Lead Architect - Absa Bank

• Develop and maintain suitable Technical, Reference, and Future-state Architectures that reflect both the current and ongoing situations, as well as the proposed or go-to end-state, based on the Bank’s operations and proffered Strategy
• Act as a Champion and Gatekeeper (via an Architecture Review Board) to ensure that all changes, solutions and implementations not comply with Regulatory requirements and internal / international standards and best practices, but are also aligned with the approved Future-state Architecture
• Develop a Service Quality and User Experience framework and use this as part of a Quality Assurance system to protect production environments and deploy fit-for-purpose solutions by ensuring that only quality and approved changes and implementations are deployed
• Work with the CIEO and other senior stakeholders to properly align Projects and Strategic Initiatives (and Investments) to the evolving architectural landscape, ensuring that the Future-state (and therefore Strategy) is not compromised
• Ensure that risks are duly and sufficiently mitigated – using appropriate automated controls – during the design, build and deployment of technology-based tools and services

• Support and contribute to pan-Bank and intra-function Strategy formulation efforts, ensuring that the requisite Technology, Digital and Process elements are appropriately included.
• Using the Bank’s Strategy and ambitions as a base, develop suitable Technical, Reference, and Future-state Architectures that reflect both the current and ongoing situations, as well as the proposed or go-to end-state, to be used as a basis for service delivery, solutioning, change-related decisions etc.
• Contribute to the compilation and delivery of the Bank’s Investment Portfolio (Book of Work, covering both local and Group-wide initiatives) to ensure that its prioritization is based on best value to the Bank (in conjunction with Strategy).
• Monitor KPIs and SLAs against applicable benchmarks, and either adjust Architectures or make recommendations to Management that would improve productivity and performance.

• Implement and Co-Chair an Architecture Review Board that will oversee, review and approve (or reject) new initiatives and changes to ensure that they are in line with the Bank’s Strategy, the Reference and Future-state Architectures, Enterprise Risk Management requirements, and applicable international standards. Ensure that the output is duly adopted by Product Risk and Governance Committee (PRGC).
• Champion and support the drive by Change Governance (PMO) to ensure that all are delivered via an appropriate Methodology and within time, cost, risk, and quality constraints.
• Ensure that effective Change Control is in place, and, in conjunction with a suitable Service Quality and User Experience framework, protect all applicable production environments from unauthorised or inappropriate changes that could create undue risk, and assure that Technology and Digital Assets are operating within normal / required tolerances.

• Champion and support the management and mitigation of material risks across the Technology, Digital and Change spaces to improve delivery, performance and productivity.
• Drive a proactive posture to risk management and compliance, including root-cause identification and mitigation and thematic risk management. Include these considerations in the development of Architectures and in the approval of changes.
• Ensure timely and productive risk assessments to support 2nd and 3rd line assurance efforts, including appropriate Committees.
• Track and identify any architectural nonconformities and escalate accordingly to the appropriate Management Forums.
• Ensure solutions are delivered and implemented according to correct design, allowing for tactical changes according to longer term strategic plans that comply with applicable policies and standards.
• Maintain proper documentation of the Estate, its Architecture and all relevant Configuration Items / Assets.

• Partake in the periodic prioritization of the Projects within the Bank’s Investment Portfolio (i.e. Book of Work), ensuring that it is reviewed against Architectural Principles, business priorities, and Standards and best practices.
• Effectively engage and liaise with Functional Heads to ensure strong promotion, buy-in and adoption of Architecture Principles and related Standards.
• Ensure that the application of Principles and Standards, and the mitigation of domain risks, do not become bureaucratic exercises that would hamper timely and quality deliveries. Escalate quickly and convincingly in the event that this is likely to occur.
• Ensure, for all new Projects and System Change Requests, that a thorough risk assessment is conducted to determine the interdependencies between projects, and the impact any proposed changes may have on seemingly unrelated processes and systems.

• Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in computer science or related field (e.g. Systems or Information Systems Engineering, Software Engineering, IT, Applied Computing)
• Minimum of 3 years prior Solutions / Systems Design or Architecture experience
• Minimum of 3 years work experience in the Telco / Banking industries
• Knowledge (or Certification) in Agile methodologies and / or Design Thinking
• 3 – 5 years Project Management experience or PMP or similar Certification
• Business-related Degree or Certificate would be an advantage

• Strong Project Management, Risk Management, Stakeholder Management skills
• Strong Communication skills
• Prior SOA (Service Oriented Architecture) and TOGAF experience
• Demonstrable knowledge of Robotic Process Automation (RPA) and other Emerging Technologies
• Demonstrable knowledge of UML, DevOps and Agile, Cloud, Enterprise (.NET) and Open API methods
• Advanced knowledge of Core Financial Services (Banking, MFS etc) platforms
• Knowledge in developing Service Management (e.g., ITIL) and ISO processes
• Appreciation of ISO27001-based Security requirements and PCI/DSS

• Passionate about delivering excellent solutions, results oriented
• Deciding and initiating action, setting and managing priorities
• Persuading and influencing, networking
• Creating and innovating, top-notch problem-solving
• Formulating strategies and concepts
• Ability to work under pressure and strict time constraints
• Excellent self-organization and self-direction, including time management

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