Enterprise Architect

Education Authority; Belfast; On-site; GBP 40,000 - 60,000; Full time

Job summary

A regional education organization in Northern Ireland seeks an Enterprise Architect to align business and IT strategies. The successful candidate will manage relationships between stakeholders and demonstrate expertise in enterprise architecture to support business transformation. Collaboration with leadership and innovation are key to driving success in this role.

Benefits

Flexible working options

Professional development opportunities

Health benefits

Qualifications

• 4 years of experience in an Enterprise Architect role in a large organization.
• Experience in at least three enterprise architecture disciplines.

Responsibilities

• Facilitates alignment between business and IT.
• Builds relationships with business and IT stakeholders.
• Supports formulation of business strategy.

Skills

Strategic planning

Stakeholder management

Analytical thinking

Leadership skills

Education

Bachelor’s degree in a relevant field

Tools

Enterprise architecture tools

Job description

Job Description

Service area:Operations and Estates Directorate – ICT Division – ICT Projects Service

Responsible to:Head of Service – ICT Projects

Responsible for:The Enterprise Architect proactively and holistically helps and guides the EA’s leaders, product managers, product owners and distributed product delivery teams through transformation and optimisation initiatives, supporting the formulation of business strategy, outcomes and capabilities. They focus on development of the business and IT strategy and enterprise architecture of the organisation.

The Enterprise Architect must:

• Facilitate alignment between business and IT, and across the IT landscape.

• Engage business and IT stakeholders, building and maintaining relationships.

• Adapt to changing business and operating models.

• Analyse trends and disruptions, and assess their impact on targeted business outcomes.

• Tell stories to visualise the future state and trigger long-term planning.

• Support various project-centric and product-centric operating models.

• Communicate the value of enterprise architecture, and its portfolio of services.

• Drive the evolution of the Enterprise Architect services and operating model.

• Coach and mentor other architects, product owners/managers and business stakeholders to instil architectural thinking, providing effective leadership to the Technical Design Authority.

The Enterprise Architect will be someone that is:

• Trusted and respected as a thought leader who can influence and persuade business and IT leaders.

• Comfortable, experienced and accomplished at working with business leaders, and able to push back in a professional and diplomatic way.

• Highly collaborative and supportive of business and of its ideals and strategies.

• Highly innovative with aptitude for foresight, systems thinking and design thinking.

• Vendor- and technology-neutral — more interested in achieving targeted business outcomes than in personal preferences, or in vested personal preferences of other business and IT leaders.

• Composed in the face of opposition to architectural principles, governance and standards.

• Practical in approach to problem solving and decision making.

Job Purpose

The Enterprise Architect will demonstrate competencies across five key dimensions.

SUPPORTS FORMULATION OF STRATEGY AND GUIDES EXECUTION

Works with Business and Leadership Stakeholders to Develop Strategy

• Proactively identifies and helps the organisation respond to disruptive forces. Understands the Authority’s economic and financial levers that are susceptible to digital transformation to effectively guide investment decisions.

• Leads the analysis of business and operating models, market trends and the technology industry to determine their potential impact on the enterprise’s business strategy, direction, and architecture.

• Provides perspective on the readiness of the organisation to change and innovate through scenario planning techniques, and supports formulation of business strategy.

• Uses planning-driven, design-driven and learning-driven approaches to construct future- and current-state business models.

Connects Strategy to Execution

• Facilitates business and IT alignment, connecting strategy to execution, through a collaborative, supportive and consultative manner, driving the organisation’s digital business strategies and balancing innovation and growth.

• Translates and guides execution of business strategy to achieve the organisation’s targeted business outcomes by leading the development of an implementation roadmap for the enterprise architecture.

• Constructs technology-enabled business and operating models and provides viable options and visibility into execution issues.

BUILDS AND MAINTAINS RELATIONSHIPS

Builds the Enterprise Architecture Value Proposition and Structures Business Engagement

• Builds the Enterprise Architecture value proposition, contributing to positioning the Enterprise Architecture practice as an internal capability, offering services and skills to support the development and execution of business strategy.

• Develops a portfolio of consulting services, designed to meet business and stakeholder needs, and delivers in an agile and time-boxed way.

• Determines the relationship between people, processes, information, technology and other components of the enterprise operating model, and their relationships to one another and to the external environment.

• Enables Value-Based Messaging and Manages Cross-Functional Relationships

• Provides consultative advice, adapted to stakeholder context, to business leaders and organisational stakeholders who seek actionable recommendations to make investment decisions about the next business and operating model of their organisation, using technology to make that change happen.

• Leads and facilitates interaction with business leaders, product managers and product owners in a business-driven conversation over the risks and implications of the product decision to the line of business, business unit and greater enterprise.

• Leads a collaborative community of architects and works with a strategic committee to guide transformation and resolve any conflicts IT delivery and enterprise business outcomes.

ORCHESTRATES THE DELIVERY OF BUSINESS OUTCOMES

Develops the Business Architecture

• Positions the EA practice at the intersection of business and IT. Ensures that the EA practice is designed and enabled to formulate, translate and execute business strategy.

• Works with business architects and business leaders to identify key drivers and targeted business outcomes to derive useful business context.

• Develops diagnostic and action-oriented deliverables that help guide investment decisions in support of executing business strategy.

Brings Alignment Across Business and IT

• Leads analysis of the business’ future-state capabilities and future (and current) IT environment to detect critical gaps and opportunities and recommend solutions for improvement to drive the business towards its targeted outcomes.

• Identifies organisational requirements for the resources, structures and cultural changes necessary to support the enterprise architecture.

• Works with the CIO and IT leaders to find the right EA organisational design to drive business-outcomes. This may include being part of fusion teams and supporting federated initiatives.

• Ensures that the EA organisational design process leads to a more efficient and effective business and IT operating model, significantly improved results (e.g., profitability, customer service, internal operations), and EA resources empowered and committed to the integration of business and IT.

FACILITATES INNOVATION

Collects, Analyses, Reviews and Refines Innovations, Trends, Disruptions, Opportunities or Ideas

• Assesses disruptive forces affecting the organisation and identifies technology-enabled innovation opportunities that enables business strategy.

• Contextualises trends based on technological, political, economic, social/cultural, trust/ethics, regulatory/legal, and environmental (TPESTRE) trends to enhance their strategic decision making.

• Scans emerging technologies and the business ecosystem for major disruptive technology and nontechnology trends (trendspotting) that affect business.

• Provides practical advice and best practices to take advantage of new, or emerging, opportunities and successfully deliver the expected business outcomes.

• Develops, Tracks and Manages Execution of Innovation.

• Details potential competitive threats from digital enterprises that are generally considered outside of your traditional realm of competition.

• Tracks and applies innovative technologies, anchoring them in the business and operating model to assess their potential, and uses agile and lean approaches to evolve and manage innovation.

• Runs pilots to create new products and services and integrate the best of these into steady-state operations for the organisation.

PLANS AND MANAGES THE IT PORTFOLIO

Supports Portfolio Modernisation and Develops Roadmaps

• Maintains the alignment, integration and coordination of architecture activities across different programs, projects and products as they evolve over time.

• Presents gap analyses and/or IT investment roadmaps that reflect the status of the existing IT landscape, namely, its ability to contribute to future-state business capabilities around ecosystems and digital platforms.

• Leads analysis of the IT environment to detect critical deficiencies and recommend solutions for improvement.

• Leads the development of an implementation plan for the enterprise architecture based on business requirements and the varying IT strategies for project-driven or product-driven delivery teams.

Supports Solutions Design and Delivery

• Develops and applies minimal viable architectures, which can include a set of standards, reference architecture patterns, principles and guardrails, through the EA governance model, which is informed by the business strategy and corporate governance. Clarifies accountability and provides the focal point for agile, effective and efficient decision making.

• Facilitates a collaborative relationship across architecture community, product management and product delivery teams by providing freedom-in-a-box for decision making, with the minimal viable architecture forming the boundaries of the box.

• Collaborates with delivery teams to ensure consistency with the enterprise architecture, as well as to leverage shared technologies, tools and processes that impact speed to value and time to market.

• Collaborates with infrastructure teams to ensure consistency with the enterprise architecture, as well as to identify when it is necessary to modify the enterprise architecture.

Other duties and responsibilities applicable to the role of the Enterprise Architect

The post-holder will be expected to fulfil a range of other duties and responsibilities as detailed below.

LEADERSHIP/MANAGEMENT

• Line Manage employees aligned to Service area.

• Provide non-managerial support, information and training as required for other employees within ICT Services.

• Lead and support employees in the team in the effective and efficient operation of services.

• Promote the corporate vision, values and culture of EA as a single regional organisation, in all processes linked to maintenance, development and implementation of Infrastructure architecture assignments.

• Provide leadership to their service staff and ensure transformational changes and new structures, strategies, policies and processes for their system/service are implemented while maintaining the high standards of the Authority and any future challenges.

• Ensure that team members are provided with clear structure, roles and responsibilities and are supported to work in an integrated way.

• Work closely with team members to ensure that all requirements, deadlines, and schedules are on track. Responsibilities include submitting agreed deliverables, preparing status reports, and establishing effective communication plans.

• Foster a culture that supports achievement of the Authority’s Strategic Plan by role-modelling core values and leadership behaviours to staff.

• Undertake such training as may be required for his/her own personal and professional development.

STRATEGIC PLANNING AND POLICY INFLUENCE

• Contribute to and where appropriate, lead the development and implementation of specific targets relating to the EA corporate plan and Finance and ICT business plan.

• Contribute to the development of a comprehensive service development plan.

• Work collaboratively with Technical Architects and Heads of Service, to ensure that priorities are translated into manageable objectives and communicated to relevant teams within the Service as appropriate.

• Work collaboratively with Technical Architects and ICT Services Senior Officers to devise and implement effective systems to monitor, measure, control and report on the work of relevant teams within service to take account of changes in the internal and external environments which may impact on and influence priorities and needs.

• Provide reports that can inform policy and strategic direction using formative and summative information which will guide future models of service delivery in relation to the service area.

• To establish effective, accountable and rigorous quality assurance systems to achieve the highest possible standards of performance, with a focus on maintaining the needs of internal and external customers.

CORPORATE LEADERSHIP AND MANAGEMENT

• Contribute to the strategic planning, implementation, and on-going monitoring of the service area.

• Ensure compliance with all relevant legislation and statutory frameworks.

• Establish, maintain, manage and review effective data systems.

• Co-ordinate, deliver, or contribute to training and support with regards to specific service areas as required.

• Facilitate the induction of new staff and ongoing professional development of all staff in relation to the core objectives, expected outputs and outcomes in relation to the service.

• Prepare and deliver reports on behalf of the Authority as required.

• Ensure that employees within the service have an awareness of the corporate culture, values and processes which underpin organisational development.

• Delegate responsibilities and deploy staff in accordance with their skills and abilities, the needs of the EA and service specific priorities.

• Ensure key risks are assessed and monitored, managed and controlled effectively aligned to the EA risk process.

SERVICE DEVELOPMENT AND QUALITY ASSURANCE

• Agree performance targets and provide regular progress reports to the Heads of Services and to the relevant governance bodies both internal and external.

• Manage and continuously improve the service to ensure delivery against performance targets, and to ensure that the best value for money is achieved.

• Assist the Authority in the development of policies and plans in line with overall strategic policy and objectives.

• Ensure effective and rigorous quality assurance systems are in place to maintain high standards.

• Participate in review processes to enable the development, review and compliance of all quality assurance policies and procedures.

• Foster and facilitate the development of staff skills in relation to negotiating and collaborating with other professionals.

• Liaise and work co-operatively with colleagues in other sections of the Authority to ensure consistent and coherent approaches towards training and services in relation to language and communication support.

• Manage staff to perform to their potential, promote their professional development and give support when required.

MANAGING FINANCIAL RESOURCES

• Follow robust corporate governance procedures and financial control frameworks for effective management of the budget for the service and monitor expenditure ensuring propriety, regularity and value for money within the allocated budget.

• Facilitate reporting protocols that are required by the EA.

PARTNERSHIP WORKING

• Enhance the development of the service by building effective partnerships.

• Develop links across the Authority’s Directorates as necessary.

• Ensure effective systems are in place for communication and consultation with service users, both internally and externally.

• Contribute to attendance at meetings both internally and with other stakeholders, in accordance with corporate goals, service targets, multi-agency action plans and in line with EA and DE requirements.

OTHER DUTIES

• Comply with EA policies and procedures in relation to the duties and responsibilities of the post.

• Any such other duties that the EA may from time to time require.

The list of duties is not intended to be exhaustive or exclusive. The post holder may be required to undertake various other duties as deemed necessary and commensurate with the level of responsibility of the post. The Authority reserves the right to update the Job Description to reflect the changing needs of the Service in consultation with the post holder.

This job description is intended to provide a broad outline of responsibilities and reflects an initial assessment of the needs of the Directorate. As such, it is not intended to be exhaustive and may be subject to on-going review and refinement to ensure the Directorate’s ability to meet the evolving needs of the business. Other reasonable duties may be assigned by the Assistant Director in consultation with the Head of Service.

In accordance with Section 75 of the Northern Ireland Act (1998), the post holder is expected to promote good relations, equality of opportunity and pay due regard for equality legislation at all times.

To view the summary of terms and conditions for this post, click here .

PERSON SPECIFICATION

NOTES TO JOB APPLICANTS

1. You must clearly demonstrate on your application form under each question, how, and to what extent you meet the required criteria as failure to do so may result in you not being shortlisted. You should clearly demonstrate this for both the essential and desirable criteria, where relevant.

2. You must demonstrate how you meet the criteria by the closing date for applications, unless the criteria state otherwise.

3. The stage in the process when the criteria will be measured is outlined in the table below.

4. Shortlisting will be carried out on the basis of the essential criteria set out in Section 1 below, using the information provided by you on your application form.

5. Please note that the Selection Panel reserves the right to shortlist only those applicants that it believes most strongly meet the criteria for the role.

6. In the event of an excessive number of applications, the Selection Panel also reserves the right to apply any desirable criteria as outlined in Section 3 at shortlisting, in which case these will be applied in the order listed. It is important therefore that you also clearly demonstrate on your application form on how you meet any desirable criteria.

Section 1 - Essential Criteria

The following are essential criteria which will initially be measured at the shortlisting stage and whichmay also be further explored during the interview/selection stage.You should therefore make it clear on your application form how, and to what extent you meet these criteria. Failure to do so may result in you not being shortlisted.

Factor Essential Criteria Method of Assessment Qualifications/
Experience

Hold a bachelor’s degree (QCF Level 6) or an equivalent or higher qualification in computer science, computer engineering, electrical engineering, system analysis or a related field of study and four years’ demonstrable experience in an Enterprise Architect role in a large multidisciplinary organisation.

OR

Have seven year’s demonstrable experience in an Enterprise Architect role in a large multidisciplinary organisation.

Have seven or more years of experience in at least three enterprise architecture disciplines, such as business, information, solution or technical architecture, application development, middleware, information analysis, database management or operations in a multitier environment, in the context an organisation of similar size and scale to the Education Authority.

Shortlisting by Application Form

Knowledge

Candidates must demonstrate knowledge of:

Business ecosystems, SaaS, infrastructure as a service (IaaS), platform as a service (PaaS), SOA, APIs, open data, microservices, event-driven IT and predictive analytics.

Insight into information management practices, system development life cycle management, IT services management, agile and lean methodologies, infrastructure and operations, and EA and ITIL frameworks.

Various operating models such as project-centric and product-centric and also different types of agile principles, methodologies and frameworks, especially those designed to be scaled at the enterprise level.

Existing, new and emerging technologies, and processing environments.

All components of enterprise architecture, business & IT principles and processes.

Shortlisting by Application Form

Other

Flexible working outside normal office hours maybe required to meet the requirements of the post.

The successful candidate will be required:

to have access to a suitable vehicle (appropriately maintained and insured for Education Authority business) that will enable them to carry out the mobility requirements of the post in an efficient and effective manner and thus meet this essential criterion;

OR

be able to provide sufficient information on the application form that will satisfy the employer that he/she has access to an appropriate alternative form of transport that will enable them to carry out the mobility requirements of the post in an efficient and effective manner and thus meet this essential criterion.

Shortlisting by Application Form

Section 2 - Essential Criteria

The following are additional essential criteria which will be measured during the interview/selection stage in line with EA’s Game Changing People Model .

Factor Essential Criteria Method of Assessment Knowledge

In additional to knowledge demonstrated in section 1 candidates must demonstrate knowledge of:

Business models, operating models, financial models, cost-benefit analysis, budgeting and risk management.

Familiarity with enterprise architecture tools, related graphical models, and frameworks.

Presentation/Interview

Skills/
Abilities

In line with EA’s Game Changing People Model we will look for evidence of:

Effective leadership skills with exceptional soft and interpersonal skills, including teamwork, facilitation and negotiation.

Strong consulting skills such as targeted communications, engagement management, stakeholder management and business development.

Excellent communication skills, with the ability to talk and present to a range of audiences, explaining technical information in a manner that is understood by non-technical resources.

Ability to deliver high performance whilst working under pressure on multiple compliance objectives.

Excellent proven analytical & creative thinking and an informed evidence-based approach to decision-making.

Lead and manage staff, giving clear direction and inspiring confidence.

Support, motivate and develop employees effectively.

Build effective working relationships and work collaboratively with colleagues and stakeholders.

Negotiate and influence.

Plan and manage service delivery to meet agreed outcomes.

Ability to articulate insight to explain current and forecasted trends, their impact and associated opportunities

Monitor expenditure.

Presentation/Interview

Values Orientation
Evidence of how your experience and approach to work reflect EA’s ethos and values. You will find information about our Values here .

Interview

Our Values

Through the selection process we will also seek evidence that the personal values of candidates align with those of the EA. This will include evidence of commitment to equality and excellence in service delivery. These reflect our aim which is to meet the needs of all our children and young people equally, removing barriers to learning and ensuring equality of access to excellent education services so that every child can develop to his or her full potential.

DISCLOSURE OF CRIMINAL BACKGROUND

The Safeguarding Vulnerable Groups (Northern Ireland) Order 2007 defines working directly with children or young people or in specified places as ‘regulated activity’.

In the event that you are recommended for appointed to a post that involves ‘regulated activity’, the Education Authority will be required to undertake an Enhanced Disclosure of Criminal Background. Please note that youWILLbe expected to meet the cost of an Enhanced Disclosure Certificate. Details of how to make payment will be sent to you at the pre-employment stage.

Further information can be accessed at NI Direct or the Department of Justice.

APPLICANT GUIDANCE NOTES

To view the applicant guidance notes, please click here .

To learn about the many great benefits of joining the Education Authority, click here

The Education Authority is an Equal Opportunities Employer.