborough, Hampshire·Posted 3 months ago
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Job description

Original text imported from Reed

Description

Solution Architect - National Security and Defence (NS&D)

Location: Farnborough office for the majority time with occasional travel to customer locations and working from home.

The Role:

Leidos have an opportunity for an experience Solution Architect to provide solution and technical leadership for programmes, including bids, growth opportunities and project delivery, designing differentiating and innovative solutions and services that address customer's business problems.

The Solution Architect will develop innovative approaches and solutions, applying experience and guidelines from past experience and ensuring the quality and credibility of solutions align with programme delivery needs.

You will be expected to have broad knowledge of a large range of technical capabilities and technologies including hardware, software, networks, cloud, data, analytics, IT services and cyber security.

What will I be doing?

  • Provide Solution leadership on assigned programmes and opportunities in the National Security & Defence (NS&D) portfolio, working in conjunction with the Programme leadership and Business Development and Capture communities, meeting key timescales and milestones as necessary to support customer and internal timescales, milestones and governance.
  • Enable delivery of key NS&D programmes by leading Solution execution covering Design, technical Customer engagement, programme innovation, growth and solution quality.
  • Develop solution concepts and high-level narrative material guiding input from identified internal and external SME’s and relevant partners.
  • Work as part of the NS&D Solution Architect team to develop the business landscape and identify and action both short and long-term approaches needed to develop the business and establish key client engagements.
  • Support growth within the NS&D division by bringing and applying domain knowledge across its breadth to enhance the value that Leidos brings to customer opportunities and challenges.
  • Work across the NS&D and wider Office of Technology community to further Leidos capabilities and develop the solution portfolio for the benefit of NS&D and the wider business.
  • Work with the NS&D Chief Architect to provide the optimal approach for design, development and delivery of NS&D capability, whilst supporting the needs of the wider Leidos business.

What does Leidos need from me?

  • Solution and high-level technical designs, solution concepts and approaches, supporting design materials and collateral, White Papers and Points of View, customer and internal briefings, innovation ideas including business cases and solution research briefings and progress and status reports, solutions as part of responding to client opportunities and programme execution.
  • Experience in defining and maintaining the appropriate technical solution for the opportunity or programme. This involves engaging business stakeholders to understand their needs, justifying the strategy to get approvals, communicating it to the business and supporting the assurance of designed solutions.
  • In-depth understanding of technology and technical principles, theories, concepts and their application across range of programmes and contexts.
  • Knowledge and experience of core IT capabilities including Cloud, Infrastructure & Networks, Application including development, Data including database, analytics, AI (including Agentic and Generative) and ML, ITSM including ITIL an ESM, Cyber Security, Automation.
  • Highly skilled at solutioning and designing complex mission critical systems and services which meet customer needs whilst remaining implementable within schedule and budget.
  • Excellent communications skills to engage with executive leadership (internally and client) articulating solution and technical capability aligned to the business challenges.
  • Excellent written and presentation communication skills.
  • Experience conducting technical solution reviews for large programmes and bids to ensure their success.

Experience of the Defence domain is required for this role.

Clearance Requirements:

Applicants must be able to obtain and hold a valid UK DV and meet nationality requirements (sole UK National).

What we do for you:
At Leidos we are PASSIONATE about customer success, UNITED as a team and INSPIRED to make a difference. We offer meaningful and engaging careers, a collaborative culture, and support for your career goals, all while nurturing a healthy work-life balance.


We provide an employment package that attracts, develops and retains only the best in talent. Our reward scheme includes:
•    Contributory Pension Scheme
•    Private Medical Insurance
•    33 days Annual Leave (including public and privilege holidays)
•    Access to Flexible benefits (including life assurance, health schemes, gym memberships, annual buy and sell holidays and a cycle to work scheme)

•    Flexi-Time Working

Commitment to Diversity:

We welcome applications from every part of the community and are committed to a truly diverse and inclusive culture.  We foster a sense of belonging, welcoming all perspectives and contributions, and providing equal access to opportunities and resources for everyone.  If you have a disability or need any reasonable adjustments during the application and selection stages please let us know, and we will respond in a way that best fits your needs.

Who We Are:

Leidos UK & EUROPE – we work to make the world safer, healthier, and more efficient through technology, engineering and science.

Leidos is agrowing company delivering innovative technology and solutions focused on safeguarding critical capabilities and transformation in frontline services, our work in the United Kingdom includes addressing some of the most complex problems in defence, healthcare, government, safety and security, and transportation.

What Makes Us Different:

Purpose: you can use your passion and abilities at Leidos to keep the people you care about safe. We are at the forefront of machine learning, AI, cyber security and solutions. Using your skills in the technology frontline by helping to build a safer world.  You can inspire change.

Collaboration: having flexibility to do your job is one of our core benefits, enabling you to become part of our extraordinary team.&
SpeedCV AI

Key skills

AI-extracted from the job advert

Must-have skills
Solution ArchitectureTechnical LeadershipProgramme DeliveryStakeholder EngagementDefence/Government Domain Knowledge
Nice-to-have
Cloud TechnologiesCyber SecurityData AnalyticsWhite Paper DevelopmentBusiness Case Development
Soft skills
LeadershipCommunicationStrategic ThinkingProblem SolvingCollaborationInnovation
SpeedCV AI

Application advice

5 AI-generated recommendations to maximise your chances.

1

⭐ Highlight your solution architecture experience in defence/government sectors at the top as this NS&D role specifically requires domain knowledge

2

📊 Quantify your programme leadership: "Led solution design for 8 defence programmes worth £12M total value"

3

🌐 Emphasise your stakeholder engagement skills as the role involves customer briefings and internal collaboration

4

🎯 Showcase any white papers or technical publications you've authored as these are explicitly mentioned deliverables

5

🤝 Demonstrate cross-functional collaboration experience as you'll work with Programme, Business Development and Capture teams

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Suggested CV bullets

3 bullets our AI drafted for this specific advert, mirroring its ATS keywords.

How to tailor your CV

Add these 3 bullets under your most recent experience:

  • Led solution architecture for 6 defence programmes worth £18M, delivering technical designs and stakeholder briefings that secured contract renewals
  • Developed 12 white papers on emerging technologies for government clients, resulting in 3 new business opportunities worth £4.2M
  • Managed cross-functional teams of 15 technical specialists across programme delivery, achieving 98% milestone completion rate

Free to copy — tailoring requires a 30-sec CV upload.

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AI cover letter

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Letter preview — tailored to Appcast Enterprise

Dear Hiring Manager,

Leidos' National Security & Defence division represents exactly the strategic technical leadership opportunity I seek, combining solution architecture with programme delivery across government contracts. My experience in technical design and stakeholder engagement aligns perfectly with your requirements for developing innovative approaches and leading solution execution.

My background in solution architecture spans defence and government sectors, where I have successfully led technical teams through complex programme delivery whilst maintaining strong client relationships and driving innovation initiatives.

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SpeedCV AI

Interview questions

10 questions generated from this advert.

Technical

  • How would you approach designing a secure cloud solution for a defence client with strict data sovereignty requirements?
  • Describe your experience with enterprise architecture frameworks and how you apply them to solution design
  • What methodologies do you use for stakeholder requirements gathering in complex technical programmes?
  • How do you ensure solution designs align with both technical constraints and business objectives?
  • Explain your approach to technology evaluation and selection for large-scale government programmes

Behavioural

  • Tell me about a time when you had to influence stakeholders to accept a technical solution they initially resisted
  • Describe a situation where you had to balance competing technical requirements from multiple stakeholders
  • Give an example of how you've driven innovation within a traditional or risk-averse organisation
  • Tell me about a time when you had to quickly adapt a solution design due to changing customer requirements
  • Describe how you've mentored or developed other technical professionals in your team
SpeedCV AINEW

STAR answer examples

Model answers using the Situation-Task-Action-Result framework. Adapt to your own experience.

1Question

Tell me about a time when you had to influence stakeholders to accept a technical solution they initially resisted

When proposing a cloud migration for a government client's legacy system, the security team initially rejected the approach due to data sovereignty concerns. I organised a series of technical workshops demonstrating how the hybrid cloud solution would actually enhance security through automated compliance monitoring and improved access controls. I prepared detailed risk assessments comparing current on-premise vulnerabilities with proposed cloud security measures, showing a 40% reduction in potential attack vectors. After presenting a phased migration approach with pilot testing, the stakeholders approved the £2.8M project, which delivered 25% cost savings and improved system availability to 99.9%.
2Question

Describe a situation where you had to balance competing technical requirements from multiple stakeholders

During a defence communications system upgrade, the operations team required maximum uptime whilst the security team demanded comprehensive penetration testing that would require system downtime. I developed a staged approach using parallel environments, allowing security testing on replicated systems whilst maintaining operational continuity. This involved coordinating with 8 different stakeholder groups and managing a 3-month testing schedule. The solution satisfied both requirements, achieving zero operational downtime whilst completing full security validation, ultimately supporting the £1.6M contract renewal and establishing the framework for future upgrades.

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