Solution Architect (Energy & Utilities)

Company Description

We believe in the power of ingenuity to build a positive human future.

As strategies, technologies, and innovation collide, we create opportunity from complexity.

Our teams of interdisciplinary experts combine innovative thinking and breakthrough technologies to progress further, faster. Our clients adapt and transform, and together we achieve enduring results.

We are over 4,000 strategists, innovators, designers, consultants, digital experts, scientists, engineers, and technologists. And we have deep expertise in consumer and manufacturing, defence and security, energy and utilities, financial services, government and public services, health and life sciences, and transport.

Our teams operate globally from offices across the UK, Ireland, US, Nordics, and Netherlands.

PA. Bringing Ingenuity to Life.

Job Description

We believe in the power of ingenuity to build a positive human future. We challenge where it matters and own the outcome. We combine strategic thinking, customer-centric service design, and agile engineering practices to accelerate innovation in a tech-driven world.

Why consider joining our Energy and Utilities community as a Solution Architect?

• Join a team where you're trusted to shape your own path, manage your time, and influence real change for our clients and communities.

• Grow a flexible and unique career within a trust-based, inclusive environment that values excellence, innovation, and curiosity. You have the option to progress with us on a technical career track. No need to go onto the Partner career track if this doesn’t align with what you want to do.

• Hybrid working - our approach is to be in the office or on client site a minimum of 2 days per week.

• Be part of a team actively shaping Energy and Utilities and tackling issues that impact our everyday lives

• Join other experts within our supportive and collaborative community through knowledge-sharing and peer-level support, coaching and mentoring

• Deepen your expertise through our culture of learning and growth – you’ll have budget to take courses (technical and non-technical training), plus gain certifications

What you can expect

• Provide technical assurance at a programme level, ensuring that technical change programmes within the Energy and Utilities sector have the most appropriate architectural design and where appropriate reduces technical debt.

• Create and assure key architecture artefacts (e.g., Key Design Decision, Technical Options Paper, High Level Design).

• Collaborate closely with Engineering teams, often taking a lead SME role to define vision and establish Architectural Guardrails.

• Support senior leaders in shaping their case for change, leading on cost estimation and detailed planning.

• Work to agile best practices and cross-functionally with multiple teams and stakeholders. You’ll be using your technical skills to problem solve with our clients, as well as working on internal projects.

• Hybrid working with the team on client site or in our office a minimum of two days per week. However, the actual time you spend and where you spend it will vary by role or assignment, including up to 5 days per week on a client site.

• Be part of an environment that deeply cares about its values - Values | PA Consulting

Qualifications

Essential requirements ✅

Even if you don’t meet every requirement below, feel free to still apply as we are often hiring for similar roles which your background might be better suited to.

• Proven experience leading architecture and development teams, delivering impactful, end-to-end solutions for complex client challenges.

• Strong understanding of the Energy and Utilities sector, with experience across areas such as water, gas, electricity, oil, gas or nuclear.

• Experience with common technologies used in the sector, such as enterprise systems (IBM Maximo, SAP, Billing, CRM) and operational systems and technologies (SCADA, control systems).

• Demonstrated ability to shape and communicate architectural strategies across multiple domains (application, business, integration).

• Skilled at building trusted relationships with senior stakeholders, translating technical insight into business value.

• Familiarity with architecture frameworks and modelling tools (e.g. UML, ArchiMate), with awareness of emerging trends and technologies.

Our tech stack ⚒️

While we advocate for using the right tech for the right task, you can expect to work with the following technologies to ensure scalable, high-performance applications:

• Cloud & Platforms: AWS, Azure, Google Cloud Platform, IBM, Oracle, Salesforce

• Architecture & Delivery: Microservices, packaged solutions, cloud/on-premise models, agile delivery, digital transformation

• Tools & Frameworks: IoT, cloud-native architectures, UML, ArchiMate

#LI-CI

Additional Information

Assessment process ⚖️

• Quick video call with one of our Tech Recruiters – to discuss your application, the role and PA

• Round 1: Either a competency or technical interview (60 mins)

• Round 2: Either a competency or technical interview, whichever you didn’t do at first round (60 mins)

• Final round ?: Meeting with a PA leader - a discussion around your client-centricity (45 mins)

Life At PA encompasses our peoples' experience at PA. It's about how we enrich peoples’ working lives by giving them access to unique people and growth opportunities and purpose led meaningful work.

Our purpose guides how we work with our clients and our teams, and support our communities, to deliver insight and impact, solving the world’s most complex challenges. We're focused on building a workplace that values human difference and diverse mindsets, and a culture of inclusion and equality that unlocks the potential in our people so everyone can be their best self.

Find out more about Life at PA here.

We are dedicated to supporting the physical, emotional, social and financial well-being of our people. Check out some of our extensive benefits:

• Health and lifestyle perks accompanying private healthcare for you and your family

• 25 days annual leave (plus a bonus half day on Christmas Eve) with the opportunity to buy 5 additional days

• Generous company pension scheme

• Opportunity to get involved with community and charity-based initiatives

• Annual performance-based bonus

• PA share ownership

• Tax efficient benefits (cycle to work, give as you earn)

We’re committed to advancing equality. We recruit, retain, reward and develop our people based solely on their abilities and contributions and without reference to their age, background, disability, genetic information, parental or family status, religion or belief, race, ethnicity, nationality, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity (or expression), political belief veteran status, or other by any other range of human difference brought about by identity and experience. We welcome applications from underrepresented groups.

Adjustments or accommodations - Should you need any adjustments or accommodations to the recruitment process, at either application or interview, please contact us on recruitmentenquiries@paconsulting.com