Senior Solutions Architect

Role Purpose:

The purpose of the role is to create high quality data, application and technology architectures that meets business needs and requirements, and to lead the realisation of the design into the final solution implementation.

Serving as a technical expert, the role is accountable for architecting and designing highly complex, large scale and comprehensive solutions across the enterprise, and partners with key stakeholders (e.g., senior leaders, project managers, business analysts) to create solutions that are fully integrated with business needs and aligned to architecture and technology standards and principles.

Role Description:

• Create architectures and designs for solutions that are aligned with business blueprints, nonfunctional requirements, delivery constraints, data, application and technology standards, and architecture standards.
• Lead, analyse and understand highly complex large scale business requirements across the enterprise in the context of the current business environment and document the current technology landscape using easily understandable language and visualisation techniques.
• Develop and maintain expertise in current and future trends in Information Technology in the retail industry and provide innovative and actionable insights and recommendations into how new developments in IT solutions can be leveraged within Shoprite.
• Lead, support and guide the creation of highly complex, large scale and comprehensive conceptual, logical, and physical solution designs across the enterprise, using appropriate modelling techniques and methodologies. Guide the solutions architecture team on more complex solutions and designs where expertise is required.
• Research, identify and co-create suitable solution(s) and alternatives that address large scale complex project/business needs or requirements, solution delivery and operations areas and engage stakeholders across business and functions to obtain agreement on solutions identified.
• Lead and ensure the provision of large scale highly complex enterprise-wide solution architectures aligned to the strategic direction of business, data, application, and technology architectures and develop and maintain Shoprite’s enterprise architecture repository.
• Identify and analyse solution architecture best practice trends and emerging technologies, determine their potential impact on the enterprise, and lead/drive/guide the implementation and adoption of recommended solutions. Ensure solution architecture quality across large, multiple and complex projects and serve as the primary point of contact for solution design between the project team and the SDLC process.
• Lead, guide and execute the design, implementation and functioning of solutions across multiple areas, and partner with the Enterprise Architect to define and develop solutions.
• Serve as the technical lead across projects and provide technical direction and mentoring on all project resources.
• Work closely with Business Analysts, System Analysts and Project Managers as technical lead to design and implement highly complex solutions.
• Provide architectural oversight and guidance to development teams to design high-quality technical solutions that fit the solution architecture principles & standards during the detailed design, build, test and deploy phases.
• Review solution architecture deliverables throughout the system lifecycle of multiple and complex projects for compliance to architecture principles and standards.
• Detect critical deficiencies in the current solution architecture across the organisation and proactively recommend improvements. Define solution design standards and SDLC governance requirements.
• Lead and provide oversight during the definition, development of frameworks, processes, policies, procedures, and templates to guide and govern the Solution Architecture across multiple areas.
• Lead all solution design and contribute to the development and maintenance of solution architecture principles and quality compliance criteria to guide technology decisions on multiple projects.
• Lead, develop and guide the development and the setting of solution modelling standards and guidelines.
• Perform, deliver, and report on highly complex solutions architecture projects and define a set of metrics to measure and report on the performance of the various solution architecture processes.
• Serve as coach and mentor to solutions architecture team and contribute toward building the architecture capability within the Shoprite Group.

Qualifications and experience: THE ESSENTIALS

• 3+ Diploma /Degree in Information Systems / B.Sc. Computer Science (or similar).
• Expert Certification in cloud technologies.
• +6 years’ experience in a Senior Solutions Architect within SAP Retail.
• Demonstrated expert knowledge and aptitude in translating and articulating the difference between business and system requirements.
• Excellent design and architecture skills and proven track record delivering well designed complex enterprise class systems.
• Expert knowledge and experience in the identification and formulation of solution architecture and solution alternatives and their assessment.
• Extensive experience developing and architecting object-oriented applications using multiple programming languages and paradigms.
• Demonstrated expertise in a variety of application development methodologies and practices.
• Experience leading a team through an architectural development process and collaborating with application development teams, architects, and other members of the software development team.
• Retail industry experience with an understanding of retail business processes.
• In-depth understanding of and experience with current research and standards in Solution Architecture and emerging technologies.
• Demonstrated working knowledge of TOGAF enterprise architecture framework.
• Demonstrated working knowledge of Agile ways of working.

THEN THE - Desirables

• Project management experience of large/complex projects.
• Design principles using ARIS.

Key competencies and work ethic:

• Technical leadership capability – Positively serves the team and shows an appreciation for team morale. Mentors team members, supporting their development and enabling them to deliver on their objectives.
• Collaborative partner – Builds strong relationships with stakeholders while driving cross functional work teams and projects. Open, honest and direct, comfortable giving and receiving constructive feedback. Thinks and acts independently as well as collaboratively.
• Technology expert, bringing top-quality expertise to drive priorities while introducing new tools and practices. Is curious and adaptable, finds agile and rapid ways of implementing solutions fast.
• Analytical and detailed - Readily grasps new concepts and information, investigates various courses of action and integrates multiple sources of data to guide decision-making and identify optimal solutions.
• Innovative and solution-orientated – Thinks outside of the box. Sound judgment, quick decision making and the ability to generate solutions that serve the flow of work and meeting deadlines.
• Results-driven - Proactively drives results, setting stretch goals for self and others, while remaining focused and working tenaciously to meeting and exceeding expectations within quality standards.
• Planning and organising – Able to timeously and efficiently prioritise and execute multiple and competing demands in a fast-paced environment. Identifies urgent and important tasks/priorities to ensure delivery.
• Business acumen - Understands how business operates and the issues and risks that drive technological success and impact commercial viability.
• Communication skills – Communicates effectively while being able to convert complex concepts into well-articulated messages. Adopts a range of influencing styles to facilitate and deal with challenges internally and externally.
• Team Collaboration Skills: Creates a safe team environment that promotes acceptance of failure; strong understanding when and how to include different parties; actively encourages people to live company values.
• Flexible and resilient – Able to work in a fast-paced environment, balancing multiple and competing priorities while managing ambiguity and adapting as the business evolves.
• Digital centric and savvy - Passionate about the possibilities of digital technologies and its value for the business. A self-starter who can come up to speed quickly on our applications, technologies, and processes.