AI Solution Architect

Lead the architecture and design of AI, Data and Automation solutions.

Define end-to-end solution architectures spanning data platforms, AI models, integrations, security and operational support.

Produce architecture artefacts, technical designs and implementation roadmaps.

Ensure solutions are scalable, maintainable and aligned to enterprise standards.

Design agentic AI, GenAI, machine learning and automation solutions integrated with business processes and enterprise systems.

Act as a trusted advisor to customer stakeholders, technology leaders and business sponsors.

Facilitate discovery workshops to identify opportunities for AI-enabled transformation.

Translate business requirements into practical, outcome-focused solution designs.

Provide guidance on AI strategy, governance, operating models and adoption approaches.

Support customers in defining value cases, investment priorities and transformation roadmaps.

Provide leadership and direction across multidisciplinary delivery teams.

Define technical standards, architecture principles and best practices.

Mentor engineers, consultants and emerging architects.

Conduct technical assurance reviews and architecture governance activities.

Support complex problem solving and technical decision making across programmes.

Support sales teams in developing and qualifying opportunities.

Lead solution design activities for proposals, bids and customer presentations.

Contribute to estimates, Statements of Work and commercial responses.

Help position Sword as a trusted Data & AI transformation partner.

Present solution visions and articulate business value to executive stakeholders.

Can facilitate executive workshops, challenge customer assumptions, communicate complex concepts simply and build confidence with senior stakeholders.

Ensure AI solutions adhere to security, compliance and governance requirements.

Define controls for responsible AI, model oversight, data privacy and risk management.

Review architecture decisions for ethical and regulatory compliance.

Establish monitoring, operational readiness and support models.

Drive best practice across AI lifecycle management and continuous improvement.

Customers view Sword as a trusted strategic transformation partner.

AI opportunities progress into high-value engagements and revenue growth.

Solutions are delivered securely on time and aligned to business outcomes.

Architecture standards are consistently applied across engagements.

Reusable patterns, accelerators and reference architectures improve delivery efficiency.

Teams are enabled through strong technical leadership and mentoring.

AI solutions demonstrate measurable operational, financial or customer value.

Proven experience in solution architecture within Data, Analytics, AI or Digital Transformation.

Experience delivering enterprise-scale AI, automation or data platform programmes.

Strong stakeholder management across business and technology functions.

Experience shaping customer opportunities and supporting pre-sales activities.

Experience operating within consulting, professional services or transformation environments.

Foundation Models

OpenAI

Azure OpenAI

Anthropic

Google Gemini

Model selection and benchmarking

Prompt engineering

Fine-tuning and model customisation where appropriate

Multi-agent systems

Tool calling

Function orchestration

Workflow automation

Planning and reasoning patterns

Human-in-the-loop design

RAG architectures

Vector databases

Semantic search

Enterprise search

Document ingestion

Knowledge graphs (advantageous)

APIs

Event-driven architectures

Microsoft ecosystem

ServiceNow

CRM/ERP integration

Identity management

Python

REST APIs

Git

CI/CD

Containers

Infrastructure as Code

Testing AI systems

Kubernetes

Azure AI Foundry

Databricks

Microsoft Fabric

Snowflake

MLOps/LLMOps tooling

Facilitate AI discovery workshops.

Identify and prioritise business use cases.

Estimate business value and ROI.

Create AI roadmaps.

Produce reference architectures.

Explain technical trade-offs to executives.

Balance innovation with delivery risk.

Influence without relying on formal authority.

Strategic thinker with a strong commercial mindset.

Customer-centric and outcome focused.

Excellent communication and facilitation skills.

Comfortable operating from boardroom discussions to technical design workshops.

Curious, innovative and passionate about emerging AI technologies.