Purpose
The Senior Solution Architect designs and communicates high-level structures to enable and guide the design and development of integrated solutions that meet current and future business needs focusing on program / project requirements.
The Senior Solution Architect must demonstrate how agreed requirements (such as automation of business processes) are met, any requirements which are not fully met or, and any options or considerations which require a business decision will impact changes to service, process, organisation, operating model and other aspects which may be required in addition to technology components and solutions.
Furthermore the role is responsible for the provisioning of comprehensive guidance on the development of, and modifications to, solution components to ensure that they take account of relevant architectures, strategies, policies, standards and practices and that existing and planned solution component remain compatible.
Key Accountabilities
Solution Architecture
* Uses appropriate tools, including logical models of components and interfaces, to contribute to the development of systems architectures in specific business or functional areas.
* Produces detailed component specifications and translates these into detailed designs for implementation using selected products.
* Within a business change programme, assists in the preparation of technical plans and cooperates with business assurance and project staff to ensure that appropriate technical resources are made available.
* Provides advice on technical aspects of system development and integration (including requests for changes, deviations from specifications, etc.) and ensures that relevant technical strategies, policies, standards and practices (including security) are applied correctly.
Technical Specialism
* Maintains an in-depth knowledge of specific technical specialisms, and provides expert advice regarding their application.
* Can supervise specialist technical consultancy. The specialism can be any aspect of information or communication technology, technique, method and product or application area.
Emerging technology monitoring
* Maintains awareness of opportunities provided by new technology to address challenges or to enable new ways of working.
* Within own sphere of influence, works to further organisational goals, by the use of emerging technologies and products.
* Contributes to briefings and presentations about their relevance and potential value to the organisation.
Requirements definition and management
* Facilitates scoping and business priority-setting for change initiatives of medium size and complexity.
* Contributes to selection of the most appropriate means of representing business requirements in the context of a specific change initiative, ensuring traceability back to source.
* Discovers and analyses requirements for fitness for purpose as well as adherence to business objectives and consistency, challenging positively as appropriate.
* Obtains formal agreement by stakeholders and recipients to scope and requirements and establishes a base-line on which delivery of a solution can commence.
* Manages requests for and the application of changes to base-lined requirements.
* Identifies the impact on business requirements of interim (e.g. migration) scenarios as well as the required end position.
Data Analysis
* Investigates corporate data requirements, and applies data analysis, data modelling and quality assurance techniques, to establish, modify or maintain data structures and their associated components (entity descriptions, relationship descriptions, attribute definitions).
* Provides advice and guidance to database designers and others using the data structures and associated components.
Systems Design
* Recommends/designs structures and tools for systems which meet business needs and takes into account target environment, performance security requirements and existing systems.
* Delivers technical visualisation of proposed applications for approval by customer and execution by system developers.
* Translates logical designs into physical designs, and produces detailed design documentation.
* Maps work to user specification and removes errors and deviations from specification to achieve user-friendly processes.
Database Design
* Develops and maintains specialist knowledge of database concepts, object and data modelling techniques and design principles and a detailed knowledge of database architectures, software and facilities.
* Analyses data requirements to establish, modify or maintain object/data models.
* Evaluates potential solutions, demonstrating, installing and commissioning selected products.
Programming / software development
* Designs, codes, tests, corrects and documents large and/or complex programs and program modifications from supplied specifications using agreed standards and tools, to achieve a well-engineered result.
* Takes part in reviews of own work and leads reviews of colleagues' work.
Relationship management
* Implements stakeholder engagement/ communications plans, including, for example; handling of complaints; problems and issues; managing resolutions; corrective actions and lessons learned; collection and dissemination of relevant information.
* Uses feedback from customers and stakeholders to help measure effectiveness of stakeholder management.
* Helps develop and enhance customer and stakeholder relationships.
People Management
* Build the appropriate structure to be able to effectively manage the respective organization, identify and develop future talents and create realistic succession scenarios for key positions
* Ensure appropriate leadership skills are present at every level through creating a motivational and supportive work environment in which employees are coached, trained and provided with career opportunities through development
* Allocate the different work to the respective employees considering experience, complexity, workload and organizational efficiency
* Continuously monitor and evaluate team workload and organizational efficiency with the support of IT systems, data, analysis and team feedback and make appropriate changes in order to meet business needs.
* Provide team members/direct reports with clear direction and targets that are aligned with business needs and GIT objectives
Knowledge, Capabilities and Experience
* English language (fluent)
* Acquiring a proper understanding of a problem or situation by breaking it down systematically into its component parts and identifying the relationships between these parts, selecting the appropriate method/tool to resolve the problem and reflecting on the result.
* Identifying gaps in the available information required to understand a problem or situation and devising means of remedying such gaps.
* Determining a course of action by breaking it down into smaller steps and by planning and resourcing each of these, making allowance for potential problems.
* Understanding the needs of the internal or external customer and keeping them in mind when taking actions or making decisions
* Being proactive, taking action and anticipating opportunities.
* Applying quality standards to all tasks undertaken and ensuring that nothing is overlooked.
* Communicating effectively by word of mouth.
* Communicating effectively in writing and via emails.
* Working co-operatively (rather than competitively) with others to achieve a common goal.
Qualifications
1. Four-year college or university degree with focus on IT, or equivalent combination of education and experience
2. A minimum of 8 years of progressive work experience, at least 4 years in an IT Solution Architecture role.