Enterprise Domain Architect - Channels & Payments at KCB Bank Kenya

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES

• Develop and maintain the technology strategy and roadmaps for the channels and payments domain in alignment with business goals and industry best practices. This will involve With an understanding of the bank's channels and payments technology landscape, identify gaps, and develop / maintain the technology strategy and roadmaps for the channels and payments domain in alignment with business strategy, goals and industry best practices.
• Collaborate with business stakeholders, product owners and other architects,  design and document the target state architecture for channels and payments, considering scalability, reliability, security, and performance requirements. This includes defining the architectural components, interfaces, and data flows within the domain.
• Define and enforce architectural principles, standards, and guidelines to ensure consistency and compliance across systems and applications. You will apply governance processes to review and approve architectural designs, ensuring they align with the overall enterprise architecture.
• Collaborate with project teams to translate business requirements into technical solutions, ensuring they align with the overall channels & payments domain architecture and meet quality standards. You will provide guidance and support during the development, integration, and implementation of channel and payment systems.
• Support the Bank to evaluate and recommend platforms, third-party solutions, and technologies that can enhance the capabilities and performance of the channels and payments domain. You will assess vendor offerings, conduct proof-of-concepts, and provide recommendations based on your expertise.
• Build strong relationships with business stakeholders, product owners, and technology teams to understand their needs and priorities, enabling the provision of architectural guidance and ensuring technology alignment with business requirements on the capabilities needed to support their needs.
• Collaborate with Technology operations and business continuity teams to support in the development and maintenance of robust disaster recovery and business continuity plans and the efficiency of the processes in the Channels & payments domain area.
• Stay up-to-date with industry trends, emerging technologies, and regulatory changes related to channels and payments. You will monitor advancements in areas such as digital banking, mobile payments, open banking, and regulatory compliance and appropriately influence the evolution / compliance of technology solutions.
• Develop and maintain detailed solutions & processes documentation on this domain area
• Communicate architectural decisions, strategies, and roadmaps to executive leadership and other relevant stakeholders.

DAILY RESPONSIBILITIES: 

• Design and document end-to-end solutions for channels (online banking, mobile banking, ATM) and payment processing systems (e.g., card payments, digital wallets, payment gateways) based on business requirements and industry best practices.
• Provide technical leadership and guidance during the development, integration, and implementation of channel and payment systems.
• Ensure that all channels and payments solutions comply with industry standards, regulatory requirements, and data privacy policies, with a focus on maintaining the highest levels of security. Address the accrued technical debt in the channels & payments domain
• Participate in the quality assurance activities related to channels & payments solutions and their underlying infrastructure
• Conduct architecture reviews and provide guidance to development teams to ensure adherence to architectural standards and best practices.

CHALLENGES: GIVE ONE EXAMPLE OF THE CHALLENGES ENCOUNTERED IN THIS JOB

• Understanding where the Enterprise is headed into the future, providing valuable input to other viewpoints of the Enterprise Architecture. 
• Development of the Channels & payments Technology strategy and leading in the execution.

Academic & Professional
Education

• Bachelor's degree in Computer Science, Computer Engineering, Information Technology or a related field of study    RQ
• Masters Degree Technology / Business    AA

Professional Qualifications    

• TOGAF    DE        
• AWS Certified Solutions Architect, Azure Solutions Architect.
• Cloud Solutions Architect (AWS or Azure or GCP) AA
•  Networking Certifications    RQ

Experience

Total Minimum No of Years’ Progressive Technology Experience Required  

•  10 Years 

Detail    Minimum No of Years    Need Type

• 10+ years progressive experience in Information Technology    10    RQ
• Experience in at least two IT disciplines such as (Channels & Payments, Integrations, Cloud)     7    RQ
• Deep understanding of the end-to-end channels and payments landscape, including core banking systems, payment processing, digital channels, card systems, and associated technologies    7    ES
• Exposure to multiple, diverse technologies, cloud, and processing environments    5    ES
• Excellent understanding of software delivery processes, and methodologies (i.e. waterfall, agile, hybrid) & DevOps    7    ES
• Strong understanding of security principles, regulatory compliance, data privacy, and best practices in channels & payments.    5    ES
• Exceptional interpersonal skills, including teamwork, facilitation, and negotiation    5    ES
• Excellent planning and organizational skills with ability to breakdown complex items to actionable elements    5    ES
• Familiarity with graphical modeling approaches, tools and model repositories    5    ES
• Ability to balance the long-term ("big picture") and short-term implications on individual components and projects    5    ES
• Ability to liaise with all levels of management and subject matter experts across the industry and within the organization to drive adoption of Enterprise Architecture    5    ES