Enterprise Architect

Purpose, Key Objectives and Context

The Enterprise Architect is a specialist contract role responsible for establishing and maturing the organisation’s enterprise architecture capability. The role will develop a clear view of the current technology environment, define the target-state architecture and provide practical roadmaps, standards and governance to guide technology investment and change.

The Enterprise Architect will work across business capabilities, applications, data, integration, infrastructure, cybersecurity and operational technology. The role will support the integration of acquired businesses, simplification of the technology landscape and modernisation of core platforms, including D365 and associated enterprise applications.

Working closely with the Head of Technology Governance, business stakeholders, the enterprise CPMO and strategic delivery partners, the role will ensure existing and proposed solutions are secure, scalable, supportable and aligned with business strategy. A key objective is to leave the organisation with sustainable architecture documentation, governance practices and internal capability that can be maintained beyond the contract engagement.

Key Responsibilities

Enterprise Architecture Baseline and Assessment

• Assess the organisation’s architecture maturity, technology landscape and existing documentation.
• Develop current-state architecture across business capabilities, applications, data, integrations, infrastructure, identity and access, cybersecurity and relevant operational technology.
• Document critical system dependencies, data flows, interfaces, ownership, support arrangements and technology lifecycle status.
• Identify duplication, technical debt, end-of-life technology, single points of failure and material architectural risks.
• Establish a central architecture repository and consistent documentation standards, validating information with business stakeholders, technology teams and service providers.

Target-State Architecture and Roadmaps

• Define the target-state enterprise architecture aligned with the business and technology strategies.
• Develop architecture principles, reference architectures, standards and preferred technology patterns.
• Create transition roadmaps identifying priorities, dependencies, sequencing and indicative investment requirements.
• Provide architectural direction for core business platforms, data and analytics, infrastructure, integration, cybersecurity, AI, automation and other emerging technologies.
• Support technology rationalisation, consolidation and modernisation, ensuring target-state plans address scalability, security, resilience, recoverability, supportability and future growth.

Architecture Assurance and Investment Support

• Review priority initiative concepts, business cases, requirements, solution designs and procurement proposals.
• Provide architecture assurance for priority initiatives from concept and business case through design and implementation.
• Assess proposed solutions against enterprise standards, security requirements and target-state architecture, identifying risks, dependencies, constraints and remediation actions.
• Govern architecture decisions, conditions, exceptions and technical debt, and provide architecture input into CPMO portfolio prioritisation, planning and delivery governance.

Application, Data and Integration Architecture

• Define architecture direction for D365 and other core enterprise applications, including strategic, transitional and retirement platforms.
• Develop application, data and integration principles, standards and reusable reference patterns.
• Map critical business data flows and identify opportunities to improve data quality, ownership, accessibility, reporting and analytics.
• Promote secure, scalable and reusable integration across applications, partners and acquired businesses, working with the Enterprise Applications and Data function to align platform roadmaps and delivery priorities.

Business Integration and Capability Transfer

• Assess the technology environments of acquired or geographically dispersed businesses.
• Develop architecture-led integration and standardisation plans, identifying opportunities to consolidate platforms, suppliers, infrastructure, data and support arrangements.
• Develop reusable architecture templates, processes, artefacts and guidance, and coach internal technology, business analysis and delivery resources in their use.
• Complete a structured handover of architecture repositories, roadmaps, risks, decisions and outstanding actions at the conclusion of the engagement.

Qualifications, Knowledge and Experience

Qualifications

• Relevant tertiary qualification in information technology, information systems, cybersecurity, business or a related discipline, or equivalent senior professional experience.
• Relevant certification in enterprise architecture such as COBIT, CISM, CISSP, CRISC or TOGAF—is highly regarded.
• Substantial experience working as an Enterprise Architect, Principal Architect or Senior Solution Architect within a complex, multi-site organisation.
• Experience working with outsourced technology services, managed service providers and third-party implementation partners.
• Demonstrated experience supporting business acquisitions, technology integration, application rationalisation or enterprise-wide modernisation initiatives.
• Formal leadership, commercial management or postgraduate business qualifications are advantageous.

Technical competencies

• Enterprise Architecture: Advanced knowledge of architecture frameworks, principles and governance, with experience developing current-state, target-state and transition architectures.
• Architecture Modelling and Roadmapping: Ability to produce capability maps, application landscapes, data flows, reference architectures and practical technology roadmaps.
• Applications, Data and Integration: Strong knowledge of enterprise platforms, application rationalisation, data architecture, information governance, APIs and integration patterns, preferably including D365.
• Cloud, Infrastructure and Cybersecurity: Broad understanding of Azure, hybrid infrastructure, networks, identity, cybersecurity, resilience and operational technology environments.
• Architecture Governance and Assurance: Experience establishing standards, decision rights and review processes, and assessing business cases, procurements and solution designs.
• Technology Strategy and Rationalisation: Ability to align technology investment with business strategy, manage technical debt and support platform modernisation and acquisition integration.

Key Capabilities

• Strategic and Enterprise Thinking: Connects business strategy, operating models, processes, information and technology to define coherent enterprise-wide direction.
• Analytical Judgement and Problem Solving:Evaluates complex information, dependencies and risks to develop clear, evidence-based recommendations.
• Stakeholder Engagement and Communication: Communicates complex architecture concepts clearly and builds effective relationships across executive, business and technical stakeholders.
• Influence and Constructive Challenge: Influences decisions without direct authority and objectively challenges proposals that create unnecessary cost, risk or complexity.
• Commercial and Risk Awareness: Balances business value, total cost of ownership, delivery feasibility, cybersecurity, compliance and operational risk.
• Pragmatic Delivery and Knowledge Transfer: Converts strategy into achievable actions and leaves sustainable documentation, governance practices and internal capability.

Originally posted on Himalayas