Description
Job Overview
This position is responsible for leading the program to develop, maintain and govern the Enterprise Architecture (EA) across the organization. In order to be in the technology solutions family, an incumbent must have proven themselves as capable of taking any business situation and being able to solve it functionally, technically, interpersonally and with expert process skills. Define the EA process and architecture review process, and lead the integration of those processes with related business and IT processes. Lead the creation or evolution of the EA function/program. Understand, advocate and support the enterprise's IT strategies. Lead the identification and analysis of enterprise business drivers to derive useful business context. Lead analysis of the current IT environment to detect critical deficiencies and recommend solutions for improvement. Lead analysis of technology industry and market trends to determine their potential impact on the EA. Promote the EA process, outcomes and results to the organization, including the enterprise's IT and business leaders. Lead and facilitate the creation of governing principles to guide EA decision making. Lead the development of an implementation plan for the EA based on business requirements and IT strategies. Ensure that the optimal governance structure and compliance activities (such as handling waivers) are associated with EA compliance. Oversee EA implementation and ongoing refinement activities. Oversee the evaluation and selection of EA standards. Consult with project teams to fit projects to EA, as well as to identify when it is necessary to modify the EA to accommodate project needs. Consult with infrastructure development project teams to fit infrastructure to architecture, as well as to identify when it is necessary to modify the technical architecture to accommodate infrastructure needs. Identify organizational requirements for the resources, structures and cultural changes necessary to support the EA. Oversee the documentation of all architecture design and analysis work. Lead the development and execution of a communication and education plan for the EA. Assess and communicate the value of the EA.
Translate the client's business requirements into specific systems, applications or process designs for very large complex IT solutions and integrating architecture. Act as an advocate for the client and has the ultimate authority on the architecture designed to address client business problems. Function as the most expert technical resource available in a company. Work on significant and unique issues where analysis of situations or data requires an evaluation of intangibles. Exercise independent judgment in methods, techniques and evaluation criteria for obtaining results. Contact pertains to significant matters often involving coordination among groups. May work on issues that impact design success or address future concepts, products or technologies. Often serves as a consultant to management.
Work is non-standardized and widely varied, involving many complex and significant variables including significant time spent planning, evaluating complex solutions and issues, and negotiating outcomes. Strong analytic ability and inductive thinking are frequently required to devise new approaches to situations where previously accepted solutions have proven inadequate. Position regularly makes recommendations to management on areas of significance to the division. Supervision received typically consists of providing periodic coaching, advice and feedback. Specifies requirements for a plan and/or budget.
Greater latitude and discretion is warranted in making decisions, which affect major areas of CA and possibly the organization's public image. The job is constantly expected to apply creative solutions to complex problems and develop new ideas and concepts. Reviews and approves decisions and/or recommendations that may have a significant impact on the entire organization.
Decisions have a major impact to multiple divisions or the organization and may impact the general direction of CA. Errors may cause continuous adverse influence on the future operations of the organization, in matters involving important customer commitments, organizational liability, and other matters which may appreciably affect future costs.
Key Responsibilities
Provide direction for technology design activities.
Derive logical processes on technical platforms and engage in performance/integration testing.
Design user system interfaces and business application prototypes.
Lead and define the program to develop, maintain, and govern the Enterprise Architecture across the organization.
Define the Enterprise Architecture process and architecture review process and lead the integration of those processes with related business and IT processes.
Understand and support the Enterprise Architecture strategy.
Lead analysis of technology industry and market trends and determine the impact on the Enterprise Architecture.
Oversee the documentation of architecture design and analysis work. Complete documentation as needed.
Identify, evaluate, specify, document and communicate standard tools and environments, integration technologies and practices, and component reuse strategies.
Provide senior technical leadership to translation of business requirements into technical specifications across a broad range of technology domains.
Provide technical leadership regarding the architecture, configuration, integration, and adoption of technology solutions across the enterprise.
Initiate and lead efforts to design, develop, document, maintain, and communicate architecture standards, patterns, and practices.
Lead pilots and proofs of concept to evaluate new technologies.
Create and review RFIs, RFQs, and RFPs to facilitate the technology standards management process.
Provide strategic guidance and lead evaluation, selection, and integration of technology solutions including CA software, 3rd party software, open source, etc.
Review architectures produced by application developers, platform engineers, etc. to ensure architectural compliance.
Provide leadership to drive innovation that is consistent with IT and business strategies
Contribute to the development, maintenance, and communication of the IT strategic plan that aligns enterprise business objectives with business processes, application functionality, technology strategies, and cost efficiency.
Research best practices within and outside the organization to establish benchmark data and use continuous process improvement disciplines to achieve results.
Assist with the definition of the roadmap to upgrade/replace key application and/or technology platforms, inclusive of business priorities, business impacts, project plans, timelines, risks, and costs; work closely with business executives and project sponsors to integrate plans into a cohesive and consistent roadmap.
Assist with the development of mulit-year strategic roadmaps describing CA's evolution from 'as is' practices to best-in-class. Work with executive level partners in IT and Business to ensure successful completion of projects consistent with the roadmap.
Anticipate customer needs, identify and champion opportunities for the development and implementation of new services and methods to meet or exceed customer needs. Establish customer service standards and feedback mechanisms across departments.
Goal and customer service focused. During times of emergencies, outages and project planned work; be on call and available until the event is addressed. During system conversions, extra effort may be required in order to ensure the roll out of the system is successful.
Perform other job-related duties as assigned.
Typical Role Definition
Technical Leadership. Internally recognized as a technical or business contributor. Possesses and applies a comprehensive knowledge of multiple fields of technologies to complete significant and complex assignments. Works on complex technical projects or unique business issues requiring state of the art technical knowledge or where analysis of situations or data requires an evaluation of intangibles. Known in the department/group as the ‘knowledge base’ of information. May be the in-house expert on specific technologies. May act in a liaison capacity with other organizations. Evaluates progress and results, and recommends major changes in procedures to accomplish tasks. Plans and conducts assignments, and may lead or direct assignments that are generally larger and more important projects, or works on multiple projects at one time. Well-developed leadership qualities enabling mentoring of others. Often contributes to and assists with the review and evaluation of personnel performance.
Job-Specific Authority and Scope
Generally works without consulting their manager.
Independent decisions are made daily.
Examples of typical decisions without manager consultation:
Regularly provide project management or team leadership to a group of employees
Expected to provide work guidance, project management, technical advice, training, and mentoring to other employees.
Expected to share information with less senior positions and develop them to higher level positions.
Typically has no direct reports.
Typically has no total staff.
Typically has a global geographic focus.
Typically does not manage a budget.
Business Travel and Physical Demands
Business travel of approximately 10 or less percent yearly is expected for this position.
Physical demands:
Office environment. No special physical demands required.
Preferred Education
Bachelor's degree or global equivalent. Master's degree or global equivalent is highly preferred.
Work Experience
Typically 10 or more years related work experience.
Skills & Competencies
Expert in the field, use professional concepts in developing resolution to critical issues and broad design matters.
Familiarity with basic information management practices.
Exposure to multiple, diverse technologies and processing environments. Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
Knowledge of all components of holistic EA.
Knowledge of business re-engineering principles and processes.
Basic knowledge of financial models and budgeting.
Familiarity with basic graphical modeling approaches, tools and model repositories.
Understanding of the political dynamics of the enterprise and how to navigate them.
Ability to balance the long-term (''big picture'') and short-term implications of individual decisions.
Ability to translate business needs into EA requirements.
Ability to estimate the financial impact of EA alternatives.
Ability to apply multiple solutions to business problems.
Ability to rapidly comprehend the functions and capabilities of new technologies.
Respected as a leader.
Influential in the organization and a team player.
Highly supportive of the business and of its ideals and strategies.
Neutral toward technology, vendor and product choices; more interested in results than in personal preferences. Unflappable in the face of opposition to architectural ideals.
Effective at driving short-term actions that are consistent with long-term goals.
Exceptional interpersonal skills in areas such as teamwork, facilitation and negotiation.
Excellent analytical and technical skills.
Broad range of management, business, and leadership skills required.
Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
Excellent planning and organizational skills. Proven ability to manage concurrent complex projects.
Expected to understand and apply system management, performance timing and troubleshooting techniques
Ability to effectively manage time and costs through activity duration, sequencing, estimating, schedule development and control, resource planning and cost estimating and budgeting and control using program management practices.
Proven ability to manage programs across global centers.
Ability to effectively manage risk through risk identification, quantification and control using formal program management practices.
Interpret department strategies and services, resolve, conflict and influence outcomes on matters of significance for the division, conduct final negotiations and coordinate approvals/decision-making below the executive level.
Display intellectual integrity.
Working to broaden this across disciplines and stays on top of emerging technologies on a 1 to 7 year time frame.
Has achieved 'Specialist' level in at least two IT discipline such as Software, Systems, Information, Security, Network, or Systems Management Engineering.
Certifications
Preferably has achieved certification in at least three IT disciplines, most likely in the area of specialty. Preferably remains current in primary and new IT disciplines.