Senior Solution Architect

Job description

We are seeking an experienced Senior Solution Architect to join our growing Enterprise Architecture team at a pivotal moment of build-out. The successful candidate will lead the design and delivery of fit-for-purpose solutions across our technology estate, working within the patterns, standards, and reference architectures set by our Domain Architects, and translating those into tangible architectural outputs that support both internal business operations and the development of commercially valuable solutions for our clients and market offerings. This role requires a proven strategic leader who can bridge the gap between technical requirements and business objectives whilst influencing senior stakeholders across the organisation. You will work collaboratively with our delivery teams, including Software Engineering, Infrastructure, Commercial Technology, and Corporate Technology, to guide implementation, ensure architectural consistency, and embed best practises throughout the product development lifecycle. You will also mentor and coach junior members of the architecture team, fostering their professional development and technical excellence. The ideal candidate will balance the organisation's risk appetite with operational excellence, translating complex requirements into practical, scalable solutions that enable the business. Job Functions Lead the design of complex solution architectures for Colliers' systems and products, partnering closely with engineering and platform teams throughout delivery to ensure architectural intent is maintained and applicable standards and policies are upheld. Author and maintain core solution architecture artefacts, including Preliminary Architecture Blueprints, Solution Design Documents, and Architecture Decision Records, to a standard that enables engineering, security, and governance teams to act on them confidently and with minimal rework. Engage with senior stakeholders across Software Engineering, Infrastructure, Commercial Technology, Corporate Technology, and business leadership to ensure that architectural principles are embedded throughout the product delivery lifecycle and aligned with strategic objectives. Apply and compose solutions using the cloud reference architectures, patterns, and standards maintained by our Domain Architects, spanning Microsoft Azure and Google Cloud Platform, alongside other surface areas including application architecture, data, and integration. Lead architectural reviews and assessments, identifying technical risks, and recommending mitigation strategies that align with business objectives whilst providing authoritative guidance on complex technical decisions. Mentor and coach junior Solution Architects and technical staff, developing their architectural thinking, design skills, and understanding of enterprise architecture principles and practises. Provide strategic guidance and advisory support to delivery teams on engaging with the Enterprise Architecture function, helping them navigate architectural governance processes, design review procedures, and organisational policies to ensure timely and effective collaboration. Lead engagement with senior business stakeholders to understand strategic objectives, translate business vision into technical strategy, and articulate the value and trade-offs of architectural decisions. Analyse complex technical requirements and constraints across application, data, integration, and cloud domains, developing innovative solution designs that address scalability, performance, resilience, security, and cost optimisation whilst balancing competing priorities. stay current with developments and emerging technologies and delivery patterns across all relevant domains, leading proof-of-concept initiatives and making strategic recommendations for adoption that align with the organisation's technical roadmap. Lead responses to audits, technical due diligence, and architecture assessments from internal and external stakeholders, representing the organisation's architectural capability and maturity. Contribute to the development of the Enterprise Architecture function itself, improving processes, governance frameworks, and collaborative practises. Act as an embedded architect within product and delivery squads, providing continuous design partnership across discovery, delivery, and run phases, whilst maintaining a strong connection to the global Enterprise Architecture practice and its standards. Leverage AI-augmented tooling responsibly to accelerate solution design, decision documentation, and review preparation, in line with Colliers' approved AI usage policies and standards. Degree in Computer Science, Information Technology, Software Engineering, or a related field, or equivalent demonstrable industry experience. Professional cloud architecture certifications including Microsoft Certified: Azure Solutions Architect Expert and Google Cloud Professional Cloud Architect. Demonstrated track record of delivering architecture across multiple domain areas, with relevant certifications across areas such as cloud platforms, cyber security, data management, integration technologies, or software development considered advantageous. Enterprise architecture certifications such as TOGAF are beneficial but not a prerequisite. Demonstrated track record of leading the architecture of multiple non-trivial systems end-to-end, including at least one greenfield and one brownfield engagement at enterprise scale, with evidence of decisions documented and outcomes measured. Extensive experience designing and guiding the delivery of large-scale solutions on Microsoft Azure and Google Cloud Platform in enterprise or commercial environments, with proven multi-cloud expertise. Familiarity with the commercial real estate technology landscape, including property management systems, valuation platforms, capital markets technology, and workplace or IWMS platforms, is a strong plus. Experience operating as an embedded architect inside product teams within an organisation transitioning to a product-based operating model is highly desirable. Deep technical knowledge of cloud-native services including compute (VMs, containers, serverless), storage, networking (VNets, VPCs, hybrid connectivity), databases, and integration patterns, with the ability to make strategic technology decisions. Strong experience with infrastructure as code, CI/CD pipelines, DevOps practises, and modern software delivery methodologies. Proven expertise in multi-cloud and hybrid cloud architectures, including cloud migration strategies, patterns, and hands-on delivery experience. Deep understanding and practical application of architectural frameworks and methodologies such as TOGAF, or similar enterprise architecture approaches. Equally important is fluency with the modern architecture toolkit, including C4 modelling, Architecture Decision Records, value stream and capability mapping, event storming, Domain-Driven Design, fitness functions, evolutionary architecture principles, and Team Topologies, alongside the judgement to apply the right technique to the problem at hand. Expert knowledge of non-functional requirements including scalability, performance, resilience, disaster recovery, and security by design, with experience making architectural trade-offs. Strong experience with solution costing, TCO analysis, business case development, and commercial considerations in cloud solution design. Extensive technical knowledge across multiple domains including application architecture, data architecture, integration patterns, API design, microservices, event-driven architectures, and cloud networking. Strong familiarity with common IT frameworks such as ITIL, and deep awareness of governance, risk, and compliance requirements in enterprise environments. Demonstrated experience mentoring, coaching, and developing junior technical staff and architects. Proven ability to engage with and influence senior stakeholders, C-level executives, and business leaders, articulating complex technical concepts in business terms. Excellent presentation and communication skills, with experience presenting architectural proposals and strategies to diverse audiences. Fluent spoken and written English is essential for effective communication with global teams, senior stakeholders, and for producing architectural documentation and technical guidance materials. Fluency in Spanish is desirable, given the role is based in our Madrid tech centre and will involve day-to-day collaboration with local colleagues and stakeholders. If you enjoy working in a positive, energetic, and dynamic work environment that emphasises social as well as business interaction, then we invite you to apply. Colliers is a leading diversified professional services and investment management company. With operations in 68 countries, our 22,000 enterprising people work collaboratively to provide expert advice to maximize the potential of property and real assets to accelerate the success of our clients, our investors and our people. We are at the forefront of the real estate industry, leading the way and backed by an exceptional record of success. We are building for our future – and yours. We strive to build our business at a competitive pace by augmenting internal growth with smart strategic acquisitions that increase market share, expand service offerings and extend our geographic reach for the benefit of our clients and shareholders. For more than 29 years, Colliers has created value for shareholders that has resulted in superior returns and industry growth. Our people also own significant equity in our business, which brings pride of ownership to everything we do. We are passionate, take personal responsibility and always do what's right for our clients, people and communities.