Lead Solutions Architect

Catalyst24; Cape Town; On-site; ZAR 1,500,000 - 2,100,000; Full time

Job summary

Catalyst24 is hiring a Lead Architect to own architecture and integration across platforms in Cape Town, South Africa. You will work with business stakeholders, Change and IT teams to design and deliver enterprise solutions, while leading and mentoring a team of domain architects for strong outcomes.

The role requires extensive experience in cloud and on-prem designs, IT governance, and banking switch platforms, with a focus on secure, scalable architectures aligned to business strategy.

Qualifications

• Strong leadership experience guiding, developing and mentoring teams.
• Experience designing and deploying Cloud and On-Prem solutions.
• Knowledge of IT governance and operations.
• Experience with Banking Switch platforms (Base24, Postilion).
• Experience in enterprise and solution architecture within financial services.
• Certified Architect or equivalent.
• 15 years of experience in related roles.
• Technical skills: Cards Payments, PHP (Laravel, Lumen), GoLang, Java, Python.

Responsibilities

• Manage and mentor the architecture team of IT domain architects.
• Define required skills and training plans for the architecture team.
• Identify broader context and deeper problems and opportunities.
• Communicate technical concepts across teams in accessible language.
• Promote Architecture practice and ensure processes are followed.
• Foster continuous improvement mindset within the IT team.
• Maintain Architecture Repository as a reference for IT assets.
• Govern architecture and technical design for all IT changes.
• Balance standards with business ambitions, risks and costs.
• Translate business problems into technical designs for IT solutions.

Job description

Hi,

Greetings from Catalyst24 Solutions!!

We are hiring for one of our reputed MNC clients for a role - Lead Solution Architect (Principle) - Cape Town South Africa

About Our Client

Our client is a global technology consulting and digital transformation organization with a strong presence across multiple countries and a workforce of over 16,500 professionals.

The organization partners with leading businesses to drive innovation and digital transformation through expertise in AI, cloud, cybersecurity, data engineering, and other emerging technologies.

With a strong global delivery network and deep industry expertise, our client provides scalable, cost-effective technology solutions tailored to local and international markets. The organization also works closely with leading technology platforms and strategic partners to help businesses accelerate innovation and achieve sustainable growth.

Overview

We are seeking a Lead Architect to join the IT team and take ownership of the architecture and integration of IT systems across the organization’s platforms, ensuring alignment with the overall business strategy.

The role will involve working closely with business stakeholders, Change, and IT teams to design and deliver effective enterprise solutions.

The successful candidate will also be responsible for leading and managing a team of domain architects, providing direction, mentoring, and effective delegation to drive strong team performance and successful outcomes.

Key Responsibilities

• Responsible for managing and mentoring the architecture team consisting of IT domain architects.
• Define the required skills and competencies for the Architecture team, and work with the team to put in place appropriate training and development plans to ensure these are met.
• Able to look beyond the immediate technical problem and identify the wider implications, understanding how current work fits into the broader context and identify deeper underlying problems and opportunities.
• Effective communicator, able to translate technical concepts across teams, expressing these in appropriate language so that they are understood by all.
• promote the Architecture practice and ensure that the purpose and processes of the practice are understood and followed.
• Assist in the embedding of a continuous improvement mindset within the IT team to continually improve services.
• Continue to populate and maintain the Architecture Repository, to act as a record of IT assets in use or planned, and as a foundation for future IT initiatives.
• Responsible for architecture and technical design governance for all IT change in line with the Enterprise Architecture and Strategy to ensure consistency and service is met.
• Able to balance architecture standards and technical best practice against business ambition, risk appetite and financial constraints to achieve cost effective and proportionate business outcomes.
• Using technical experience to translate business problems into technical designs and assist the business stakeholders in selection of suitable IT Solutions and products keeping user requirements and business needs in mind.
• Design and deliver secure IT architecture in line with the Enterprise Architecture and IT Strategy to minimise and mitigate security breaches and risks.

Ideal Candidate Profile

Knowledge and Experience

• Strong leadership experience of guiding, developing, mentoring, to create an effective, well-functioning team environment.
• Experience designing and deploy Cloud and On-Prem Solutions
• Knowledge of IT governance and operations
• Experience working with Banking Switch platforms, i.e. Base24, Postilion
• Experience with Enterprise and solution architecture roles within financial services
• Certified Architect or equivalent
• Experience: 15 years
• Technical Skills- Preferable Cards Payments / PHP (Laravel, Lumen) / GoLang/ Java / Python

Key competencies/behaviors

• Influence and negotiate.
• Collaborative well with others.
• Ability to effectively prioritise tasks/work items.
• Inquisitive mind, always seeking to improve or solve problems.
• Critical thinking.
• Proactive

Equal Opportunity Statement

We are committed to diversity and inclusivity in our hiring practices.

Thank you.