IT Solutions Architect (Broader Africa Technology)

FirstRand Bank Limited; Johannesburg; On-site; ZAR 1,200,000 - 2,000,000; Full time

Job summary

FirstRand Bank Limited is seeking a highly experienced Solution Architect to lead cross-border payments architecture. You will define the target architecture, govern implementations, and drive alignment with enterprise standards and regulatory obligations across payment hubs, SWIFT, and ISO 20022 ecosystems.

You will collaborate with senior leaders to translate strategic objectives into scalable, secure payment solutions and ensure end-to-end visibility across platforms and networks within the

Qualifications

• Experience leading cross-border payments architecture initiatives.
• Strong banking domain knowledge with payment systems understanding.
• Ability to translate business objectives into architectural solutions.
• Familiarity with regulatory requirements and governance in payments.

Responsibilities

• Define and govern the target architecture for cross-border payments.
• Drive decisions on SWIFT FIN, ISO 20022, payment hubs and networks.
• Ensure solutions align with enterprise standards and regulatory obligations.
• Collaborate with senior leadership to translate objectives into roadmaps.

Skills

Cross-border payments architecture

Stakeholder engagement

10+ years in payment architecture

Financial banking experience

SWIFT MX/MT experience

Agentic AI

Education

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

TOGAF

SWIFT qualifications

BIAN

PASA

Cloud (AWS, Azure)

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

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.