Full job description Description
Solution Architect
Location: London
Clearance: SC Clearance
We are looking for a senior customer-facing Solution Architect to help shape and win strategic opportunities across our UK Central Government portfolio.
Working alongside account, capture and bid teams, you will engage customers, develop compelling solution strategies, lead solution development and support major pursuits from early qualification through to contract award.
This role is ideal for someone who combines strong architecture credentials with experience supporting UK Government digital transformation programmes and competitive procurements.
Responsibilities
* Engage customers early to understand mission needs, business challenges and transformation goals.

* Develop compelling, deliverable and differentiated solution strategies for major public sector pursuits.

* Lead solution development from early qualification through proposal, orals and handover to delivery.

* Create clear solution narratives, value propositions, win themes and architectural differentiators.

* Facilitate discovery workshops, architecture reviews and solution design sessions with customers and internal teams.

* Translate complex customer problems into practical differentiated solutions across multiple digital capabilities such as Data & Analytics, Cloud, Cyber Security, AI/ML, IT Service Management, Systems Integration and Digital Modernisation.

* You’ll help assess solution feasibility, delivery risk, commercial viability and strategic fit during qualification.

* Work with delivery and programme teams to ensure proposed solutions are credible, cost-aware and achievable.

* Represent the solution in customer meetings, executive briefings, bid reviews and orals.

* Contribute reusable solution patterns, proposition material and thought leadership for future pursuits.

* Support handover from growth into delivery so that commitments, risks and design intent are understood.

Essential Experience
* We need someone with proven experience working with UK Central Government departments, agencies or arm’s-length bodies.

* You have a understanding of how UK public sector customers buy, govern and deliver complex digital transformation programmes.

* Experience with departments such as HMRC, DWP, Defra, GDS, Cabinet Office or similar.

* You should have experience supporting competitive procurements, frameworks, bids, proposals or capture activities.

* Cloud or architecture certifications such as Azure, AWS or TOGAF are useful but not a substitute for relevant experience.

* The role requires someone who can create confidence with customers, strengthen capture strategy and improve the quality of major bids.

* The successful candidate will be a trusted adviser who can architect, not simply an architect who can present technology.

* Applicants should be able to evidence their personal contribution to winning, shaping or significantly improving strategic opportunities.

* You should understand how to balance customer outcomes, technical quality, delivery risk and commercial competitiveness.

* You should have strong workshop facilitation, stakeholder management and executive

* You must hold current and valid UK Security Check (SC) clearance.

* Extensive experience working in the UK and developing successful solutions for UK Government contracts.

Desirable Experience
* We are particularly interested in candidates who have helped shape opportunities before formal procurement begins.

* Able to write clearly and contribute high-quality bid, proposal and presentation content.

* You do not need to be the deepest specialist in every domain, but you must know how to orchestrate specialists effectively.

* Experience in consulting, systems integration, managed services or complex technology delivery environments would be helpful.

* Knowledge of public sector procurement frameworks and competitive bid processes would be advantageous.

* Knowledge of AI-enabled transformation, data-driven services and platform modernisation would be advantageous.

What you need to show
* Applicants should be able to describe trade-offs they made between scope, cost, risk, differentiation and deliverability.

* Applicants should be able to explain a complex government solution in plain business language.

* Applicants should be able to show how they worked with capture, commercial, delivery and technical teams to create a coherent proposition.

* Applicants should understand that this role may move between accounts, opportunities and sectors as business priorities change.

* The role is aligned to growth activity, but deployment will flex according to priority pursuits and business need.

Additional Information
* This is not a product presales role focused on demos or licensing conversations.

* This is not a pure delivery architecture role focused only on post-award implementation.

* You must be able to travel regularly across the UK to support customer meetings, Leidos workshops and other pursuit activities, with very occasional travel to the United States.

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 and much more!)
• 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