Solution Design Authority Engineer

Solution Design Authority Engineer (Contract)

• Client: Telecommunication
• Start: ASAP
• Duration: 6+ Months
• Daily Rate: DOE
• Inside IR35
• Employment Type: Contract.
• Reason for hire: Increased workload / demand – need additional contract Solution Design Authority (SDA) capability to support delivery.

Overview

We’re looking for an experienced Solution Design Authority Engineer to take ownership of end-to-end solution design and design governance across complex network / infrastructure change initiatives. You’ll act as the technical authority ensuring solutions are fit-for-purpose, secure, supportable, and aligned to enterprise standards-while enabling delivery teams to execute at pace.

This is a contract role, suited to someone comfortable working in large-scale, multi-stakeholder environments with strong design assurance discipline.

Key Responsibilities

• Own and assure solution designs from early discovery through to delivery handover (HLD/LLD as required).
• Provide technical authority and governance, ensuring designs align to architecture, security, operational, and commercial constraints.
• Lead/drive design forums (e.g., design reviews, technical authority boards) and manage design sign-off.
• Translate business requirements into clear, implementable technical solutions, balancing risk, cost, time, and quality.
• Produce and maintain design artefacts such as:
• Solution design documents (HLD / LLD)
• Option analysis & trade-offs
• Interface / integration designs
• Implementation approach, assumptions, dependencies, and constraints
• RAID items (risks, assumptions, issues, dependencies) relevant to design
• Collaborate with internal/external delivery partners (engineering, vendors, managed service providers) to ensure build aligns to approved design.
• Ensure solutions meet security and compliance expectations (e.g., secure-by-design, threat considerations, design hardening).
• Support operational readiness: non-functional requirements, monitoring, support model, acceptance criteria, and handover documentation.
• Provide clear technical leadership to engineers and stakeholders-removing ambiguity and unblocking delivery.

Required Skills & Experience

• Proven experience operating as a Solution Design Authority / Design Authority / Lead Solution Designer in complex environments.
• Strong background in network and infrastructure solution design (enterprise-grade, multi-site, high-availability).
• Strong documentation skills: producing high-quality HLD/LLD and running design governance properly.
• Solid understanding of:
• Network architecture/design (LAN/WAN, routing/switching, segmentation)
• Security-by-design principles (firewalls, secure connectivity, identity considerations)
• Resilience, performance, capacity, and operational supportability
• Comfortable managing senior stakeholders and driving decisions in ambiguous situations.
• Experience working within structured delivery frameworks (Agile / Waterfall / hybrid) and with multiple suppliers.

Desirable / Nice to Have

• Telco / large enterprise experience (highly relevant for Vodafone-scale environments).
• Experience with SD-WAN, cloud connectivity, zero trust, SASE, NAC, or large-scale transformation programmes.
• Formal architecture/design qualifications (e.g., TOGAF) – beneficial but not essential.
• Security clearance (SC) if required for specific programmes.

Next Steps: For enquiries, please contact me on: +44 7418 377 956 or