IT Solutions Architect (Broader Africa Technology)

FirstRand Bank India; Johannesburg; On-site; ZAR 1,400,000 - 2,000,000; Full time

Job summary

FirstRand Bank India is seeking a seasoned Solution Architect to define and govern the cross-border payments architecture, aligning with business strategy and regulatory requirements. You will lead the modernisation of the cross-border payments capability, enabling scalable, secure, and resilient payment solutions across the Africa region.

You will own platform-wide architecture, drive decisions on SWIFT FIN/ISO 20022, and collaborate with senior leaders and capability teams to translate

Qualifications

• 10+ years in architecture focused on payment solutions.
• Experience with SWIFT MX/MT messaging and ISO 20022.
• Knowledge of TOGAF, cloud platforms (AWS, Azure) and related qualifications.
• Experience with sanctions, AML, and cross-border settlement processes.
• Strong governance and enterprise architecture standards.

Responsibilities

• Define and maintain the target architecture for cross-border payments.
• Develop solution architectures for payment hubs, clearing networks, settlement, and related systems.
• Ensure alignment with standards, strategy and regulatory obligations.
• Establish principles, governance processes and artefact delivery for payments domain.
• Provide architecture leadership across platforms and stakeholder groups.

Skills

Solution architecture leadership

Cross-border payments

Regulatory & compliance awareness

Stakeholder engagement

SWIFT/ISO 20022 expertise

Enterprise architecture governance

Education

Bachelor's degree in Computer Science, Information Systems, Engineering or related field

Tools

Sparx Enterprise Architect

Job description

Job Description

The purpose of the role is as follows:

To define, govern and implement technology solutions across the organisation’s cross-border payments ecosystem, ensuring alignment with business strategy, regulatory requirements, industry standards, and enterprise architecture principles. Providing strategic technology solution leadership to support the modernisation the cross-border payment capability to ensure scalable, secure and resilient payment solutions are put in place to support the broader Africa business.

You will be an ideal candidate of you can:

Solution Architecture Leadership

• Define and maintain the target architecture for cross-border payments across the organisation
• Develop solution architectures supporting payment hubs, SWIFT, ISO 20022, clearing networks, correspondent banking and cross-border settlement processes
• Ensure technology solutions align with enterprise architecture standards, payment strategy and regulatory obligations
• Establish and enforce architectural principles, standards and governance processes for the payments domain
• Produce conceptual, logical and physical architecture artefacts which are continiously maintained.

Cross-Border Payments Domain Ownership for Platform

• Act as the architecture authority for all cross-border payment initiatives on platform
• Maintain end-to-end visibility of payment journeys across customer channels, core banking systems, payment hubs, middleware and external payment networks that are part of the platforms ecosystem
• Drive architecture decisions relating to: SWIFT FIN and ISO 20022 messaging, Cross-border payment processing, Correspondent banking integrations, Treasury and liquidity management integration, Foreign exchange processing, Sanctions and compliance screening, AML transaction monitoring, Real-time and near real-time payment capabilities

Stakeholder Engagement

• Collaborate with senior leadership to translate the business objectives into technology strategies and architectural solutions
• Collaborate with integrating capability areas to ensure there is alignment on solutions and architectural roadmaps

Do you have the following:

• 10+ years in architecture focused on payment solutions
  Financial banking experience
• SWIFT Network exeperience (MX / MT)
• Agentic AI
• Enterprise Sparx
• Bachelors in Computer science, information systems , Engineering or related field
• BIAN , Cloud (AWS, Azure), TOGAF, SWIFT related qualifications, PASA

#Post

#RMB

#LI-ZM1

Important Closing Date Note

02/11/26

All appointments will be made in line with FirstRand Group’s Employment Equity plan. The Bank supports the recruitment and advancement of individuals with disabilities. In order for us to fulfill this purpose, candidates can disclose their disability information on a voluntary basis. The Bank will keep this information confidential unless we are required by law to disclose this information to other parties.