Job Description

A leading financial institution in Pretoria is looking for a Specialist Solutions Architecture to lead and coordinate the development of the architectural design of solutions to support the business goals and to ensure alignment of business and information technology (IT) at a solution level within the company. The specialist solution architect is also responsible for management of the application architecture evolution.

The ideal incumbent must have Togaf certification or related certifications (compulsory), at least 5 yearsxe2x80x99 experience in application and or solution architecture, and a 3-year qualification Degree or Advanced Diploma in ICT (Computer Science, Information Systems, Technology and Engineering) or related field.

Strategic Function

• Management of the baseline application architecture.
• Alignment of the target application architecture to the business strategy.
• Alignment of the solutions architecture to the target enterprise architecture.
• Support the implementation of the business unit balance score card (BSC) initiatives.

Product Management - Enterprise Architecture Management

• Development and maintenance of enterprise reference architectures mainly focussed on applications domain.
• Manage the evolution of the application portfolio at an appropriate rate and ensure continuous viability as the other related architectures change.
• Provide the reusable standards, guidelines, patterns and frameworks to application development projects, including those related to application architecture.
• Work in liaison with business stakeholders to develop application architecture roadmaps containing tactical and strategic initiatives to reach target application architecture.
• Identify and resolve dependencies and impacts across the architecture landscape.
• Conduct stakeholder reviews of architecture roadmaps and designs.
• Rationalize applications by determining applications in the application inventory that should be tolerated, invested on, migrated or eliminated.

Solution architecture development:

• Lead the development of the solution architectures for different projects and the end-to-end delivery of solutions to the business
• Quality-assurance of solution architecture deliverables to ensure compliance with architecture principles, and traceability to enterprise reference models and information and communications technology (ICT) standards to achieve standardisation, management of risk, and alignment between the enterprise architecture and solution architecture.
• Develop and ensure continuous improvement of solution architecture processes, procedures, standards and quality management frameworks.
• Develop and implement a communication plan to promote solution architecture and solution architecture deliverables to project and other stakeholders.
• Provide guidance to service providers, contracted resources and internal staff on application and solution architectures and the integration of appropriate controls and mechanisms in solution architectures and designs.
• Ensure alignment between enterprise architecture, solution architecture, architecture principles, information and communication technology (ICT) standards and security architecture to ensure standardisation and reduce risk.
• Design application interfaces and software services to maximize reuse based on the business processes and governance rules for data sharing.
• Design solutions based on business requirements that align with reference architecture, policies and standards.
• Ensure that all aspects of the solution architecture are optimized (as much as possible given other constraints of time and budget) by working with subject matter experts (SMEs) in the areas of technology, information and data architectures.
• Provide expertise in designing solutions for custom requirements.
• Engage relevant peers from other disciplines or domains during implementation of solution architecture/design.
• Collaborate with project management office (PMO) to coordinate project pipeline management.
• Liaise with other solutions architects to share best practices and insights.
• Develop and evaluate requests for information (RFIs) and requests for proposals (RFPs), where required.

Stakeholder Management

• Establish, build and maintain collaborative working relationships with relevant internal stakeholders.
• Build and maintain positive and value-adding relationships with relevant external stakeholders.
• Scan the environment to ensure a clear understanding of stakeholder needs.
• Proactively interact with stakeholders to determine their needs and deliver on them accordingly.
• Engage with both internal and external stakeholders to identify and evaluate performance barriers and success in order to continuously improve on the service delivery.
• Work in collaboration with colleagues in the centre to ensure timeous delivery of the work.
• Establish and maintain relations with recognised professional bodies within own professional sphere.
• Manage service level agreements (SLAs).

People Management

• Manage own performance.
• Participate in the BUxe2x80x99s transformation, culture, and diversity and employment equity initiatives.
• Commit to continuous learning and advancing of onexe2x80x99s skills so as to remain abreast with industry trends.

Financial Management and Operational Management

• Contribute to the compilation of centre budget, and manage project expenditure related to functional area.
• Ensure compliance to the organisationxe2x80x99s governance processes, policies and processes.
• Manage supply chain processes within own functional area.

Other Responsibilities

• Perform and/or manage other projects, tasks and assignments delegated by the supervisor not stipulated in the role profile description as and when required.

Technical Competencies

• Solution architecture
• Emerging technology monitoring
• Continuity management
• Methods and tools

Minimum requirement

• Minimum qualification of a 3-year Advanced Diploma / Bachelor's degree (NQF level 7) in ICT (Computer Science, Information Systems, Technology and Engineering) or related field.
• Compulsory TOGAF certification or other related certifications
• At least 5 yearsxe2x80x99 experience in application and or solution architecture

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