Payments Solution Architect
Contract: 6 months
Location: Hybrid / Remote, depending on location
Role Overview
We are seeking an experienced Payments Solution Architect to define and govern end-to-end solution architecture across a large-scale payments transformation programme.
The successful candidate will be responsible for designing scalable, resilient and highly available payments solutions, working across payment processing, integration, core banking, accounting and downstream financial platforms.
You will work closely with business, technology, operations, risk, compliance and vendor teams to translate business and regulatory requirements into robust technical solutions, while ensuring alignment with enterprise architecture standards.
The role will suit an experienced architect with a strong background in payments, real-time payment processing, ISO 20022 and modern integration architectures.
Key Responsibilities
- Define end-to-end solution architecture for complex payments platforms and transformation initiatives.
- Design integration between customer-facing channels, payment processing platforms, core banking and downstream finance systems.
- Develop scalable architectures using microservices, APIs and event-driven integration patterns.
- Provide technical leadership across payment processing and payment modernisation initiatives.
- Ensure solutions meet requirements for resilience, performance, security and scalability.
- Define architectural standards, principles, integration patterns and technical documentation.
- Work with engineering teams to ensure solutions are implemented in line with agreed architecture.
- Collaborate with business, product, operations, risk and compliance stakeholders.
- Support the design of real-time payment processing and associated controls.
- Contribute to future payment modernisation and platform transformation initiatives.
Essential Experience
- 10+ years' experience in Solution Architecture or a closely related architecture role.
- Significant experience delivering large-scale payments transformation programmes.
- Strong understanding of UK Faster Payments and real-time payment processing.
- Experience working with payment hubs, payment engines or equivalent payment processing platforms.
- Strong understanding of ISO 20022 messaging.
- Experience integrating payments platforms with core banking and financial systems.
- Proven experience designing enterprise-scale microservices architectures.
- Strong understanding of modern integration and event-driven architectures.
- Experience working across complex, highly regulated financial services environments.
Payments Domain Knowledge
Experience across a number of the following:
- UK Faster Payments
- ISO 20022
- SEPA Instant Payments
- CHAPS
- SWIFT
- Open Banking
- Payment lifecycle management
- Settlement and reconciliation
- Payment processing and orchestration
- Fraud and compliance controls
Technical Skills
Architecture
- Solution Architecture
- Enterprise Integration Architecture
- Microservices Architecture
- Event-Driven Architecture
- Domain-Driven Design
- API Architecture
- Canonical data modelling
Integration & Platforms
- REST APIs
- Event streaming / messaging platforms
- Message queues
- API Management
- Containerised architectures
- Kubernetes / OpenShift
- Docker
- Cloud platforms, ideally Azure
Data & Messaging
- JSON
- XML
- ISO 20022
- Data transformation
- Messaging and integration frameworks
Desirable
- Experience with payment engines or payment hubs such as IPF or equivalent platforms.
- Experience working on UK or European payment modernisation programmes.
- Experience within banking, financial services or fintech.
- Understanding of cloud-native payment architectures.
- Experience working with vendors and third-party technology providers.
What We're Looking For
We are looking for a hands-on, commercially aware Solution Architect who can operate at both strategic and technical levels. You should be comfortable navigating complex stakeholder environments, challenging existing designs where appropriate and providing clear architectural direction across large-scale payments initiatives.
Please note: Due to the high volume of applications we receive, we can only respond to candidates whose experience closely matches the essential requirements of the role. If you do not hear from us, unfortunately on this occasion your application has not been successful.
About Korn Ferry
Korn Ferry unleashes potential in people, teams, and organizations. We work with our clients to design optimal organization structures, roles, and responsibilities. We help them hire the right people and advise them on how to reward and motivate their workforce while developing professionals as they navigate and advance their careers. To learn more, please visit Korn Ferry at www.Kornferry.com
