Lead Solution Architect at Absa Bank Limited

Job Summary

• To design and develop business solutions and capabilities in alignment with the bank's IT architecture strategy and framework, with a focus on digital native technologies. The role will act as technical lead for the design and development of complex systems, platforms, and major technology projects, and will provide technical direction and proposals to meet business requirements, cover existing functionality gap and provide technical solutions to problems and opportunities by utilizing new and existing technology assets.

Job Description

Key accountabilities/Deliverables/Outcomes

Solutions Architecture Design (35%)

The prime responsibility is for designing technical solutions in collaboration with various business and technical teams.

The accountability also has a responsibility of analysing business requirements against existing technology assets for identification of fit for purpose solutions.

• Designs enterprise solutions and capabilities that are scalable, adaptable, and in synchrony with the ever-changing business needs in alignment with the bank’s architecture strategy, policies, standards, and procedures.
• Contributes to the reduction in IT complexity, enforcement of discipline and standardization of defined architecture standards to ensure better interoperability of systems and services.
• Documents and communicates architectural requirements for solutions and capabilities.
• Assessing the systems architecture currently in place and working with technical teams to recommend solutions to improve it.
• Support project management by providing technical oversight on projects and ensure that requirements are in alignment with business strategies and business architecture roadmap/framework.
• Reviewing development to ensure what is delivered is as per the agreed architecture, technical requirements and is also in line with the Business intent. The review should be done with every iteration or change from Business requirements.
• Experimenting by building prototypes, frameworks, and foundations to be consumed by the technical team.
• Propose and keep a repository of architectural improvements.

Solution and Business Analysis (25%)

• Translate documented business requirements into functional technical designs for development/implementation.
• Translate strategic initiatives into delivery-focused change initiatives, while translating business processes and issues into effective conceptual and logical models.
• Participate in identifying fit for purpose technologies solutions for the bank’s technology estate.

Business Liaison (20%)

Single point of contact for one or more business units to represent IT services.

• Identify service needs for the Business Units presented to IT
• Independently manage conflict among diverse cross portfolio stakeholders related to competing interests and requirements. Able to help stakeholders objectively examine real needs versus wants and ways to collaborate to achieve win/win resolutions.
• Communicate solution design and development projects’ status to Business Unit

Risk Management (15%)

• Build relationship with country Technology Risk and Compliance team and provide support wherever required.
• Contribute to the improvement of the risk profile by delivering improved governance, risk management, controls, and compliance requirements.
• Devise and implement an effective plan to deliver a satisfactory risk and audit profile for Operations & IT and achieve audit and assurance targets.

People Management (5%)

• Develop a high performing team by embedding formal performance development and informal coaching.
• Encourage frequent knowledge sharing between team members.
• Manage, lead & mentor Solution Architects & Business Analysts in their day-to-day work and
• professional development.
• Address poor performance of any team member through the formal Performance Accelerator programme and ensure that continued poor performance is appropriately dealt with.
• Motivate team members and ensure that their efforts are recognized.
• Participate in the creation and implementation of Employee Opinion Survey (EOS) actions for the team.

Controls (Mandatory for all roles)

• Ensure that all activities and duties are carried out in full compliance with regulatory requirements, Enterprise-Wide Risk Management Framework and internal Absa Policies and Policy Standards. Understand and manage risks and risk events (incidents) relevant to the role.

Role/person specification

Preferred Qualification

• Bachelor’s degree in information technology, Software Engineering, Computer Science, or related field, Master preferred.
• Five (5+) years’ experience in a solution architecture role designing complex solutions preferably in a financial services’ setting.
• 10+ years of IT and business/industry work experience including architecture design and deployment, systems lifecycle management, and infrastructure planning and operations. Experience in financial services preferred.
• Training in architectural frameworks (TOGAF, Zachman, FEA, or a hybrid of multiple frameworks).
• Experience with security technologies, processes, concepts, and User Centered Design practices.
• Sound knowledge of various operating systems (Linux, AIX, Solaris, Windows) and databases (Oracle, MSSQL, MySQL, Postgres, and NoSQL DBs)

Preferred Experience

• Business Analysis and Project Management for Waterfall and Agile delivery methodologies
• Software design, development, and testing
• DevOps/CICD software lifecycle management experience
• Experience in designing solutions for hybrid environments (on-premises and cloud). Cloud certification is an added advantage.
• Command of sound software design principles and patterns.
• Demonstrable communication skills–ability to convey complex design solutions in user friendly language to senior non-technical stakeholders.
• IT Change Management
• Digital Financial Services
• Agile ways of working

Education

• Bachelor's Degree: Information Technology