Senior IS/IT Architect

BAE SYSTEMS; Riyadh; On-site; SAR 149,000 - 225,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading defence contractor in Riyadh is looking for a Senior IS/IT Architect to drive strategic technical solutions for military clients. The role entails engaging with stakeholders, leading enterprise capability strategies, and ensuring compliance across IT solutions. Candidates should have a background in the Defence sector, strong analytical and technical skills, and significant experience in an IT function. Competitive salary and benefits are provided.

Benefits

Competitive salary

Rent-free accommodation

Access to recreation facilities

Generous leave and travel allowance

Full healthcare scheme

Qualifications

• Experience in the Defence sector or relevant military background.
• Communication with stakeholders at all levels.
• Proven experience in IT Functions or relevant fields.

Responsibilities

• Lead technical direction and strategy.
• Accountable for requirements capture and solution integration.
• Provide advice for IT solutions in military programmes.

Skills

Stakeholder engagement

Analytical skills

Change management

Technical architecture

Compliance

Education

Bachelor's degree or significant industry experience

Job description

Senior IS/IT Architect

Information Management and Technology

Grade: GG14

Location: Riyadh, Saudi Arabia

JOB PURPOSE

BAE Systems is the UK Government’s nominated Prime Contractor under the Government-to-Government arrangements that are in place to provide equipment, support and training to Saudi Arabia. We provide maintenance of Royal Saudi Air Force (RSAF) aircraft and train RSAF and Royal Saudi Naval Force personnel safely in a training environment in how to use their aircraft, equipment and weapons. BAE Systems Saudi Arabia is committed to supporting the Saudi Arabian National Agenda including Saudisation and the training and development of Saudi National capability through the growth of the Saudi National Partner Companies thereby reinforcing Industrialisation and Partnerships. IM&T (Digital, Data & Cyber) is a key enabler of BAE Systems Saudi Arabia’s strategy and business plan to maintain, defend, and grow its central role in the national and regional defence ecosystem of Vision 2030.

JOB ACCOUNTABILITIES

This ‘Senior IT/IT Architect’ role, based in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, is responsible for building key relationships with our customers and stakeholders, driving our strategic technical direction, supporting business winning campaigns and enabling the delivery of our contractual programme commitments to military customers across the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA). In addition to programme delivery accountabilities on the Saudi British Defence Cooperation Programme (SBDCP) and Salam (Typhoon) Programme, this role plays a crucial part in growing the business, fostering innovation, creating digital business value, enabling Saudisation, enhancing operational efficiency, optimising business processes and ensuring competitive advantage for BAE Systems in Saudi Arabia. The purpose of this role is to:

• Lead the creation and review of an enterprise capability strategy to support the requirements of the business and our military customers.
• Identify and define the business benefits of alternative strategies.
• Lead the technical specification and integration of solutions across our stakeholder communities (including a range of lines of business, programmes, customers and suppliers).
• Provide strategic direction and technical advice for Customer programmes.
• Be accountable for all requirements capture and solution integration for current, future projects and bid activities.
• Provide governance and assurance for all customer facing IT solutions and contractual deliverables (internal and external compliance including all legal, regulatory, cyber security aspects).

Ultimately, the role holder will be responsible for supporting strategic developments, solution design, solution integration, service deployment and through-life support for all Information Systems / Information Technology (IS/IT) solutions that form part of the capability delivery on Customer facing (Military) programmes.

RECRUITMENT SPECIFICATION

The role holder:

• Is a suitably qualified and experienced IS/IT Architect, who will proactively liaise between business units, technology teams, IT vendors, support teams and our Customers (both RSAF, RSNF and internal).
• Provides analytical support in development of the IT requirements and Statements of Requirement (SoR).
• Applies knowledge, skills and training to deliver the information technology solutions required to allow the business/customer to meet its strategic and operational goals.
• Maintains an in-depth knowledge of specific application and technical specialisms and provides expert advice regarding their application. Can supervise specialist application/technical consultancy.
• Directs development of enterprise-wide architecture and processes which ensure that the application of change is embedded in the management of the organisation.
• Ensures compliance between business, enterprise transformation activities and technology directions, setting approaches and contributing to policies, standards and practices.
• Responsible for ensuring compliance with organisational policies and procedures and overall information management strategy.
• Has defined authority and accountability for actions and decisions within a significant area of work, including technical, financial and quality aspects. Establishes organisational objectives and assigns responsibilities.
• Influences policy and strategy formation. Initiates influential relationships with internal and external customers, suppliers and partners at senior management level, including industry leaders.
• Leads on collaboration with a diverse range of stakeholders across competing objectives within the organisation. Makes decisions which impact the achievement of organisational objectives and financial performance.
• Contributes to the development and implementation of policy and strategy.
• Performs highly complex work activities covering technical, financial and quality aspects.
• Has deep expertise in own specialism(s) and an understanding of its impact on the broader business and wider customer/organisation.
• Evaluates the financial, cultural, technological, organisational and environmental factors which must be addressed in IS/IT programmes. Assesses the implications of new processes on both people and organisation and identifies the activities necessary to ensure a smooth transition to new processes.
• Takes responsibility for the quality and appropriateness of their collective recommendations.
• Rapidly wins respect from both customer / users and professional colleagues and develops a reputation for sound judgement and effectiveness in a variety of organisational cultures.
• Provides mentoring to Customer staff and to colleagues, transferring skills and expertise.
• Takes responsibility for the identification, proposal, and supporting of future business wins.
• Takes an active role in the development of team members.
• Ensures detail understanding of IM&T policies, standards and procedures for compliance with organisational policies, procedures and relevant legislation.
• Selects the most appropriate means of representing Business requirements in the context of a specific change initiative. Drives the requirements elicitation process where necessary, identifying what stakeholder input is required.
• Obtains formal agreement from a large and diverse range of senior stakeholders and recipients to the scope and requirements, plus the establishment of a baseline on which delivery of a solution can commence.
• Takes responsibility for the investigation and application of changes to programme scope.
• Assess and reports the impact on business requirements of external factors affecting a programme or project.
• Works with senior management within the organisation to review the effectiveness of the current strategies in supporting business objectives. Supports the creation of strategies, specifying requirements, conducting feasibility studies to identify the business benefits of alternative strategies.
• Identifies and responds to the key business drivers and those areas of business need which are not adequately supported by current and planned IT, within the strategic planning time frame.
• Develops and presents business cases for high-level initiatives to executive management for approval, funding, and prioritisation.
• Draws up plans for the implementation of authorised new applications and infrastructure support, identifying budgetary, technical and staffing constraints, and clearly showing costs and expected benefits.
• Identifies and monitors market trends and emerging technologies and pro-actively assesses impact on functional areas including benefits and risks.
• Champions high standards in all aspects of the interaction between users and the organisation’s systems, products and services including involvement of users in evaluation activities. Specifies standards and methods to achieve organisational objectives for usability and accessibility and to ensure that this is addressed in future design.
• Engages with clients and maintains client relationships at senior levels. Establishes agreements/contracts and manages completion and disengagement.
• Contributes to the selection and development of appropriate IM&T Digital design methods, tools, techniques; whether predictive (plan-driven) approaches or more adaptive (iterative/agile) approaches.
• Influences technology partners to provide system products that meet the needs of the business.
• Responsible for monitoring of implementation of Policies, Standards, Guidelines for IM&T Digital Discipline.
• Communicates corporate policy, standards and guidelines. Supports to the communication of organisational strategies that address information control requirements.
• Develops and presents business cases, for high-level initiatives, approval, funding and prioritisation.
• Supports the management provision of consultancy services, and/or management of a team of consultants.
• Provides advice and guidance to consultants and/or the client through involvement in the delivery of consultancy services.
• Supervises the completion and execution of IM&T Digital processes including managing the organisation's policy for the management of change.

• Has proven experience working in the Defence sector or has the relevant military background.
• Has expert technical knowledge and practical experience to give leadership to multi-specialist consultancy projects.
• Has significant experience in the analysis of a range of business organisations, across different market sectors, and experience of change management.
• Has broad knowledge of IT standards, applications and trends.
• Ideally educated to bachelor degree level or significant industry experience.
• Is highly experienced in communicating with stakeholders at all levels.
• Demonstrates a strong awareness of the uses of IT within industry and specifically within competitive or associated organisations operating in the same market.
• Demonstrates an awareness of trends in wider industry and anticipates associated implications.
• Significant experience of working in an IT Function or relevant field.
• Familiarity with IT trends and good practice.
• Has developed business knowledge of the activities and practices of own organisation and those of suppliers, partners, competitors and clients. Promotes the application of generic and specific bodies of knowledge in own organisation. Develops executive leadership skills and broadens and deepens their industry or business knowledge.
• Excellent experience in supporting the delivery of key projects in many if not all of the IM&T Digital skill sets.
• Has excellent interpersonal skills and is fully experienced at dealing with stakeholders (internal/external) and end users.
• Is able to recognise potential assignments outside own areas of specialisation and bring to bear appropriate expertise as necessary.
• Is able to make sound and far reaching decisions alone on major issues and to take full responsibility for them on a technical or managerial basis.
• Is able to plan, schedule and monitor work, within set targets, for small dedicated teams.
• Demonstrates high standards of professional behaviour in dealings with customers, staff and colleagues.

EXPATRIATE EMPLOYEE BENEFITS

In return for the required high levels of commitment and hard work you will receive a competitive salary, rent free accommodation and access to free recreation facilities, all available within Company secured accommodation. In addition, a generous leave and travel allowance makes this an opportunity not to be missed. On successfully securing a role your appointment to Saudi Arabia will initially be on single status. On commencement of employment in Saudi Arabia you will have the opportunity to apply to have your family join you in the future. A full health care scheme is provided within Saudi Arabia.

SAUDI NATIONAL EMPLOYEE BENEFITS

In return for the required high levels of commitment and hard work you will receive a competitive salary and benefits package, including a generous leave and travel allowance, a full health care scheme and access to subsidised recreational facilities.

BAE Systems

At BAE Systems, we provide some of the world's most advanced, technology-led defence, aerospace and security solutions. We employ a skilled workforce of 89,600 people in more than 40 countries. Working with customers and local partners, we develop, engineer, manufacture, and support products and systems to deliver military capability, protect national security and people, and keep critical information and infrastructure secure.

All appointments in Saudi Arabia are subject to receipt of all necessary Government and/or Customer approvals.