Head of Solutions & Services Architecture & Implementations

Be Different Recruitment; Centurion; On-site; ZAR 1 000 000 - 1 400 000; Full time

Job summary

A leading recruitment firm in South Africa is seeking an experienced IT Solutions Architect. The ideal candidate will have a minimum of 10 years' experience in IT solutions architecture, extensive knowledge of cloud technologies, and familiarity with frameworks such as TOGAF and ITIL. Responsibilities include operationalizing technology roadmaps, managing strategic governance forums, and implementing comprehensive solutions. If you are a dynamic individual looking to drive innovation within a forward-thinking organization, we encourage you to apply.

Qualifications

• Minimum of 10 years' experience in IT solutions architecture, service implementation, and operational delivery.
• Proven expertise managing large-scale enterprise architecture implementations and multi-vendor integrations.
• Demonstrated proficiency in solution design and delivery.

Responsibilities

• Operationalize strategic technology roadmaps and solution blueprints.
• Implement solution architecture principles and best practices.
• Develop detailed enterprise solution architectures for cloud and hybrid environments.

Skills

TOGAF 9 Certification

ITIL v4 Expert Certification

AWS / Azure Cloud Certifications

Solutions Development Life Cycles

Deep technical expertise in AIOps frameworks

Project Management Professional (PMP)

Certified Information Systems Security Professional (CISSP)

Tools

Terraform

Ansible

OpenTelemetry

ScienceLogic SL1

ServiceNow

Job description

In order to be considered the following is required :

• TOGAF 9 Certification
• Solutions Development Life Cycles
• Solutions Development Architecture
• ITIL v4 Expert Certification
• AWS / Azure Cloud Certifications
• Certified Information Systems Security Professional (CISSP) – desirable
• Project Management Professional (PMP) or PRINCE2 – desirable
• Minimum of 10 years' experience in IT solutions architecture, service implementation and operational delivery
• Proven expertise managing large-scale enterprise architecture implementations and multi-vendor integrations
• Deep technical expertise in AIOps frameworks, cloud technologies, observability platforms and IT automation
• Demonstrated proficiency in solution design and delivery leveraging platforms such as ScienceLogic SL1, ServiceNow and OpenTelemetry

Frameworks & Methodologies :

• Enterprise Architecture : TOGAF, Zachman
• Service Management : ITIL 4, SIAM
• Governance : COBIT, ISO 20000, ISO 27001
• DevOps / CI-CD : SAFe Agile, Scrum
• Automation : Infrastructure as Code (IaC), Terraform, Ansible
• AIOps & Observability : OpenTelemetry, Prometheus, ScienceLogic

Duties & Responsibilities :

Solutions & Services Architecture Strategy :

• Operationalize strategic technology roadmaps and solution blueprints developed by the CTO’s Eco System Development team
• Implement solution architecture principles and best practices ensuring operational consistency and scalability
• Manage technology governance forums to oversee solution architecture decisions and ensure alignment with strategic objectives

IT and AIOps Solutions Design :

• Develop detailed enterprise solution architectures for cloud, hybrid IT and on-premise environments based on CTO guidelines
• Integrate and optimize technology platforms such as ScienceLogic SL1, ServiceNow, PagerDuty and similar AIOps tools
• Design and implement advanced observability and monitoring frameworks leveraging OpenTelemetry, Prometheus and other AI-driven solutions

Service Architecture & Design Alignment :

• Align solution implementations closely with IT Service Management (ITSM) and operational service delivery frameworks
• Enforce Service Integration and Management (SIAM) standards ensuring multi-vendor service architectures are cohesive and operationally efficient
• Develop detailed service blueprints guiding standardized implementation practices across all service projects

Technology Implementation Governance :

• Oversee technology selection and vendor evaluations consistent with strategic architecture frameworks set by the CTO
• Ensure solution implementations strictly comply with ITIL, ISO 20000, ISO 27001 and other relevant standards
• Guide and manage transition processes to integrate new solutions seamlessly into operational support frameworks

Solutions Implementation & Delivery Oversight :

• Ensure timely, within-budget delivery of customer-specific IT and AIOps solutions aligned with architectural standards
• Establish and enforce robust DevOps, Continuous Integration and Continuous Deployment (CI / CD) and automation practices
• Manage complex multi-cloud deployments ensuring high availability, fault tolerance, and robust disaster recovery strategies

Innovation & Continuous Improvement :

• Drive the adoption of AI-driven automation, advanced analytics and next-generation observability within operational services
• Evaluate emerging technologies for practical application in service implementations, ensuring agility and resilience
• Facilitate AIOps maturity advancement through structured adoption phases (Discover, Integrate, Optimize, Align, Innovate and Future Proof)

Risk & Compliance Management :

• Ensure implemented solutions adhere to compliance standards including ISO 27001, NIST, GDPR, POPIA and data sovereignty requirements
• Implement comprehensive security measures based on Zero Trust models and disaster recovery best practices
• Proactively identify and manage risks associated with solution architectures, infrastructure, cloud deployments and vendor dependencies

Vendor and Partner Management :

• Manage operational relationships with OEM and technology partners, ensuring solutions align with contractual commitments and SLAs
• Enforce strict architecture integration requirements and performance standards across all vendor-provided solutions
• Negotiate and manage vendor agreements in alignment with defined solution architectures and operational deliverables

Performance Measurement & Reporting :

• Develop and track Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) specific to solution performance, delivery quality and operational adoption
• Regularly provide comprehensive performance reports and architecture health dashboards to senior leadership and governance forums
• Utilize operational analytics to continuously enhance solution performance, optimize costs and elevate service quality