Manager (Solution Architect)

Role Overview

Manager (Solution Architect) at Alpha Financial Markets Consulting, based in the Middle East office. Relocation is not available for this role.

Company Overview

Alpha FMC is a specialist consulting firm focused on digital and operational transformation for Asset and Wealth Management, Alternative Investments, and Insurance clients worldwide. The EPM practice is a fast-growing, collaborative team delivering high-quality solutions across platforms including Anaplan, Pigment, and Workiva. This role operates at Manager or Senior Manager level within the EMEA EPM practice.

Role Purpose

Lead EPM design and delivery as a senior technical and client-facing Solution Architect. Shape architectural approaches, lead model-building teams through agile delivery, and serve as the primary technical voice with clients.

Key Responsibilities

Pre-Sales Support

• Contribute to pre-sales activities including building and presenting platform demonstrations, either personally or by directing a model builder.
• Develop deep familiarity with Alpha's accelerator models for Asset Managers, Real Estate, Private Markets, and Workforce Planning through active engagement with the wider EPM community.

Scope Definition and Discovery

• Own project scoping from initial discovery through to sign-off.
• Lead discovery sessions with client stakeholders to surface current-state processes, systems, and data flows.
• Document business and functional requirements with precision.
• Produce workflow and process diagrams of existing and future-state operations.
• Identify integration dependencies and assess enterprise-level system alignment.
• Flag scope risks early and communicate them directly to the Project Manager and client representatives.

Solution Design and Specifications

• Translate functional requirements into detailed project specifications and sprint plans prior to build commencement.
• Design and document the future-state operating model, including how new processes, data sources, and workflows connect through the EPM solution.
• Propose pragmatic workarounds where system capabilities and client specifications diverge.

Requirements Documentation

• Lead requirements gathering and maintain documentation discipline throughout the delivery lifecycle.
• Capture User Stories in JIRA.
• Examine existing systems to identify improvement and integration opportunities.

Client Engagement

• Engage directly with client stakeholders throughout the project, from discovery through to deployment.
• Prepare and present sprint reviews, progress updates, integration reports, and demonstrations.
• Communicate effectively with both business sponsors and technical counterparts.
• Receive and incorporate evolving requirements from clients during delivery.
• Work with the Project Manager to prioritise and re-plan accordingly.

Qualifications & Experience

• University degree or equivalent professional qualification.
• Anaplan Solution Architect Certified.
• 5 years or more of consulting background managing Anaplan platforms in internal Finance teams.
• Demonstrable experience in requirements gathering, documentation, and scoping across complex programmes.
• Desired: Financial modelling experience in Private Markets, Asset Management, or Insurance.

Skills & Competencies

• Deep knowledge of Anaplan, including advanced concepts, model design best practices, and integration design patterns.
• Strong Excel modelling background; familiarity with broader EPM and finance systems is advantageous.
• Proficiency in process mapping tools such as Visio or LucidChart.
• Experience with JIRA or equivalent agile project tooling for user story and backlog management.
• Competency in Microsoft Office, particularly PowerPoint and Word, for client-facing deliverables.
• Exceptional written and oral communication skills with the ability to present confidently to both business and technology audiences.
• Strong analytical and problem-solving capability, with attention to detail and the ability to quickly grasp complex, cross-functional requirements.
• Track record of managing client relationships and delivering under pressure.
• Ability to interact effectively with vendors and partners to gather technical information critical to project scope and execution.
• Self-motivated, proactive, and organised in a fast-paced consulting environment.
• Ability to prioritise workload and manage competing expectations across multiple stakeholders.
• Genuine interest in Financial Services, Private Markets, and the technology landscape underpinning these sectors.
• Appetite to grow knowledge across Alpha's broader EPM platform portfolio.
• Arabic fluency is a bonus.