Job Specification

Purpose :

• To provide expertise in information technology (IT) architecture in any of the following domains: business, technology, applications, security or information and includes enterprise architecture frameworks, strategies and methodologies.
• To manage the planning, design, delivery and implementation of architecture solutions for single client systems which address relatively clear business requirements, within reasonably defined parameters.
• To define, evaluate and participate in the development of architecture standards, policies, guidelines and best practices ensuring compliance with cluster, ministry and OPS IT requirements and industry standards

Key Responsibilities :

Consults with ministry/cluster clients to define current and projected client needs and business requirements,
develop overview of client business and define scope of research conducive to multi-tiered applications with reusable components structured with interfaces that allow application and platform, integrity and manageability.

- Develops architecture solutions and data management proposals, recommends technical design features and alternatives to ensure proper procedures for backup, recovery and migration of databases. Identifies components subject to data corruption and initiates corrective actions to improve integrity of corporate data.
- Develops recommendations and architecture strategies for design and development of data, application and infrastructure components to optimise effectiveness and reuse of architecture, IT systems/components/services and databases, develops solutions for data recovery, integrity and security, assesses impact of data organisation on systems performance.
- Provides guidance/advice and participates in cluster/corporate governance established to ensure IT projects conform to OPS IT directives, policies, standards and guidelines.
- Participates in corporate and ministry business improvement initiatives; identifies and investigates IT opportunities to provide architecture and data management expertise in development of l&IT plans, strategies, policies, project scoping and process improvement/re-engineering initiatives; identify opportunities for collaboration between clients, groups or areas of information technology.
- Assesses impact of architecture decisions on ministry/cluster and provides tailored solutions and expertise to meet client needs; mitigates and manages risks, evaluates contractual agreements with goods and service suppliers concerning security issues.
- Provides advice, identifies skills, acquires resources, develops solutions, briefs management and leads implementation of recommendations to respond to contentious or sensitive issues such as architecture investigations.

2. Architecture Standards and Policies
- Provides input into the development, enhancement and maintenance of architecture policies, standards, guidelines, best practices and procedures at the cluster and corporate levels.
- Develops, enhances and implements assessment criteria to monitor and report on relevance and effectiveness of architecture policy and standards and compliance with requirements.
- Makes recommendations on the need for changes to architecture policies and standards, and provides input to corporate/cluster on these changes.
- Provides input into the development and maintenance of architecture policies, standards and guidelines relating to the creation, storage, access/security, retrieval and disposal of ministry databases; participates in the development of corporate architecture projects to build and maintain models (e.g. data, process),; participates in developing and approving business architecture, business and data requirements, and specifications for interfaces and components of reports.

3. Project Planning and Management
- Develops one-two year project plans for architectural solutions related to single client project or multiple small projects; leads architecture teams and contractors working on specific architecture project activities; provides subject matter expertise and technical advice, and monitors activities and related cost and resources.
- Provides expertise to support/participate in contract management/procurement activities such as developing RFPs/RFXs or Service Level Agreements, evaluating proposals and drafting statements of work, evaluating contractual agreements with vendors/suppliers concerning architecture issues (e g. security), overseeing and monitoring vendor/supplier performance against contract requirements.

4. Stakeholder Relationship Management
- Develops and maintains a network of OPS and external contacts (e.g. private sector, other jurisdictions, academe, vendors) participating in various forums such as OPS committees and working groups to exchange information, discuss issues, provide expertise, identify best practices, collaborate on shared interests, represent and uphold the viewpoints of the unit/cluster/ministry and maintain knowledge of current architecture.
- Serves on committees evaluating new architecture products and services, leads selection and use of architecture frameworks and methodologies; software development methodologies, provides consulting expertise to client groups on application use; provides expertise to the broader public sector in promoting, developing and implementing architecture; provides subject matter expertise and represents the ministry or cluster as a member of national and international standards bodies to assist in identifying areas of standardisation or recommend approaches to achieving standardisation.

5. Communications and Training
- Develops and delivers architecture education programs (e g. training, workshops) to program/project managers and other stakeholders; mentors l&IT staff.
- Prepares documents such as briefing notes, reports, presentations, designs, plans, models, OPS and various forums; makes presentations and participates at forums.

Knowledge / Skill :

Knowledge of and skills in:
- OPS 181T architecture (business, technology, applications, security or information) strategies, frameworks, policies, plans, current and emerging enterprise architecture principles, methodologies, mechanisms and techniques, to analyze, develop and implement IT architecture policies, standards, tools and techniques.
- Knowledge of security concepts to provide practical expertise to meet complex and/or diverse cluster needs; to ensure integrity of IT business, technology, applications, security or information architecture models; and ensure/monitor compliance with IT directives, policies and standards
- Enterprise architecture, general and industry-specific data modeling standards, different types of data, process and object modeling, applications, frameworks, database technologies, data warehousing, knowledge management and data security management, to lead the development of policies, standards and plans, and to provide advice to clients ensuring the management, protection, recovery and integrity of data.
- Cluster/client business functions, processes, products and services, related legislation and regulations, IT systems to assess architecture and data management requirements and issues, to lead the development of solutions, and provide related expertise OPS policies/directives/procedures governing procurement/contract administration to provide input into defining requirements for procurement activities related to the architectural components of IT systems, developing RFPs/RFXs or Service Level Agreements, proposal evaluation and contract development, and evaluating contractual agreements with vendors/suppliers concerning issues such as security, overseeing and monitoring vendor/supplier performance against contract requirements
- Business and technical analysis, planning, processes, modeling, and redesign to contribute architecture advice and expertise to projects, initiatives, client solutions
IT project management policies, procedures and methodologies to plan and lead concurrent architecture projects (e g. cluster-wide or OPS- wide) and provide guidance to the project team.
- Written and oral communications skills to consult and clarify needs, present information, options and recommendations, explain technical concepts and terminology and architecture-related topics to peers/clientsfstakeholders.
- Job has mandatory requirements in areas such as: in-depth knowledge of the information technologies, applications, industry and computer languages specific to the program system(s) currently in use. These mandatory requirements will be specified in the job ad during the recruitment process.

Interpersonal / Influencing Skill :

- Consultation and advisory skills to counsel clients/stakeholders on architecture-related policies, standards, practices and options, to inform them of solutions or options, and to develop and sustain business relationships
- Persuasion skills to convince clients/stakeholders to appreciate the benefits of including architecture considerations in planning, projects, and operations and to encourage them to accept the best options; to encourage clients/stakeholders to modify their viewpoints.

Analyzing / Problem Solving Skill :

Analyzing and problem solving skills to:
- Assess architecture and data management needs and business requirements, provide advice and
recommendations; and develop effective solutions that are reflective of corporate and cluster IT architecture strategies.
- Assess individual projects, scope, architectural requirements and organizational impacts, and recommend best frameworks, methods, standards, procedures and solutions based on the nature of the project, its problems and the status of the work.
- Identify, research, develop and assess architecture, data management, business requirements, options, policies, standards and methods, make recommendations which satisfy general and business needs; and provide leadership in developing and implementing solutions.
- 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 architecture and data management issues

Decision Making / Responsibility :

Responsible for:
- Providing functional support for projects with architecture components, participating in the development, publication, and communication of comprehensive architecture standards and policies for the corporate area/cluster.
- Providing expertise and guidance within the corporate area/cluster and to client management on architecture, process modelling, security provisions, and data management (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, arid candidates for fee-for-service assignments.
- Has latitude to make decisions, and is accountable for designs and solutions within the cluster, Advises on the application of architecture within the cluster/ministry that could have impact on architecture and data management costs, security integrity exposure and timeliness
- Decisions are guided by OPS I&IT strategies, directives, policies, standards, frameworks, procedures; IT industry standards and best practices; OPS administrative directives, policies and procedures.

Contacts / Stakeholder :

- OPS forums such as working committees and groups to represent the architecture discipline, raise and resolve project issues concerning the forum/committee, analyse and advise on materials/issues brought to the forum.
- OPS IT peers and clients to provide information, advice, recommendations and solutions; collaborates with other IT domains to coordinate activities and respond to emerging issues, works with OPS clients to identify needs, options and develop solutions.
- OPS stakeholders and forums typically internal to OPS to share information (e.g. best practices), provide architecture expertise and responses, coordinate architecture projects, acquire and maintain knowledge of architecture developmentsltrends/innovations.

Guidance / Supervision :

- Provides subject matter expertise to other staff; functional guidance and supervision for staff managed by other positions
- Provides consultation and expertise on cluster/ministry and corporate standards and guidelines for projects run by others; collaborates, monitors and advises on approaches, deliverables and quality standards
- Leads team development of components of architecture projects (e g information artifacts on systems development) to provide context, assign tasks, schedule meetings, review progress, assess deliverables, make recommendations, and report status to management.
- Provides process, project and/or team leadership and provides technical guidance and advice to others such as cluster staff, IT Architects, ministry program areas working on architecture project teams

Demands / Pressures :

Work Demands :

- Occasionally required to reset work priorities (e.g due to emerging issues, concurrent projects requiring coordination with other areas, requests for information/advice)
- Frequently required to respond to unexpected or conflicting work demands/requests within short deadlines and time pressures.
- Occasional travel and the need to work beyond normal hours.

Mental / Sensory :

- Frequent concentration when reviewing and reading materials (e.g architecture artefacts, IT data models, plans, designs, presentations, models), developing documents and presentations, evaluating and developing recommendations/solutions
- Concentrated listening in meetings and training events
- Concentration required when delivering presentations, training, providing instructions and explaining IT-related information to various clients and stakeholders in different forums.

Conditions / Environment :

Work is performed in a typical office environment.