Competency Lead: Solution Architecture

Who we are?
Sanlam Investments Group is one of South Africa’s largest investment management companies. We have a performance history spanning over 100 years, and offer a range of investment and financial planning solutions to protect and grow the long-term wealth of our clients. We take particular pride in:

• Sanlam’s longevity and innovation

• People, teamwork and values

• A culture of diversity and commitment to growing our own timber

• Our robust, tested and proven pragmatic investment process and philosophy

Our local and offshore investment products cover the full investment spectrum: active and passive; single and multi-manager – both locally and internationally. Our active funds range are managed according to our pragmatic value investing style. What will you do?
Performing both the function of a solution architect and a traditional team leader, this position will work alongside systems analysts, solution architects and enterprise architects to ensure solutions being implemented conform to the enterprise goals and standards and make sense from both a business and technical perspective. From a leadership perspective; This will entail work allocation, appointment, managing workload across solution architects and systems analysts for both permanent and contracted capacity. The incumbent will also partake and provide input into IT management decisions and strategic direction as well as driving the delivery of such. Included in the role would be input, advice, implementation of controls and actively participating in the necessary governance and audit bodies, forums, and activities to maintain and evidence the required controls within both the SIG and broader Sanlam environment. From a solution architecture perspective; This will entail looking at solutions from not only a technical perspective but also architecting the solution in consideration of the strategic intent, technical and timeline constraints, including the different perspectives of build and design, contracts and commercials, risk and security and operational readiness. The Solution Architect’s responsibilities include gathering requirements and functional specifications, assessing the current software systems in place in order to identify areas in need of improvement, and overseeing development teams. You should also be able to regularly update the company on any developments in systems architecture projects. The Architect should be able to integrate any updated specifications and requirements into the systems architecture. Key Responsibilities and Competencies
Leadership:

• Proven track record and ability to establish, resource, lead and motivate a team of solution architects and systems analysts.
• Excellent ability to maintain the teams focus on delivery in uncertainty.
• Provide leadership, management, and technical vision to the entire solution architecture competency.
• Provide strategic direction regarding the general IT trends and developments.
• Governs solution architectures to ensure that they conform to the guidelines laid down by the enterprise architects.
• Establish and apply governance controls in the environment.
• Exposure to or understanding of Project Management Principles.
• Creates and evolves policies, standards and guidelines that direct the selection, development, implementation and subsequent use of information.
• Defines patterns, anti-patterns, principles and templates for solutions architects to use.
• Inducts new recruits in the use of architecture artefacts, repositories and processes.
• Track team productivity and product delivery by applying lean estimation techniques, emphasizing the delivery of working software.

Communication:

• Excellent communication skills.
• Excellent presentation skills and ability to convey complex ideas in an understandable and simplistic manner to both technical and non-technical audiences.
• Must be able to communicate effectively at all levels, from strategic executive and senior management to implementation level details.
• Excellent ability to effectively communicate with external third-party vendors, providing guidance to their efforts.

Key Responsibilities and Competencies cont.
Solution Architecture and Competency Lead

• Architecting and assisting in designs of information systems to meet the company and project needs.
• Applies good principles to solutions design and architectures to ensure both fit for purpose and fit for use.
• Acts as an advisor to Business units around the use of technology solutions to drive competitive advantage in their chosen and future markets.
• Assessing and informing stakeholders of the business and/or project impact of certain technical solutions being implemented.
• Provide options and recommendations to business stakeholders to ensure that they can make the best business decisions based on the different solution alternatives and patterns.
• Providing updates to stakeholders on product development processes, costs, and budgets.
• Continually researching current and emerging technologies and proposing changes where needed.
• Assists Solution Architects, and Project Managers in matching technology services to specific business service and application development projects to ensure consistent use throughout the enterprise.
• Ensures that projects / programs are delivered with non-functional requirements held top of mind and these have been through the proper governances to ensure a high quality deliverable.
• Models and defines the financial implications and considerations of potential solutions.
• Co-creates separation of concern principles with Enterprise IT architects.
• Assessing the systems architecture currently in place and working with technical staff to recommend solutions to improve.
• Providing supervision and guidance to development teams.
• Provide guidance in the formation and setup of cross-functional agile delivery teams.
• Resolving technical problems as they arise.
• Able to delve into technical details as might be required in specific projects or initiatives.
• Looks at ways to reduce technical debt across the enterprise.
• In-depth understanding of coding languages (.Net Core, Java, JavaScript).
• Containerized platforms (OpenShift, Kubernetes).
• Experience in Integration Platforms (RabbitMQ, Kafka).
• DevOps Tooling and Process.
• AWS/Azure knowledge advantageous.
• Sound knowledge of various operating systems and databases (SQL).
• Understanding of Security patterns and network routing.

Minimum Requirements, Experience and Behaviour Must Have:

• Have formal training (not necessarily certification) in development, DevOps and modern delivery practices and working experience in its application
• Compulsory to have formal training (not necessarily certification) in TOGAF and working experience in its application
• 10+ years overall IT experience, ideally in various roles within the SDLC
• 7+ years relevant experience in either solution architecture or related
• Successful experience in delivery of enterprise grade applications using modern development methods and practices
• Highly experienced in architecting, designing and documenting technical/system processes
• Must have performed multiple technical, non-managerial roles/disciplines within the IT landscape

Advantageous:

• Any secondary qualifications with emphasis on technical related courses such as systems design, OO A&D methodology and SO methodology
• Preferably experienced, but must at least be comfortable working across all domains related to the IT application and DevOps engineering, inclusive QA functions
• Experienced and being able to lead leaders and technical experts
• Tertiary level qualification in Computer Science degree, IT Diploma
• TOGAF or similar certification
• Exposure to the asset management industry
• Experienced in a senior leadership role in an IT environment

Behaviour:

• Planning, prioritizing and organising own work to deliver results and meet expectations
• Relationship development and networking
• Client service orientated
• Action / results orientated
• Detailed orientated, yet ability to avoid “analysis paralysis”
• Ownership of tasks and self-starter
• Sound decision-making skills
• Resilience and perseverance
• Knowledge seeking and learning orientation

Personal Attributes Interpersonal savvy - Contributing through others Decision quality - Contributing through others Optimises work processes - Contributing through others Plans and aligns - Contributing through others Build a successful career with us We’re all about building strong, lasting relationships with our employees. We know that you have hopes for your future – your career, your personal development and of achieving great things. We pride ourselves in helping our employees to realise their worth. Through its five business clusters – Sanlam Fintech, Sanlam Life and Savings, Sanlam Investment Group, Sanlam Allianz, Santam, as well as MiWay and the Group Office – the group provides many opportunities for growth and development. Core Competencies Being resilient - Contributing through others Collaborates - Contributing through others Cultivates innovation - Contributing through others Customer focus - Contributing through others Drives results - Contributing through others Turnaround time The shortlisting process will only start once the application due date has been reached. The time taken to complete this process will depend on how far you progress and the availability of managers. The Sanlam Group is committed to achieving transformation and embraces diversity. This commitment is what drives us to achieve a diverse, inclusive and equitable workplace as we believe that these are key components to ensure a thriving and sustainable business in South Africa. The Groups Employment Equity plan and targets will be considered as part of the selection process.