An exciting opportunity has arisen for an experienced Solution Architect to join The Football Association at a pivotal time in our digital transformation.

You will play a key role in shaping and delivering innovative CRM and marketing technology solutions that enhance how we engage with fans, support our teams, and drive commercial growth.

As part of the Digital Technology (DT) division, you will define and oversee the architecture and design of digital products, ensuring both onshore and offshore teams have the framework to deliver high-quality solutions within an Agile environment.

This role is part of a major programme to enhance The FA's sales, service and marketing capabilities through a CRM, Marketing and Commercial transformation roadmap.

Working within the Solution Architecture Practice, you will guide the design and delivery of technical roadmaps, collaborating with software vendors and the Enterprise Architecture team on the selection and implementation of Commercial Off-the-Shelf (COTS) products. You will design scalable, cloud-based solutions and enable the integration and transformation of data from multiple sources.

You will partner with Marketing business teams through our product management model, providing technical leadership and ensuring adherence to governance processes. As chair of the Technical Design Authority (TDA), you will review and approve designs through practice clinics and The FA's Architecture Control Board (ACB).

Your mission is to deliver future-ready architecture, ensure reliable and scalable applications, and advise stakeholders across sales, service and marketing. You will champion best practice, drive continuous improvement, and foster a culture of innovation and agility, enabling data-led decision-making through modern cloud-based solutions.

What You Will Be Doing:

Solution Architecture Advisory Services

• Define the long-term vision for CRM and marketing technology architecture, using best-of-breed composable and packaged solutions.
• Contribute to the development and improvement of the solution architecture practice, staying up to date with emerging technologies and identifying opportunities for improvement across The FA.

Solution Architecture Assurance Services

• Lead architecture advisory and assurance for the Microsoft Dynamics CRM implementation.
• Ensure designs align with Enterprise Architecture and product direction, meeting all functional and non-functional requirements.
• Support technology and product alignment across multiple teams, delivering against the DT Leadership Team's technology roadmap and The FA's enterprise architecture blueprint.
• Define governance for solution architecture, maintaining traceability between design decisions, standards and business value.
• Develop and maintain technical standards and best practices, adopting industry standards and continuously improving processes to enhance performance and maintainability.

Solution Architecture Delivery Services

• Lead architecture advisory, assurance, design and delivery for the implementation of Hightouch, Bloomreach Customer Data Platform, and Marketing Communications platforms, integrated with the Microsoft Fabric Data Lakehouse.
• Chair the Technical Design Authority (TDA), ensuring development teams follow the agreed architecture throughout the software development lifecycle. Participate in code reviews, technical planning, and sprint ceremonies.
• Work with Product and Delivery teams to shape epics and features early in the lifecycle, ensuring feasibility, cost-effectiveness, and strategic alignment.
• Produce and maintain clear solution architecture documentation within LeanIX and relevant project repositories.
• Support integrations across Microsoft Cloud (Azure, Office) and third-party COTS products.
• Collaborate with third-party technical teams, including offshore teams, to ensure compliance with the agreed architecture.
• Carry out additional tasks as required to meet The FA's evolving priorities.
• Comply with all company policies to ensure the highest standards of health, safety and wellbeing.
• As part of The FA's commitment to safeguarding, all employees must complete a DBS check. The level of check will depend on the role.

What You Will Bring:

• Proven experience implementing Customer Data Platforms (CDPs) and marketing technologies (preferably composable products).
• Proven experience implementing Microsoft Dynamics CRM.
• Strong experience delivering solution architecture on cloud platforms.
• Solid knowledge of enterprise software and integration design patterns.
• Experience working within Agile delivery methodologies, particularly Scrum.
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills.
• Excellent communication skills, with the ability to explain technical concepts to non-technical audiences.
• Ability to build strong relationships with internal and external stakeholders.

Bonus points if you have:

• Solutions Architect Expert certification on a cloud platform.
• Experience with Hightouch, Bloomreach, and Microsoft Dynamics CRM.
• Certification in CRM or CDP platforms.
• Experience designing solutions on Microsoft Cloud and integrating with SaaS products.
• Experience in football, sports associations or stadium technology environments.
• Experience working with offshore development teams.
• Knowledge of DevOps and modern development best practices.

What's in it for you?

We are committed to ensuring everyone can flourish in their roles, to achieve this we have unique office spaces under the arch of the iconic Wembley National Stadium, which is the home of English Football. We are also delighted to offer a world-class, Elite Performance Centre, St. George's Park in Staffordshire which is an exceptional setting to develop and inspire high-performing England teams and leaders.

We pride ourselves in offering a competitive salary as well as great opportunities to develop and grow in your role. But that is not all; we also have a range of exciting benefits, some of which can be found below:

• Access to event day tickets at Wembley Stadium, alongside a host of regular internal events throughout the season, encouraging you to connect and learn with your colleagues and look after your mental health and well-being.
• Free, nutritious lunches at Wembley Stadium and St. George's Park.
• Free private medical cover.
• A contributory pension scheme.
• An additional 'Thank You' days leave, volunteering days as well as 25 days annual leave (based on a full-time, permanent contract.)
• A hybrid working model which offers greater flexibility.

For more information on what it is like to work at The FA, please visit our FA Careers page, https://www.thefa.com/about-football-association/careers

Currently, we are working within a hybrid working model whereby the expectation is to work from your contractual location for part of the week, and as and when required by the team. The remaining days can be worked remotely. We will continue to monitor this model, and it may be adjusted in future if deemed necessary. The contractual location of this role can be found on the FA Careers page.

We are a diverse workplace, aspiring to represent football across the country. The Football Association actively promotes inclusion and diversity, encouraging you to be the best version of yourself at work. 

We welcome applications from everyone and are proud to be an equal opportunities employer. If you have any particular requirements in respect of the recruitment or interview process, please mention this during your application.

As part of the FA's commitment to ensuring a safe environment for everyone in football, every employee will be required to complete a DBS check. The level of the check required will be based on the activity of the specific job role and in line with legislation and government guidance.