IT Solutions Architect

About this role

My client is seeking an experienced Solutions Architect to join their team.  Working across several business units and spread across multiple IT disciplines you’ll translate business requirements into Solutions for the business.  Based in North Dublin, you’ll enjoy a strong base salary, bonus, annual leave, plus benefits

 Key Responsibilities

• Develop, manage and adhere to the architecture principles, standards and templates and drive alignment to these through the solution architecture process.
• Manage and continuously improve the Solution Architecture process and artefacts to develop a set of re-usable reference architectures and ensure these are leveraged wherever possible.
• Help develop technical strategy for key technology and application domain areas which will be used to input into the overall IT strategy, IT roadmap and IT investment planning.
• Act as initial point of contact for solution options via the demand planning process
• Ensure alignment of technology strategy with what is being delivered (projects) by providing solution governance, expertise and direction to development and procurement initiatives within the organisation by reviewing requirements at an early stage, assessing their architectural significance and identifying opportunities for standardisation, re-use and consolidation.
• Ensure that all solution designs, both internal and third party provided are documented as per solution architecture process and stored in the organisation’s central architecture repository to facilitate compliance, organisation and access.
• Ensure any deviation from technology strategy, principles & standards are properly identified, actioned and communicated.
• Provide leadership and support for the Solution Architecture process to Technical architects within the wider IT team on individual projects in specific technical areas.

Knowledge, skills and experience

• Minimum of 5 years’ experience in a technical role, at least 3 of which were in a design focused / architecture role in complex, 24/7 environment
• Architectural thinker who can demonstrate an understanding of architecture and technology strategy and the importance of aligning to same
• Understand and advocate the benefits of an architecture focused approach to IT and willing to “sell” the architecture process, its outcome and ongoing results within IT and to the business customer
• Demonstrate an ability to understand the long-term (“big picture”) as well as short-term perspectives of situations
• Project design experience from concept/initiation all the way through to deployment (project implementation experience a plus) in an infrastructure focused role.
• Ability to work with business relationship managers and business analysts in understanding varied business requirements and be capable of bridging the gap between business and technology via solution analysis and solution design methodologies
• Exposure to diverse business systems, technologies and processing environments with a high level of integration. Ideally in an non-development environment (i.e. COTS )
• Knowledge of Solution Architecture, with practical experience of applying TOGAF or other architecture framework methodologies to IT a plus.
• Broad and moderately deep knowledge in at least 3 of the following key areas: Storage, Servers & OS, Networks & Telecoms, Virtualisation & Cloud and Resilience, Scale & Capacity architecture
• Excellent interpersonal skills in areas such as teamwork, facilitation and negotiation – with both technical, project and business teams.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills
• TOGAF / IASA CITA qualification or similar an advantage.
• Experience creating architecture models, business processes using archimate in SPARX toolset or similar desirable