Job Description

Role purpose:

• The Business Architect provides thought leadership for client solutions within specified Industry Vertical/s.
• The Business Architect meets the need of ever increasing solution complexity in the Industry Vertical by having the ability to understand customer business and technology environment (at industry and corporate level) that influence strategic architecture and technology decisions.
• The Business Architect is a Business Solution Consultant in a complex customer solution environment who is an Innovator in solution designing.
• An Expert Consultant with Big Picture thinking and possessing the breadth of knowledge within an Industry Vertical to engage multiple architecture functions within the Customer environment to jointly unpack challenges and provide and business solutions.
• A Resource understanding the Industry Vertical and the emerging ICT technologies that address the Vertical.
• A Consultant who is a technically focussed individual who also understands the business planning cycles within the Industry Vertical

Your responsibilities will include:

• Participates in the customer business strategy and planning sessions.
• Actively provides input to and shapes the customer ICT strategies and roadmaps within the specific Industry Vertical. Ensures that that proposed solutions are aligned to the strategy.
• Assist clients to develop strategic ICT solutions and consider the impacts the solution could have to the organization's overall business processes and strategies.
• Possesses a sound understanding of the Industry Vertical in which the Customer operates technical environment end-to-end has an intimate knowledge of how changes in one architecture impact other architectures.
• The Business Architect is the bridge between IT and the Board room and is able to explain technical challenges in a business context and vice versa. Articulates how business requirements translate into design decisions and how design decisions enable and impact the business.
• Is the trusted Subject Matter Expert (SME) on Industry Solutions for identified key customers.

• The Business Architect is the Solution Champion inside Vodacom within Specific Industry Vertical/s.
• A Thought Leader in assisting Vodacom develop value adding and unique service offerings that create a value proposition within the Industry Vertical.
• As such he/she works with a virtual team in formulating solutions and design plans, considering technology, processes and business risks.
• Assist Solutions Architects (Pre-Sales Consultants) responding to RFP/tenders with vertical market related knowledge and solutions.
• He/she will feed common business opportunities and challenges into Vodacom Product House and Technical Service Design Teams to ensure the correct market related product and services are developed for the Industry Vertical.
• Serves as a facilitator between technical and business teams, creating understanding and shared goals through collaboration across Vodacom.
• Assist in creation of Vertical Market technology solutions.
• Document architecture designs and standards for implemented solutions.
• Assists in the creation of Reference Architectures, Systems Models, and Use Case scenarios to empower the Pre-Sales teams operating in the Industry Vertical.
• Business/Technology focus: 50/50
• Gives guidance to Presales Bid team on how to articulate salient and viable solutions to business problems
• Translates client opportunities/challenges into known technical solutions that cross Architectures.

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• The Business Architect understands the Customer technical environment in a Specific Industry vertical end-to-end and has an intimate knowledge of how changes in one architecture impacts other architectures.
• Has a sound knowledge of Customer Solution designs across the Vodacom 7 pillars of Convergence. (LAN, WAN, Cloud, IoT, Unified Communications, Security and Enterprise Mobility)
• Has the ability to function in an environment with a high level of uncertainty.
• Develops technology architectural framework by integrating functional building blocks.
• Possess the ability to think out of the box and take the lead on solutions never done before.
• Presentation Skills - have the ability to articulate very technical details simply and in an articulate manner
• Conduct research on and keep abreast of ICT trends to identify new product opportunities. Utilise solution design experience and expertise to provide input into and create architecture for new product development

The ideal candidate for this role will have:

• Grade 12 (essential)
• 3-year Degree in IT or Engineering related field or Business (essential).
• Industry certifications, CCDA, CISSP CCDE
• Certification and/or experience with enterprise architecture methodologies and frameworks, such as TOGAF, Zachman an added advantage.
• IT Service Management knowledge and certification an advantage: ITIL Foundations; Prince II
• Business Management knowledge an advantage
• A minimum of 10 years relevant experience in Pre-Sales Business Solution Consulting across the Pillars of Convergence including LAN / WAN, Unified Communications, Security, Cloud and Hosting, IoT and Enterprise Mobility.
• Specific Industry Vertical knowledge required.

Job Knowledge:

• In-depth technical knowledge of converged Pre-Sales solution Consulting and Solution design. Sound knowledge of WAN / LAN / Unified Communications / Security/ Cloud & Hosting / Enterprise Mobility/ IoT solution designs.
• Business Solution Consulting in Specific Industry Verticals.
• Cross Domain Technology Architecture knowledge coupled with pre-sales consulting experience in Specific Industry Verticals.

Job-Related Skills:

• Expert Consultant
• Business acumen
• Technical writing skills.
• Good Interpersonal skills.
• High degree of creativity.
• Attention to detail.
• Customer centricity

Closing date for Applications: 16 November 2023
The base location for this role is Midrand, Vodacom Campus.
The company's approved Employment Equity Plan and Targets will be considered as part of the recruitment process. As an Equal Opportunities employer, we actively encourage and welcome people with various disabilities to apply.
Vodacom is committed to an organisational culture that recognises, appreciates and values diversity & inclusion.