IT Architect Specialist (Business Architecture)

IT Architect Specialist (Business Architecture)

BC Hydro

Posted November 28, 2024
Burnaby

Job Overview

The Business Architect will join the Enterprise Architecture team which is part of BC Hydro Technology; partnering with key business and technology stakeholders to produce strategies, roadmaps, plans, reference architectures, solution blueprints & designs to help guide technology investments and deliver quality, secure solutions that align to business goals and objectives.

The Business Architect will provide services that:

• Strategically guide the design and realization of business and operating models
• Identify and guide people, processes and technology requirements to operationalize the operating models
• Support organizational change and investments in response to disruptive forces and toward achieving targeted business outcomes
• Create Business Architecture deliverables that clarify strategic intentions, identify business outcomes, explore implications, impacts and risks
• Help leaders understand, apply and operationalize existing, new, and emerging technologies to transform and optimize business and operating models
• Support the evolution of the Enterprise Architecture teams' services and help define the strategy for the EA discipline.
• Align business and IT.

To deliver these services, the Business Architect builds strong relationships with business and IT leaders. This role also leads and mentors solution architects, SMEs and delivery teams assigned to various initiatives to ensure efficient execution of business imperatives and alignment to technology standards.

Duties:

• Responsible for Business Architecture, including Business Process Re-engineering; working with key stakeholders to define a strategic plan for leveraging Business Architecture as part of the organization's overall enterprise architecture.
• Establishes Business Architecture Center of Excellence including methodology, guiding principles, standards, systems and processes.
• Establishes and executes appropriate governance, ensuring that Business Architecture is a primary input to the development of other EA viewpoints such as solutions, information and technical architecture.
• Participates in the EA governance and assurance process to identify business, information, and solution architecture issues at the front end of the project life cycle, and at the different stages of the product and project lifecycle.
• Works in collaboration with stakeholders to support and advise on business process related activities / initiatives / projects throughout the organization.
• Defines appropriate project-related Business Architecture deliverables, review and approve such deliverables.
• Responsible for cross process integration and synergy during design as well as continuous improvement.
• Leads and champions Business Architecture as a discipline across the organization, in support of clear line of sight from business objectives and processes through to technology solutions.
• Seeks ways to drive adoption of new technology and reuse existing technology for enabling business capabilities, value streams and business processes.
• Ability to assess the value and risk of existing, new and emerging technologies against new business designs and business models to achieve targeted business outcomes.
• Helps business leaders, business units and lines of business executives with design thinking, business modeling, ecosystem modeling, innovation management and operating model design.
• Facilitates development of cross lines of business solutions that combine knowledge of business capabilities, value streams and business processes.
• Collaborates with project and operational teams to ensure continuous delivery of business outcomes, as well as to identify when it is necessary to evolve the Business Architecture; providing Business Architecture advice and direction as required.
• Act independently as program or project architect for high risk and complex initiatives, ensuring that architecture elements are standardized and consistent.
• Advises on solution options, risks, costs versus benefits, and impact on other business capabilities and processes.
• Identify risks and opportunities to maximize the return on technology and related investments through optimized architectures and prudent technology selection.
• Liaise with the stakeholders across different functional areas to gather, evaluate and level set solution requirements and constraints.
• Collaborate with planning/project/operations teams to reconcile solutions to the business challenge.
• Provide leadership and mentoring to internal resources and partners.
• Work collaboratively with team of fellow professionals delivering results within a tight time line.
• Exercise professionalism in ensuring effective teamwork and fostering productive relationships.
• Track developments and changes in the Business Architecture landscape, as well as associated standards and best practices, and ensure adequately addressed in strategy, plans and architecture artifacts.

Qualifications:

• Bachelor's Degree in Business, Information Systems, Computer Science, Engineering or equivalent.
• A minimum of 8 years of relevant experience.
• Five or more years of experience with a direct responsibility for strategy formulation and/or translation, business analysis/analytics and/or Business Architecture.
• Three or more years of solution architecture experience covering both business and technology architecture solutions, including IT products, services and capabilities.
• Experience facilitating, leading, or being a part of, multi-disciplined, high-performance teams.
• Experience developing and monitoring delivery of efficient and effective solutions to diverse and complex business problems.
• Experience in all aspects of designing and constructing business capabilities, value streams, business processes, and operating models.
• Solid understanding of Business Architecture frameworks, processes and systems utilized in electric utilities and demonstrable experience in delivering architecture and designs as an enterprise or solution architect.
• Experience in complex business process integrations/orchestration, systems integrations/orchestration, business process management and workflows.
• In-depth knowledge of business principles, frameworks, architectures and designs; as well as enterprise architecture methods, standards, and approaches.
• In-depth experience of architecture platforms and tools - SAP Signavio and LeanIX are preferred, experience with other architecture platforms and tools will be considered.
• In-depth knowledge of operational and information technologies and systems in at least two of the following, preferably in a utilities environment:
• Business solutions including but not limited to ERP, Call Center & Telephony, Customer Relationship Management, Customer Portals, Modern Workplace Management.
• Solutions and platforms for grid management including but not limited to EMS, ADMS, OMS, DERMS, DRMS, SCADA, AMI, GIS and EAM.
• Enterprise platforms including but not limited to data & analytics, cybersecurity, mobility, integration.
• Solid understanding of emerging technology themes like OT-IT Convergence, Smart Grid, IIoT, Artificial Intelligence, Edge Computing and Advanced Analytics.
• Demonstrable knowledge and understanding of applicable compliance and cyber security standards including NERC reliability standards (e.g. CIP, O&P) and NIST.
• Business acumen combined with knowledge of industry standards and frameworks for delivering IT-OT architectures and/or service management.
• Excellent analytical and problem-solving skills with the ability to keep the big picture in perspective; create original concepts and theories for a variety of scenarios.
• Experience explaining complex technical concepts to a non-technical audience.
• Trusted and respected as a thought leader who can influence and persuade business and IT leaders, and maintain a high level of customer trust and confidence.
• Ability to cross the divide between Engineering and IT and to communicate effectively with both groups.
• Excellent written and oral communication skills and experience with facilitations and negotiations.
• Acumen to assess if a proposed solution will achieve desired business outcomes, and provide recommendations/direction for alternate options where applicable.
• Ability to identify, resolve and close issues to the satisfaction of all stakeholders.
• Ability to work independently under minimal supervision.
• Ability to consistently meet required deadlines.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

• A minimum of 15 paid vacation days
• Flexible work model, depending on your role type
• Training and development courses

For more information on the benefits we offer, visit bchydro.com/benefits.

BC Hydro is an equal opportunity employer.

We include everyone. We welcome applications from anyone, including members of visible minorities, women, Indigenous peoples, persons with disabilities, persons of minority sexual orientations and gender identities, and others with the skills and knowledge to productively engage with diverse communities.