ENTERPRISE ARCHITECTURE & IT RATIONALIZATION LEAD

Duncan & Ross; Abu Dhabi; On-site; AED 180,000 - 240,000; Full time

Job summary

Duncan & Ross seeks a senior Enterprise Architecture & IT Rationalisation Lead for a confidential UAE-based industrial group. Based in Dubai, you will assess the current technology landscape, define target-state architecture, and identify opportunities to simplify, consolidate, and optimise the IT estate.

This time-bound assignment emphasizes business-aligned architecture and practical roadmaps. You will drive governance, architecture principles, and portfolio maps while partnering with SVP

Qualifications

• Experience in enterprise architecture, IT transformation, or IT rationalisation.
• Ability to develop current-state and target-state roadmaps and practical delivery plans.
• Strong knowledge of portfolio management, integration, data, cloud, and security alignment.

Responsibilities

• Assess current enterprise architecture across business capabilities, applications, data, infrastructure, cloud, integration, and security.
• Define pragmatic target-state architecture aligned with business strategy and technology roadmap.
• Lead IT rationalisation initiatives to reduce duplication, legacy systems and complexity.
• Develop application and technology portfolio maps, architecture principles, and transition roadmaps.
• Identify opportunities to consolidate systems and optimise technology investments.
• Present options, risks, and investment recommendations to senior leadership.

Skills

Enterprise architecture

IT Rationalisation

Roadmaps

Governance

Executive communication

Job description

Job description

About the job ENTERPRISE ARCHITECTURE & IT RATIONALIZATION LEAD

Role Overview

We are seeking a senior Enterprise Architecture & IT Rationalisation Lead for a confidential large UAE-based industrial group. Working closely with the SVP of Technology & AI, the successful candidate will assess the existing technology landscape, define the target-state architecture, and identify opportunities to simplify, consolidate, and optimise the organisation's IT estate.

The role requires a business-oriented architecture leader who can connect technology decisions to operational outcomes, reduce unnecessary complexity and cost, and establish a practical roadmap for a more integrated, scalable, secure, and internally managed technology environment.

Key Responsibilities

• Assess the current enterprise architecture across business capabilities, applications, data, infrastructure, cloud, integration, and security.
• Define a pragmatic target-state enterprise architecture aligned with business strategy, industrial operations, and the technology transformation roadmap.
• Lead IT rationalisation initiatives covering application duplication, legacy systems, overlapping platforms, technology obsolescence, and unnecessary complexity.
• Develop application and technology portfolio maps, capability models, architecture principles, standards, and transition roadmaps.
• Identify opportunities to consolidate systems, simplify integrations, optimise technology investments, and reduce total cost of ownership.
• Evaluate build-versus-buy decisions, platform choices, integration patterns, cloud adoption, and technology lifecycle risks.
• Align enterprise architecture with Industry 4.0, smart manufacturing, industrial IT/OT integration, data and AI initiatives, and cybersecurity requirements.
• Establish architecture governance, design reviews, technology standards, exception processes, and decision-making frameworks.
• Work with business leaders, application owners, infrastructure teams, cybersecurity, data teams, and external vendors to ensure architectural alignment.
• Assess the technology implications of insourcing, outsourcing, vendor transitions, and the development of internal technology capabilities.
• Build business cases and prioritised roadmaps that balance strategic value, delivery feasibility, risk, cost, and operational continuity.
• Present architecture options, rationalisation opportunities, risks, and investment recommendations to senior technology and business leadership.

Required Experience and Skills

• Extensive experience in enterprise architecture, technology strategy, IT transformation, or enterprise IT rationalisation.
• Demonstrated ability to assess complex technology estates and develop actionable current-state and target-state architecture roadmaps.
• Strong knowledge of application portfolio management, system integration, data architecture, infrastructure, cloud, and cybersecurity alignment.
• Proven experience identifying technology duplication, simplifying application landscapes, consolidating platforms, or optimising IT expenditure.
• Strong business case development, total-cost-of-ownership analysis, technology governance, and executive communication skills.
• Ability to translate architectural principles into practical delivery decisions and measurable business outcomes.
• Experience working across multiple business functions and coordinating complex transformation dependencies.
• A pragmatic, hands‑on approach suited to a time-bound interim leadership assignment.

Preferred Experience

• Industrial, manufacturing, engineering, energy, or other asset‑intensive environments.
• Industry 4.0, smart manufacturing, OT/IT convergence, MES, ERP, and industrial data platforms.
• Enterprise architecture frameworks such as TOGAF, ArchiMate, or equivalent methods.
• Cloud and platform modernisation, legacy technology retirement, integration rationalisation, and technology cost optimisation.
• Experience supporting insourcing, operating‑model redesign, and the rebuilding of internal technology capabilities.

Assignment Details

• Location: Dubai, UAE.
• Work arrangement: Fully onsite.
• Contract: Initial 3 months, with potential extension.
• Programme: Approximately 18 months.
• Availability: Able to start within the next few weeks.

Important Screening Criteria

• Candidates must demonstrate practical ownership of enterprise architecture decisions and IT rationalisation outcomes, rather than architecture documentation alone.

Vertical:

Technology