Solution Architect - Cognizant

Role Overview

The ServiceNow Solution Architect - HR Service Delivery (HRSD) leads and directs the end-to-end execution of ServiceNow HRSD implementations. You will act as the bridge between HR business stakeholders and technical delivery teams - translating workforce service requirements into scalable, governed platform solutions. You will provide mentorship and technical leadership to Cognizant and client resources, own architectural deliverables, and champion best practices across platform design, integration, development standards, and HRSD domain expertise.

In addition to architecture leadership, you will take a hands-on role in advanced development, peer reviews, work-effort estimation, and technical governance - ensuring high-quality outcomes across the programme lifecycle.

Key Responsibilities

Solution Architecture & Design

• Own end-to-end ServiceNow solution architecture for HRSD engagements, covering HR Case Management, Employee Service Centre, HR Integrations, Lifecycle Events, and Manager/Employee Self-Service portals.

• Define and enforce platform governance, design standards, coding conventions, and development best practices for HRSD implementations.

• Lead requirements workshops and design sessions, consulting on ServiceNow capabilities and HRSD standard processes to shape solutions aligned to client objectives.

• Ensure solutions fit within the broader enterprise architecture - addressing technical, business, user, and security perspectives.

• Produce and manage key architectural artefacts including platform architecture documentation, integration design documents, data model specifications, and work-effort estimates.

Technical Leadership & Development

• Configure and implement ServiceNow Core HR applications including Employee Service Centre, HR Services, HR Catalogue, Record Producers, Assignment Rules, and HR Service Portal branding.

• Architect and implement security controls to protect HR data, including role-based access, ACLs, and data segregation in line with HR data privacy requirements.

• Translate requirements, user stories, and mock-ups into fully functional features at the highest standard of technical quality.

• Design and implement ServiceNow integrations with HCM systems (e.g. SAP SuccessFactors, Workday) using REST/SOAP APIs, IntegrationHub, and MID Servers.

• Review solution designs, configurations, and customisations for quality, scalability, and upgrade-compatibility.

Stakeholder Engagement & Governance

• Facilitate communication between HR process owners, business stakeholders, and C-Suite - translating technical concepts into accessible language for all audiences.

• Provide top-level technology architecture consultancy, bringing thought leadership and innovative platform solutions to clients.

• Advise on frameworks, platform applications, and technical stacks that best address business problems, including risk-versus-value assessments for third-party integrations.

• Manage critical project processes including architecture documentation, integration documentation, and hands-on advanced development when required.

• Clearly define platform and project governance for all team members, acting as the final owner for technical decision-making within engagements.

Team Development & Mentoring

• Lead, educate, mentor, and develop junior and mid-level Cognizant developers assigned to HRSD projects.

• Provide peer review, technical guidance, and development oversight to ensure consistent quality across all deliverables.

• Contribute to capability development within the ServiceNow practice, supporting pre-sales activities, design tools, and delivery frameworks.

Skills, Qualifications & Experience

Technical Skills

• Minimum 6 years of hands-on ServiceNow experience, with at least 3 years in an architect or senior technical lead capacity.

• Demonstrated expertise in ServiceNow HRSD module - including HR Case Management, Employee Service Centre, Lifecycle Events, HR Catalogue, and HR Integrations.

• Strong proficiency in ServiceNow platform architecture and data model, with hands-on scripting experience in JavaScript (business rules, client scripts, script includes, scheduled jobs).

• Experience designing and implementing integrations with HCM platforms (e.g. Workday, SAP SuccessFactors) using REST, SOAP, IntegrationHub, and MID Servers.

• Ability to configure security controls for HR data protection including ACLs, roles, and data scoping.

• Proficiency with ServiceNow tooling: Flow Designer, App Engine Studio, Studio IDE, Update Sets, and CI/CD pipelines.

• Experience with front-end development within ServiceNow: Service Portal, UI Builder, Angular, HTML5, CSS/Sass, and SP Widgets is advantageous.

Domain & Process Knowledge

• Strong understanding of HR Service Delivery processes - case management, employee onboarding/offboarding, HR knowledge management, and self-service workflows.

• Familiarity with ITIL framework principles and how they apply to HR service operations.

• Experience across the full implementation lifecycle: discovery, design, build, test, training, deployment, and hypercare.

• Participated in at least 3 end-to-end ServiceNow implementations, with direct responsibility for HRSD design and architecture.

Interpersonal & Professional Skills

• Excellent communication skills - able to articulate complex technical concepts clearly for both technical teams and business stakeholders.

• Proven ability to run requirements workshops, defend architectural decisions, and build strategic roadmaps.

• Strong project management skills: ability to plan work, manage dependencies, meet deadlines, and deliver quality outcomes.

• Effective at facilitating alignment between process owners, project managers, and executive sponsors.

Certifications

The following certifications are evaluated as evidence of technical competency, in line with fair, merit-based assessment.

• ServiceNow Certified System Administrator (CSA) - Required
• ServiceNow CIS - HRSD - Required
• Certified Technology Architect (CTA) - Required
• ServiceNow Certified Application Developer (CAD) - Preferred
• ServiceNow CIS - ITSM - Preferred
• Additional CIS certifications (ITOM, HRSD) - Advantageous

Education

A degree or equivalent professional qualification in Information Technology, Computer Science, Engineering, or a related discipline is preferred. Equivalent practical experience in ServiceNow solution architecture will be given equal consideration, consistent with merit-based hiring principles.