Job Description
Job Purpose
The Assistant Manager Solutions Architecture is responsible for defining, maintaining and evolving the emerging solution architecture to enable actualization of business objectives, harmonized with KRA’s reference architecture and evolution of solutions for modern, efficient and optimal operations.
This role is responsible for;
1. Identifying, analyzing, and directing the execution of change towards the solution architecture vision and enterprise mission, by providing and prioritizing “technical epics”, through documenting of target architectures, roadmaps & supporting solution evolution/transformation.
2. Working in collaboration with Software Development Leads to build solutions right, support in feature/ product roadmaps, champion and define architectural governance frameworks.
3. Supporting the continuous assessing, valuing, and sizing of initiatives to inform the Portfolio Backlog and related decisions.
4. Working in collaboration with other tech leads to guide the organization on harnessing technology trends and making critical solution decisions to achieve KRA’s mission and vision.
Key Responsibilities
1. Define and manage target and reference architecture and roadmap in alignment with the Enterprise architecture guidelines.
2. Oversee and lead the design, development, and deployment of best solution architecture practices, standards, and patterns.
3. Build modern solutions using new technologies while working with vendor roadmaps to define critical solutions evolution map.
4. Build, recruit, retain, manage and develop a world-class Solutions Architecture team.
5. Provide thought leadership on foundational digital architecture best practices and disruptive technology trajectory and implications.
Academic qualifications
• Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science, Information Systems, Information Technology or related fields from a recognized university.
Professional Qualifications / Membership to professional bodies
1. Enterprise Architecture certification is an added advantage
2. COBIT
3. ITIL
4. PRINCE 2 or PMP
5. ISACA and other ICT Professional Bodies
Work experience required
1. Four (4) or more years of business experience in strategic and operations planning and/or business analysis or relevant field.
2. Extensive experience in IT strategic planning, organization design and development.
3. One (1) year Experience in leading large architecture teams in an agile context, operating and influencing effectively across the organization and within complex contexts.
4. Experience in business capability modelling and technical and solution architecture development.
Functional and Technical Skills
1. Definition of long-term business, data and IT architecture strategy and roadmap
2. Solution Architecture planning and designing
3. Definition of integration APIs and ecosystem strategy
4. Technology Innovation: scouting, screening and evaluation
5. Cost of ownership of technology, Application portfolio management
6. Estimation techniques for scaled agile
7. Web-scale cloud-native architectures including IaaS, PaaS and SaaS
8. Design of infrastructure strategy and roadmap
9. Design of web-scale architectures and systems of innovation and engagement
10. DevOps practices and automation tools
11. Artificial intelligence, Machine Learning and Big data technologies and architectures
Behaviours and Competencies
1. Trusted and respected as a thought leader and change agent who can influence and persuade business and IT leaders
2. Organizationally savvy, and understanding of the political climate of the enterprise and how to navigate obstacles and politics
3. Comfortable, experienced and accomplished at working with business executives, and able to push back in a professional and diplomatic way
4. Excellent analytical, technical, and problem-solving skills, with high-levels of creativity and a practical approach that is principle-driven
5. Ability to balance the long-term (“big picture”) and short-term implications of individual decisions and effective at driving short term actions that are consistent with long-term goals
6. Excellent written and verbal communications skills, able to distil complex technical concepts into simple terms, with strong persuasion skills to gain support for and establish principles, standards, and change
7. Excellent relationship building, teamwork, and collaboration skills that enables the provision of effective support and guidance across programs
8. Ability to quickly comprehend the functions and capabilities of new technologies, with natural intellectual curiosity and integrity
9. Vendor and technology neutral –driven primarily by long-term business outcomes rather than personal preferences.