Enterprise Architect

ITS Group S.A.; Brussel; On-site; EUR 90,000 - 150,000; Full time

Job summary

ITS Group S.A. seeks a Senior Enterprise Architect to lead the Group-wide operating model, translate governance into actionable practices, and drive adoption across multiple entities. You will define standards, reference architectures, and ARB processes while coaching stakeholders to achieve sustained governance in delivery programs.

The role emphasizes strategic leadership, architecture coaching, and hands-on operationalization across business and IT domains in a federated environment.

Qualifications

• 10+ years of experience in Enterprise Architecture.
• Experience implementing federated operating models across multiple entities.
• Proven ability to translate architecture models into governance and delivery artifacts.
• Experience leading Architecture Review Boards and governance processes.
• Strong stakeholder alignment at senior level and across IT/business domains.
• Knowledge of TOGAF, ArchiMate, DDD and ITIL frameworks.
• Ability to coach and enable internal teams to operate governance independently.

Responsibilities

• Own and drive the implementation of the Enterprise Architecture operating model.
• Establish and continuously improve architecture governance framework.
• Operationalize federated Target Operating Model across entities.
• Define standards, reference architectures and metrics for adoption.
• Lead ARB sessions and prepare decision-ready packages.
• Embed architecture practices into portfolio, delivery, security and data.
• Define decision rights, escalation paths and compliance processes.
• Build Architecture Community and working groups.
• Measure adoption with KPIs and ensure knowledge transfer.

Skills

Enterprise Architecture

Federated Architecture

Architecture Governance

ARB facilitation

TOGAF

ArchiMate

Domain-Driven Design

ITIL

Executive Stakeholder Management

Coaching & Mentoring

Delivery Transformation

Change Management

Architecture Metrics

Security Architecture

Vendor & Portfolio Alignment

Job description

The client is looking for a senior Enterprise Architect to support the implementation and operationalization of a Group-wide Enterprise Architecture operating model within a complex, federated, multi-entity environment. The consultant will transform an approved target operating model into concrete governance practices, establish architecture decision processes, define standards and review mechanisms, and drive adoption across business and IT stakeholders. The role requires a highly pragmatic architect capable of creating structure, facilitating decisions, delivering quick results, and ensuring that governance translates into tangible implementation outcomes. The mission combines strategic architecture leadership, governance design, stakeholder alignment, architecture coaching, and operational execution.

Your missions:

• Own and drive the implementation of the approved Enterprise Architecture operating model.
• Establish and continuously improve the architecture governance framework across the organization.
• Operationalize the federated Target Operating Model for all architecture roles and entities.
• Provide a unified architecture vision across business and IT domains.
• Implement and facilitate Architecture Review Boards (ARB) and governance processes.
• Embed architecture practices into portfolio management, project delivery, product development, security, data, integration, and vendor selection processes.
• Define and implement architecture decision-making mechanisms and compliance processes.
• Develop reusable architecture practices, standards, principles, and reference architectures.
• Build and animate an Architecture Community and architecture working groups.
• Define KPIs and governance metrics to measure architecture adoption and effectiveness.
• Transfer knowledge and ensure long-term autonomy of internal stakeholders.
• Drive alignment between Group and local entities while maintaining delivery efficiency.

Your activities:

• Translate the approved operating model into practical working methods.
• Create a prioritized implementation backlog.
• Define milestones, dependencies, risks, decision points and pilot initiatives.
• Establish architecture principles, standards, policies and reference architectures.
• Define and maintain governance workflows and decision processes.
• Ensure traceability of architectural decisions and escalation paths.

Architecture Review Board (ARB)

• Define ARB scope, participation model, quorum rules and governance processes.
• Organize and facilitate Architecture Review Board sessions.
• Prepare decision-ready architecture review packages.
• Record, track and communicate architectural decisions.
• Establish escalation mechanisms and governance controls.
• Establish delegated decision rights and decision-routing mechanisms.
• Implement waiver and exception management processes.
• Define architecture compliance reviews and compliance levels.
• Create accelerated governance processes for urgent business needs.
• Clarify responsibilities, mandates and decision rights of:
• Domain Architects
• Technical Architects
• Solution Architects
• Define interactions, handovers and escalation paths between architecture roles.
• Support the rollout of the federated architecture model across entities.

Stakeholder Alignment

• Align business, product, delivery, engineering, infrastructure, security and data stakeholders.
• Build consensus around priorities, trade-offs and reusable solutions.
• Promote shared ownership across teams and entities.
• Communicate and defend the architecture vision at senior management level.

Architecture Integration into Delivery

• Integrate architecture within:
• Funding processes
• Demand intake processes
• Security and risk management
• Data and integration initiatives
• Define the minimum viable architecture artefact framework.
• Establish ownership and approval processes.
• Implement review triggers.
• Define retirement and lifecycle management rules.
• Translate platform guardrails into actionable guidance for delivery teams.

Community & Capability Development

• Coach architectural communities and architecture stakeholders.
• Establish Architecture Communities of Practice.
• Lead focused architecture working groups.
• Deliver knowledge transfer activities.
• Enable internal teams to operate the governance model independently.

Measurement & Continuous Improvement

• Define and monitor KPIs related to:
• Delivery enablement
• Reuse
• Compliance
• Drive continuous improvement of governance practices.
• Foster momentum and accountability across teams.

You have the following skills:

• Enterprise Architecture (10+ years)
• Federated Architecture Operating Models
• Architecture Review Boards (ARB)
• Architecture Governance Frameworks
• Architecture Compliance Management
• Reference Architectures
• Enterprise Standards & Policies
• Architecture Service Models

Architecture Methodologies & Frameworks

• TOGAF
• ArchiMate
• Domain-Driven Design (DDD)
• ITIL

Governance & Decision Management

• Governance Design and Implementation
• Delegated Decision Rights
• Waiver & Exception Management
• Compliance Reviews

Stakeholder & Leadership Skills

• Executive Stakeholder Management
• Change Management
• Community Leadership
• Coaching & Mentoring
• Organizational Alignment

Delivery & Transformation

• Agile Delivery Environments
• Portfolio & Demand Management
• Product Delivery
• Project Delivery
• Technology Selection
• Organizational Transformation

Technical & Domain Knowledge

• IT Infrastructure
• Security Architecture
• Application Lifecycle Management
• Digital Platform Governance

Languages

• French (nice-to-have)
• Dutch (nice-to-have)
• German (nice-to-have)

Nice-to-Have

• Experience in the Energy & Utilities sector
• Hands-on experience designing and delivering IT solutions in Agile environments
• Experience in multinational and multi-entity organizations
• Experience operating in federated governance environments