Solution Lead

Solution Lead / Chief Engineer +6 months + +Hybrid working 3 days a week in Reading +Inside IR35 +£95 - £116 per hour +SC cleared role +Sole British national due to nature of the project Job Overview: You'll play a pivotal role in shaping cutting-edge digital solutions for the defence sector. This senior leadership position offers the opportunity to lead architectural strategies within complex aerospace and MOD environments, ensuring that all digital initiatives are secure, scalable, and aligned with strategic goals. Based in Reading with flexible hybrid working options, you will work on-site to support sensitive programmes, making a tangible impact on national and global defence capabilities. Key Responsibilities: Provide strategic technical leadership within the Digital business stream, guiding the architecture of digital products, platforms, and services. Ensure all solutions across multinational defence programmes meet high standards of quality, security, interoperability, and scalability. Lead and mentor internal architecture teams and external partners, establishing best practices and architectural governance. Develop, maintain, and oversee enterprise architecture roadmap, aligning it with long-term transformation objectives. Assess technical proposals from partners, ensuring they are credible, cost-effective, and compliant with security and enterprise standards. Contribute to RFPs, procurement processes, and architectural reviews, embedding requirements from project inception. Collaborate closely with senior leadership to ensure architectural decisions support strategic priorities and business growth. Ensure compliance with cybersecurity standards and regulatory requirements pertinent to defence projects.Qualifications & Skills: Proven extensive experience leading architecture in large-scale defence, aerospace, or digital transformation programmes (minimum two major programmes preferred). Strong expertise in Microsoft technologies, cloud (Azure), integration, and security. Demonstrable leadership and stakeholder management skills, including engagement with C-level executives. Relevant experience working within MOD, Defence Digital, or UK aerospace environments. Certifications in cloud technologies (e.g., Azure certifications) are desirable but not mandatory. Ability to assess complex technical proposals, articulate strategic architectural direction, and guide multi-disciplinary teams effectively. If you'd like to discuss this Solution Lead in more detail, please send your updated CV to (url removed) and I will get in touch