Job DetailsJob Title:Open Banking Solution Architect (1 role)Location:Milton Keynes, UK 3 days a week to officeJob Purpose and Primary ObjectivesSantander UK is expanding its Open Banking Solution Architecture capability to support key BAU and industry initiatives during 2026, including VRP+, and Open Banking v4.x.x.We are seeking an Open Banking Architect with experience designing and governing Open Banking and API-based ecosystems in a regulated financial services environment. The role combines hands-on solution architecture with enterprise architecture to shape the long-term direction of Santander UK’s Open Banking estate.Key Responsibilities*(Position is part of a team)*

• Design and govern Open Banking and API-based ecosystems in a regulated financial services environment.
• Support BAU and industry initiatives including VRP+ and Open Banking v4.x.x.
• Combine hands-on solution architecture with enterprise architecture to shape the long-term Open Banking strategy and estate.

Desirable Qualifications

• Banking Payments Services industry experience

Key Skills / KnowledgeMandatory RequirementsCandidates must meet all of the following:Open Banking Domain Expertise

• Strong experience delivering Open Banking solutions under UK Open Banking standards.
• Deep understanding of AIS, PIS, VRP, consent models, customer journeys, and third-party provider interactions.
• Practical experience with Open Banking specifications, profiles, and implementation guidance, including OBIE standards and lifecycle management.
• Ability to discuss regulatory obligations, customer protection, dispute handling, and operational considerations in detail.

VRP and Payments Initiation

• Experience designing or reviewing Variable Recurring Payments solutions, including consent scopes, payment limits, schedules, and controls.
• Understanding of VRP+ evolution and its impact on architecture, scheme interaction, and commercial models.
• Strong grasp of payment initiation flows and integration with core banking and payments execution platforms.

API, Security, and Standards

• Strong experience designing secure, scalable APIs using RESTful principles.
• Deep understanding of OAuth 2.0, OpenID Connect, mutual TLS, certificates, token management, and consent-driven access control.
• Experience interpreting and applying standards such as OpenAPI, FAPI, and relevant regulatory technical standards.

Architecture, Strategy, and Solution Design

• Significant experience operating as a Solution Architect in complex financial services environments.
• Proven ability to define long-term Open Banking strategy and target-state architecture, including platform rationalisation, capability evolution, and alignment to regulatory roadmaps.
• Ability to define end-to-end functional architecture across channels, Open Banking platforms, core banking, and payments systems.
• Experience producing clear architectural artefacts and governing designs through delivery.
• Ability to balance regulatory compliance, customer experience, delivery constraints, and long-term strategic outcomes.

Soft Skills and Behaviours

• Strong communication and stakeholder engagement skills, including with regulators and external partners.
• Delivery-focused and pragmatic mindset.
• Comfortable operating independently in ambiguous and fast-moving environments.
• Demonstrated ownership, accountability, and thought leadership.

Desirable (Not Mandatory)

• Experience with Open Banking v4.x.x or other next-generation Open Banking specifications.
• Hands-on experience designing solutions on AWS, including use of managed services for API, security, and integration.
• Experience working with API gateways, particularly Kong Gateway, including policy enforcement, traffic management, and security controls.
• Knowledge of BIAN, TOGAF, ArchiMate, or C4 modelling approaches.
• Experience with event-driven and microservices-based architectures.
• Exposure to large-scale regulatory change programmes or industry-wide initiatives.

What We Do Not Want

• Channel, mobile, or front-end focused profiles with limited Open Banking or regulatory depth.
• API technologists without experience of Open Banking standards, consent models, or regulatory obligations.
• Engineers or developers without architecture ownership at scale.
• Payments specialists without Open Banking, VRP, or API ecosystem experience.
• Candidates with purely theoretical Open Banking knowledge who cannot describe real-world flows, controls, and architectural trade-offs.