Lead Mainframe Active-Active Architect / SME

swatX Solutions; Saudi Arabia; On-site; SAR 200,000 - 300,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading company based in Saudi Arabia seeks a highly qualified Lead Mainframe Active-Active Architect / SME. The role involves leading the mainframe active-active assessment and transformation, requiring extensive mainframe expertise and project management skills. The ideal candidate will perform assessments, develop designs, and ensure effective communication with stakeholders.

Qualifications

• Extensive knowledge of ZOS, DB2, CICS.
• Experience with GDPS, XRC, and SRDF tools.
• Strong understanding of disaster recovery and replication mechanisms.

Responsibilities

• Lead assessments and designs for mainframe active-active setups.
• Conduct workshops and gather requirements from stakeholders.
• Develop transformation roadmaps and high-level designs.

Skills

Mainframe Expertise

Active-Active Proficiency

Disaster Recovery Knowledge

Project Management

Communication Skills

Job description

JD for Mainframe A-A assessment

A highly qualified individual is needed to lead the mainframe active-active assessment and transformation. The ideal candidate would possess the following:

Role Title: Lead Mainframe Active-Active Architect / SME

Required Qualifications, Skills, and Experience: * Deep Mainframe Expertise: * Extensive knowledge of mainframe infrastructure, including ZOS, DB2, and CICS.

* Proficiency with dependent mainframe services such as Mainframe Printing and Control-M.

* Strong understanding of mainframe storage solutions like DS8000 and data lifecycle management (DLM).

* In-depth knowledge of mainframe automation.

· Active-Active and Disaster Recovery Proficiency:

o Demonstrated experience in assessing and designing active-active (A-A) environments for mainframes.

o Expertise in data consistency and synchronization mechanisms in active-active setups.

o Familiarity with various replication tools such as GDPS, XRC, and SRDF.

o Experience with failover scenarios and defining Recovery Time Objectives (RTO).

o Thorough understanding of IBM GDPS (Geographically Dispersed Parallel Sysplex), including its benefits, prerequisites, licensing, and potential showstoppers (e.g., Metro Mirror, Global Mirror, HyperSwap, SASP-enabled routers) .

· Assessment and Design Methodology:

o Proven ability to perform current state assessments, including identifying gaps, limitations, and pre-requisites for an A-A transformation.

o Experience in developing high-level designs (HLD) for mainframe active-active solutions.

o Skilled in creating transformation roadmaps with staged implementation plans, including active-hot-standby configurations.

o Capability to develop a Bill of Materials (BoM) covering hardware upgrades, licenses, and professional services.

o Experience with high-level costing analysis.

o Familiarity with frameworks like the Operational Resilience Framework (ORF) and standards such as ISO 22301, ISO 27001, DORA, and NIST is a plus.

· Project and Communication Skills:

o Ability to conduct workshops, interviews, and discovery sessions with SMEs and stakeholders to gather information and validate requirements.

o Strong analytical skills to summarize current IT environments and identify key issues.

o Excellent communication and presentation skills to deliver findings, recommendations, and executive presentations.

o Ability to work independently and remotely, with some on-site presence as required.

o Experience in a challenging and urgent project environment

Engagement Details:

• Duration: ~12 weeks
• Effort: ~2 days/week (totaling just over a month of effort)
• On-site Time: 10 days included
• Start Date: Ideally mid-July (flexible by 1–2 weeks)
• Remote Start: Possible