Solutions Architect

SOLUTIONS ARCHITECT

Contract position available for a Solutions Architect in Johannesburg. The purpose of the role is to find a person with strong Solution architecture, design and integration skills; more than five years of experience in technical implementation; knowledgeable on a broad range of technologies, platforms, coding languages, design techniques and products relating to information technology as applied in the insurance industry. The goal is to gain a complete understanding of the business’ needs, ensuring that the systems integrate and move towards an ideal design; ensuring the integrity of the Company IT systems; to effectively communicate the design to the implementation teams

PLEASE NOTE THIS IS A CONTRACT POSITION. PLEASE DO NOT APPLY IF YOU ARE IN A PERMANENT POSITION AND ENSURE THAT YOU QUALIFY IN FULL FOR THE POSITION.

• Degree or Diploma with 10 years related experience.
• TOGAF (Foundation and Practitioner)
• ArchiMate
• Azure Certified Cloud Architect

The individual will be responsible for the creation, maintenance and management of IT solution architecture models and their lower-level components. They are also required to interpret, use, and apply information contained within IT architecture to inform a range of business improvement activities, particularly those involved in the design, development, enhancement, and maintenance of IT projects.

The primary role of the Solution Architect is to ensure that the respective business, application, data, and technology perspectives are in line with the organisation’s technology and governance strategies, policies, and standards.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Primary responsibility for defining architecture for the enterprise. The architect should operate at the business, application, data and technology levels of the TOGAF domains.
• Designs complex systems at the component level, makes strategic technology choices, and directly supervises the quality of designs and implementation inside and between components. Influence development managers to ensure appropriate levels of quality on owned architecture(s).
• Collaborates effectively with peer architects to solve complex problems spanning their respective areas and resolves technological disagreement with informed, rational debate.
• Research, collaborate, and liaise with 3rd party vendors to develop innovative solutions to complex problems.
• Document and communicate the architecture landscape and roadmap to achieving it.
• Facilitate the development and evolution of the architecture and global governance processes.
• Facilitate the process for approving architecture designs.
• Arbitrates disagreements among engineers and make decisions where needed without damaging relationships.
• Coaches, mentors, and delegates to software architects and developers to facilitate their development.
• Consulting on development and implementation projects across the group.
• Facilitate JAD sessions
• Document As-Is and To-Be capabilities – Process/People/Technology
• Facilitate cloud roadmap and responsible for Life Solutions journey to the cloud (Azure).
• Architect Applications, systems, and databases for Azure.

Experience:

• Experience in relevant technologies (particularly Microsoft technologies), development, design, architecture, and modelling processes
• Domain knowledge of insurance systems and pertinent technologies.
• Experience in Azure cloud architecture – applications and systems architected for the cloud.
• Web Services and API design, integration, hosting and security.
• Experience in evaluating third party solutions for security, privacy and fit for purpose.
• Experience in modelling As-Is and To-Be – identifying gaps and solutions to closing those gaps.

Competencies – Strategic and Marketing

• Consulting frameworks
• Understanding of business strategy and IT alignment and
• Insurance industry experience and good understanding of the industry, competition, and processes.

Competencies – Behavioural

• High tolerance of ambiguity
• High abstract reasoning and envisioning
• Creative initiator who seeks new and innovative solutions to problems
• Strong written and verbal communication
• Completor, Initiator, Assertive, Resourcer, Conflict management, Goal directed

Competencies – Human Resource and Leadership

• Stakeholder management, negotiation and conflict management
• Strong decision-making and action-orientation
• Mentoring and teaching of junior developers and development teams
• Presentation skills and consulting for technical and business teams