Application Architect at IBM

Introduction
As an IBM Application Architect, you directly help clients transform their business and solve complex problems. You will define the scope and vision for projects that deliver customized solutions using your knowledge of IBM platforms. You are a technical leader, serving as a liaison among business partners, technical resources, and project stakeholders.

Your Role and Responsibilities
Tactical Strategic Input

• Provide feedback and input to MTN Architecture teams on strategies, frameworks, principles, standards and policies across all Enterprise Architecture domains (business, application, data, integration, security, infrastructure, etc), in order to improve the quality and completeness of the Enterprise Architecture practice
• Understand how business and IT requirements can be met using the correct blend of existing and new IT technologies, as well as the correct blend of out-of-the-box commercially available software and bespoke systems development per project.
• Provide input to infrastructure and application development areas on application roadmaps to fit in with business and IS strategies, Enterprise Architecture and industry trends.
• Provide input to technological roadmaps from an architectural perspective

Solution Design

• Perform all the analysis, design, modelling and documentation tasks necessary to create solution architectures for complex (multi-application) business and technical projects. Lead projects (from a design perspective) through the systems development life cycle, including the successful adherence to all relevant MTN IS governance
• Ensure alignment of solution architectures to MTN Enterprise Architecture strategies, frameworks, principles, standards and policies across all Enterprise Architecture domains (business, application, data, integration, security, infrastructure, etc) - Focus solution designs on simplifying the IT architecture, reducing costs, improving effectiveness and efficiencies of the IT environment
• Ensure that technical designs for systems & applications are integrated end-to-end; are consistently applying MTN Enterprise Architecture standards; are technically sound and sustainable; are aligned to IT best practises; are suitable within the MTN context
• Design IT solutions that meets business and IT requirements, and includes functionality, processes, data, products to be used, application interfaces internal and external to MTN

Efficiency and Documentation

• Update the Enterprise Repository and other architecture artefacts
• Assist with administrative requirements and compliance to policies, guidelines, processes and other governance
• Liaise with other departments to ensure efficient processes, quality and integrity of information and the flow thereof
• Ensure reasonable and practical adherence to all industry standards and best practices MTN IS subscribes to (like TM Forum Frameworx, TOGAF, etc)
• Maintain appropriate end-to-end enterprise solution architecture models by appropriately aggregating project and initiative solution architectures into an enterprise architecture repository
• Ensures the strategic alignment of IT architecture with agreed business outcomes within the portfolio, relevant IT Architecture Enterprise principles, key approved decisions and enterprise wide programmes

Relationship Management

• Maintain close contact with business operations, strategies, information requirements, and priorities in order to align with IS architecture
• Build and group relationships with MTN architecture, applications and operations teams to keep up with strategic direction, future direction and technology plans
• Consult with IS advisory bodies (Gartner, Tele Management Forum, etc) and vendors, as well as media scanning
• Ensure that project architectural risks are properly identified, assessed and handled/mitigated, and highlight/resolve inter-project technical dependencies
• Continuously review, improve and integrate processes and systems, in order to overcome fragmentation.

Mentoring and Coaching

• Provide consultancy to process analysts, business analysts and other business stakeholders at a project level on application, data, security, infrastructure, testing and operational designs through interactions with other MTN architects, applications and operations subject matter experts
• Mentor and coach juniors and graduates

Required Technical and Professional Expertise

• 3-5 years multi-disciplinary IT experience with a strong focus on system analysis, design and development, architecture disciplines (notably application architecture, service oriented architecture and middleware), application management, database management, and operations.
• IT specific – application development qualifications in various domains, including commercial off the shelf applications in areas like ERP, CRM, Billing; middleware

• Knowledge of all components of the enterprise architecture
  • Knowledge of IT and IT technical roadmaps including commercial off the shelf vendor products in CRM, ERP, Billing systems, middleware integration technologies (SOA, BPM, BPEL, EAI), data warehousing and MIS, portal technologies
  • Knowledge of data analysis concepts aligned to data mining and data analysis
  • In depth knowledge of analysis and design concepts and IT systems modelling
  • Broad knowledge of implementation platforms