Job Specification

Purpose of Position :

- To provide technical architecture expertise and undertake comprehensive needs assessments and complex reviews in support of systems/infrastructure needs for OPS clients (i.e I&IT clusters, their clients and enterprise I&IT organizations)
- To prepare and advise on technical architecture policies, standards, processes and controls.
- To participate in enterprise-wide and cross-jurisdictional architecture projects with technical components.

Duties / Responsibilities :

1. Project Management
Defines and agrees technical architectural requirements with client, obtains I&IT management approval.
Develops/obtains approval for detailed plans and resource estimates for large-scale and complex technical architecture projects and/or components of other projects with technical architecture elements.
Undertakes and/or leads in-depth and complex technical architectural reviews and assessments, development and/or support projects, to support new and changed corporate priorities and initiatives, and client clusters' and their clients technical architecture and/or business needs (e.g. technical architecture planning/implementation; applications and hardware; monitoring tools, etc.).
Establishes priorities and critical path schedules, and allocates work to staff/consultants. Provides technical expertise/guidance. Monitors progress, resolves problems and provides recommendations/reports to I&IT management and clients' decision makers.
Develops performance measures for technical architecture evaluation and conducts follow up (e.g. to ensure integration, reliability, and compliance with client cluster and corporate I&IT strategies, polcies and priorities).
Ensures documentation and maintenance of approved technical architectures.
2. Standards and Policies
Researches, develops and maintains technical architecture policies, standards, processes and controls, as approved by management and ensures their integration with related corporate and client cluster policies and standards, and the incorporation of industry best practices.
Develops and implements approved assessment criteria to monitor and report on policy and standards relevance, effectiveness and compliance with requirements.
3. Advice and Expertise
Provides general and situation-specific technical architecture interpretation, advice and expertise to other project and/or enterprise level I&IT project teams, management and staff, cluster clients and external contractors.
Participates in the delivery of training concerning technical architect elements.
4. Other
Participates in steering committees and other stakeholder forums as needed to ensure business alignment.
Leads/participates in sensitive technical architecture investigations (e.g. examining hardware, software applications, etc.). Provides opinions for inclusion in issues management briefings, etc. Provides solutions and leads implementation of approved recommendations.
Participates on enterprise-wide projects and committees involving other clusters/jurisdictions or broader public sector, provides expertise and technical architecture integration, development, review, implementation, risk assessment/control skills.
Maintains current awareness of trends/developments; provides input to cluster/their clients' operational plans, technical architecture policy changes, and project resources decsions.

Knowledge/Skill :

CIPC 1 level clearance and / or enhanced security clearance may be required.
Knowledge of and skills in:
Corporate I&IT technical architecture strategy, policies, plans, current and emerging IT architecture principles, methodologies, mechanisms and techniques, to analyze, develop and implement technical architecture policies, standards, tools and techniques.
Enterprise architecture, general and industry-specific data standards, I&IT business and technical architecture to lead the development of practical and responsive policies, standards and plans, and provide advice to clients.
Strategic architecture planning related enterprise level and client cluster strategies, plans, standards, directives, policies and related applications, technology tools, methodologies to provide practical expertise to meet quickly evolving, complex and or diverse needs of clients.
Cluster, its clients' and users' business needs and technical infrastructure, I&IT needs, operations and related architectural solutions in order to assist in defining and developing the technical architecture, assess technical and other applications, technology and architecture plans from a technical
perspective and ensure integration with enterprise level and other architectures, assess breaches and ensure integrity of technical architecture models and provide related expertise.
All other architecture domains and architecture management; software development life cycle; software integration, management, evaluation and control mechanisms; database concepts; networking; hardware environments; change management;, business analysis, including business design and
I&IT business management; capacity planning; quality assurance; risk management; disaster/recovery planning; business process modelling and process re-engineering, and related standards, trends, tools and techniques in order to advise on technical architecture related approaches and issues
and to develop/assess solutions.
IT project management policies and procedures to plan and lead projects and provide guidance to team.
Provincial government administrative policies and procedures governing procurement and contract administration to participate in manage and evaluate contractual agreements with vendors and suppliers, manage SLAs and manage vendor performance against contract requirements.
Oral and written communication techniques, to prepare and present project proposals and reports standards, policies and procedures, and document methodologies.
Operating a computer, common office software, and specialized software to prepare technical architectural designs, reports, recommendations, briefings, and correspondence and to prepare and make presentations.

Interpersonal / Influencing Skill :

Consultation and advisory skills to counsel Cluster and client program managers on technical architecture policies, standards, practices, processes, and controls, recommend on options, and to develop and sustain effective business relationships.
Persuasion, networking, negotiating and reinforcement skills to assist IT project managers in appreciating the long-term benefits of including technical architecture considerations in projects, and to assist managers with diverse interests, technical and non-technical backgrounds to accept best options.
Communications skills to interview and clarify needs; explain technical concepts and terminology to non-technical parties; present information, options and recommendations for diverse audiences.

Analyzing / Problem Solving Skill :

Analyzing and problem solving skills to:
Evaluate directions, trends, standards and policies in a complex and evolving environment using multiple sources of guidance; identify requirements, develop options and make recommendations on general and specific technical architecture issues, situations, policies and standards.
Assess diverse, intangible and/or unique technical architecture needs and business requirements; provide advice and recommendations; develop effective solutions within the broad framework of the Corporate and Cluster IT Technology architecture strategy.
Assess individual projects, scope, technical architectural requirements and organizational impacts, and recommend best methods, procedures and solutions based on the nature of the project, its problems and the status of the work.
Identify research, develop and assess technical architecture options, policies, standards, processes and controls; make recommendations which satisfy general and business needs; and provide leadership in developing and implementing solutions.

Decision Making / Responsibility :

Responsible for:
Providing technical architecture expertise into client clusters' infrastructure architecture strategies, plans and decisions, including evaluating the environment to take advantage of opportunities, identifying and addressing business risks, and recommending alternatives which will improve technology infrastructure capacity and availability and provide appropriate access for users.
Providing expertise and guidance on technical architecture (e.g. assessing needs and assisting in the identification, design, and implementation of standards, templates, techniques, recommendations and strategies).
Recommending type and quality of architecture deliverables to be developed by a system project; on improvements to policies, standards, practices and methodologies; and technical architecture specifications for RFPs.
Planning and implementing assigned phases of large-scale, complex technical architecture projects which impact on the client and internal and external stakeholders and partners estimating costs, determining priorities and schedules, managing resources and advising on risks and constraints and
contingencies.
Has latitude to make decisions and advise on the application of technical architecture that could have impact on technical architecture costs, security and integrity within the Cluster, the OPS and the broader public sector.
Decision-making and choices are guided by IT industry procedures; I&IT industry standards and best practices; corporate I&IT technical architect standards, policies and strategies; and OPS administrative policies and procedures.

Contacts / Stakeholders :

Enterprise wide project teams and committees involving other clusters, jurisdictions, and/or the broader public sector to provide expertise and hands-on technical architecture integration, development, review, implementation and risk assessment/control skills and to represent the technical architecture
discipline.
OPS/corporate working groups to represent the Cluster/client Ministry and share its position on diverse technical architecture-related subject matters; provide information on progress and issues to management and staff; and coordinate responses to issues and topics.
External stakeholders to represent Cluster/ client Ministry, provide expertise, coordinate response and to keep appropriate management/staff informed regarding status/issues/impacts etc.
External fee-for-service consultants and I&IT project managers hired for I&IT projects to address problems related to quality or services; broader public sector, private sector and other jurisdictions to participate in join projects, exchange information

Guidance / Supervision :

Provides technical guidance, leadership and project leadership to staff and functional guidance and supervision for staff managed by other positions.
Provides consultation and expertise on technical architecture standards and guidelines for system development projects run by others.
Leads team development of technical architecture artefacts on systems development projects to provide corporate/Cluster context, assign tasks, schedule meetings, review progress, assess deliverables, make recommendations, and report status to management.

Work Demands :

Frequent changes and modifications to deliverables on short notice. Occasional deadline changes on short notice; conflicting work demands; travel.

Mental / Sensory :

Frequent concentration when reviewing and reading materials, developing documents and presentations; concentrated listening in meetings.

Conditions/ Environment :

Work is performed in a typical office environment.