IT Solution Architect (18 Month FTC)

This 18-month fixed-term post sits in the IT function of Kent Fire and Rescue Service, providing architectural guidance and assurance for new systems, services and digital initiatives. The role involves joining business change and technology procurement early, challenging proposals and assessing how solutions fit the existing landscape. It focuses on commercial off-the-shelf products and integration, with support, resilience and lifecycle needs addressed from the outset.

What the job involves

• Act as a technical adviser and constructive challenger, balancing business needs, user needs, cost, timescales, security and sustainability
• Engage stakeholders early to understand outcomes, challenge proposals and turn requirements into technology solutions
• Assess proposed technologies against the existing landscape, identifying integration needs, dependencies, duplication risks and impacts
• Provide proportionate assurance on security, resilience, supportability and operational readiness
• Identify technical risks, constraints and dependencies early and recommend options where trade-offs are needed
• Produce clear, proportionate solution designs and explain options, risks and decisions to technical and non-technical audiences
• Work with internal teams, suppliers and project teams, particularly across infrastructure, applications, cyber security and operations
• Ensure support arrangements, service ownership, monitoring, documentation and lifecycle management are addressed before implementation and in live operation

What’s required

Qualifications

• Relevant technical or professional qualification, or demonstrable equivalent experience, in IT, solution architecture, software engineering, infrastructure or a related discipline

Experience

• Proven experience designing, reviewing or assuring technology solutions in a complex organisational environment
• Experience implementing and integrating commercial off-the-shelf solutions aligned to existing platforms and architectural standards
• Experience working with project and procurement teams from requirements through to service transition

Skills & knowledge

• Strong knowledge of system integration, technical dependencies and architectural risk management
• Credible technical challenge and architectural assurance, balancing business objectives with readiness, resilience, security, lifecycle, cost, risk and timescales

What’s offered

• Automatic membership of the Local Government Pension Scheme
• Enhanced annual leave entitlement
• Annual scale point increase within grade up to the top of the grade
• Blue Light Card and CSSC discount schemes
• Employee Assistance Programme
• Family friendly policies
• Health and wellbeing services and advice, and gym access
• Free parking and free-to-join internal clubs and colleague forums