Solutions Architect

Solutions Architect

• Help children have the best start in life through high quality education & care.
• Improve outcomes for children and families in early education and care.
• Join an expert team working across governments at the national level.

About ACECQA

We want children in Australia to have the best start in life through quality education and care.

We provide national leadership on the implementation of the National Quality Framework (NQF) and collaborate with the Australian and state and territory governments to:

• implement changes that benefit children birth to 13 years-of-age and their families
• monitor and promote the consistent application of the Education and Care Services National Law across all states and territories
• support the early childhood education and care sector to improve quality outcomes for children
• We strive for innovation and continuous improvement and are committed to keeping the sector and the community informed with the latest developments in early childhood education and care.

ACECQA is committed to being a child-safe organisation, implementing the National Principles for Child Safe Organisations and actively promoting the safety and wellbeing of children.

The Role

The Solutions Architect is responsible for designing and guiding technology solutions for medium-sized projects in a Microsoft Azure environment. The role ensures solutions are secure, scalable, supportable, and aligned with business needs, using technologies such as Azure, Microsoft 365, Dynamics 365, and the Power Platform.

The Solutions Architect provides high-level design guidance, assesses solution options, and supports delivery teams in implementing effective solutions. The role focuses on overall solution architecture and cloud enablement, while ensuring alignment with security, technology standards, and operational requirements. This role also supports proof-of-concept activities and validates proposed technologies and approaches.

This role is full-time and fixed term to 30 June 2027 at ACECQA Band 6/7 ($130,608-$167,283).

Key Accountabilities

·  Solution Design & Architecture

• Provide solution architecture input for mid-level projects and initiatives, with a focus on Azure-based infrastructure, platform services, integration, security, and non-functional requirements.
• Design end-to-end solutions using Microsoft technologies (Azure, M365, Dynamics 365, Power Platform), ensuring they are scalable, secure, resilient, and aligned with enterprise architecture standards.
• Develop solution architectures, high-level designs (HLDs), and detailed technical specifications.
• Define and recommend appropriate architecture patterns for cloud-hosted solutions, including hosting, networking, identity, integration, data flow, and operational support models.

·   Azure Cloud Platform Guidance

• Provide subject matter guidance on the effective use of Azure services and cloud-native patterns.
•  Recommend suitable Azure infrastructure and platform components based on project requirements, risk profile, and operational needs.
• Promote the adoption of proven cloud design principles, reusable patterns, and standard approaches across projects.
• Advise on infrastructure and environment considerations including networking, connectivity, identity, access, resilience, monitoring, backup, and disaster recovery.
• Support alignment with cloud governance, security, and platform standards.

• Collaborate with business stakeholders to understand strategic objectives and translate into technical solutions.
• Act as a trusted advisor to senior leadership on technology decisions.
• Facilitate workshops, design reviews, and architecture governance forums.

• Work with development and delivery teams to provide architecture guidance throughout the project lifecycle.
• Support teams in resolving design issues, trade-offs, and technical risks without taking ownership of detailed application-level design or coding decisions.
• Participate in design reviews, architecture discussions, and project checkpoints to ensure architectural intent is maintained through delivery.

• Ensure cloud solutions comply with ISM cloud security principles and relevant certification requirements (e.g., IRAP)
• Ensure all solution designs incorporate security-by-design principles aligned with the Australian Government ISM and Microsoft security frameworks.
• Implement Zero Trust principles across solution architectures
• Ensure compliance with regulatory, privacy, and organisational policies.
• Work closely with cybersecurity and risk teams.

• Undertake proof-of-concept, prototype, and technical evaluation activities to assess the suitability of proposed solutions, tools, and patterns.
• Compare solution options and provide recommendations based on architecture fit, cost, complexity, supportability, security, and scalability.
• Identify implementation risks, assumptions, and dependencies early, and recommend mitigation strategies.
• Use POCs and technical assessments to improve confidence in solution direction and support informed decision-making.

• Identify opportunities to leverage emerging Microsoft technologies and capabilities. 
• Drive continuous improvement in architecture standards, tooling, and processes.
• Promote reuse of architectural patterns and components.

Key Selection Criteria

• Demonstrated experience designing enterprise solutions using:
  • Microsoft Azure (IaaS, PaaS, SaaS)
  • Power Platform (Power Apps, Power Automate, Dataverse)
  • Dynamics 365 (desirable)
• Strong understanding of:
  • Cloud architecture principles (microservices, serverless, containers)
  • Integration patterns (REST APIs, messaging, event-driven)
  • Identity and access management (Azure AD / Entra ID)
  • Data platforms (Azure SQL, Synapse, Data Lake)

·      Architecture & Design Skills

• Proven ability to develop architecture artefacts (HLD, LLD, diagrams, roadmaps).
• Experience applying enterprise architecture frameworks (e.g., TOGAF, SABSA).
• Strong understanding of non-functional requirements (performance, scalability, security).

• Ability to influence and engage senior stakeholders and technical teams.
• Excellent communication skills, translating complex technical concepts into business language.
• Demonstrated leadership across cross-functional teams.

• Experience in Waterfall, hybrid, Agile, Scrum, DevOps, and CI/CD practices.
• Familiarity with tools such as Azure DevOps, GitHub, and CI/CD pipelines.

• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills.
• Ability to balance technical constraints, business priorities, and risk considerations.

Desirable

• AZ-305 Azure Solutions Architect Expert
• AZ-204 Azure Developer Associate
• AZ-104 Azure Administrator Associate
• PL-600 Power Platform Solution Architect Expert
• AB-100: Agentic AI Business Solutions Architect Expert

How to apply

The closing date for applications is 18 August 2026 at 11.59pm.

Important Note: Please ensure you follow the recruitment process outlined below, otherwise you may not be considered for the role.

For the full position description and how to apply please see the vacancy listed on our Recruitment Candidate Portal, https://aeq.chris21.com/AEQ_eR21p/VacancyList.aspx. The application process will require you to:

• Attach a CV of no more than 5 pages which demonstrates your ability to meet the criteria contained in the position description.
• Provide the details of at least two referees who have directly supervised you within the last five years of employment.
• Attach a written response to the targeted questions below of no more than 2 pages

Targeted Questions

1. Tell us about an enterprise solution you have architected using Azure and related Microsoft technologies. What were the business requirements, which services and architecture patterns did you select, how did you address non-functional requirements such as security, scalability, resilience and integration, and what was the outcome?
2. Describe a situation where you needed to influence senior stakeholders or delivery teams to adopt a particular architectural approach or technology decision. How did you communicate the rationale, manage differing viewpoints, and achieve alignment?

All complete applications will be acknowledged.

More information

If you have any questions about the role or recruitment process, please contact the Recruitment team at ***********@acecqa.gov.au. 

Notice to agencies

ACECQA will not accept applications from any source other than directly from a candidate for this vacancy. Recruitment agencies must have received instructions from ACECQA in relation to a specific vacancy in order to submit applications on behalf of candidates.

ACECQA is collecting the information requested in the advertisement for the purpose of selection, recruitment and engagement of staff. ACECQA is authorised to do so by the Education and Care Services National Law. Please refer to our Privacy Policy which can be accessed at http://www.acecqa.gov.au/privacy-policy.