Lead Solutions Architect

Network International; Wes-Kaap; Hybrid; ZAR 1,200,000 - 2,000,000; Full time

Job summary

Network International is seeking a Lead Solution Architect based in Cape Town, South Africa, for the Payfast by Network Platforms. You will head architecture governance, enterprise integration, and technology strategy to enable growth and resilience in a regulated fintech context.

Lead a team of domain architects, collaborate with technology and business stakeholders, and ensure alignment with product strategy, security, and operational excellence.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in computer science, information systems, engineering or a related field.
• 10+ years of experience in software engineering, systems architecture, or enterprise architecture.
• 5+ years leading architecture teams or senior technical teams.
• Proven fintech/payments/domain experience in regulated environments.
• Experience defining architecture strategy and governance frameworks.
• Strong background designing enterprise-scale distributed systems and integrations.
• Experience leading large digital transformation and cloud modernization initiatives.

Responsibilities

• Architecture Leadership & Strategy: guide architectural direction and governance across platforms.
• Solution Design & Governance: design scalable, secure solutions aligned with business goals.
• Integration & Technology Architecture: oversee integration patterns and tech landscape.
• Stakeholder Management: liaise with tech and business stakeholders to drive alignment.

Skills

TOGAF

Enterprise Design

API Management

Stakeholder Mgmt

Cloud Modernization

Education

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

Tools

ArchiMate

Sparx EA

Visio

Job description

Network International is the largest Financial Technology company in Middle East and Africa. Payments is our core business where we provide services in more than 50 countries – UAE, Jordan, South Africa, Egypt are some of our key markets. Apart from payments, we provide services on Data and Insights, Lending, Insurance, Risk Solutions, etc. Our core customers are businesses at every scale and segment, though recently we are growing in direct to consumer card segment as well.

Our EVP:

At Network International, we always stay ahead. In the fast-paced world of financial services, we thrive on innovation, agility, and purposeful collaboration. We invest first in our people, empowering you to make bold decisions, learn fast, and grow your expertise alongside industry leaders. Here, solving complex problems means more than using cutting-edge technology; it’s about creating meaningful value for our customers, together. We foster a culture where trust, accountability, and achievement go hand in hand—because success isn’t just a goal; it’s how we work, every day, as one team.

About The Role:

The Lead Solution Architect will lead the architecture practice across the Payfast by Network Platforms. This role is responsible for defining, governing, and evolving the technology architecture landscape while ensuring alignment with business objectives, product strategy, security requirements, and operational excellence. The successful candidate will lead a team of domain architects and serve as a trusted advisor to technology and business stakeholders.

The incumbent will be responsible for architecture governance, enterprise integration, technology strategy, and the design of scalable, secure, and resilient solutions that support Payfast’s continued growth and innovation. The role requires a strong blend of leadership, enterprise thinking, technical depth, stakeholder management, and fintech/payments domain expertise.

• This role is based in South Africa, Cape Town.
• This is a Hybrid role that will require the designate to be in the office 4 days a week.

Key Responsibilities:

• Architecture Leadership & Strategy
• Solution Design & Governance
• Integration & Technology Architecture
• Stakeholder Management

Key Requirements & Qualifications:

• Bachelor's Degree in Computer Science, Information Systems, Software Engineering, or a related field.
• 10+ years of experience in software engineering, systems architecture, or enterprise architecture.
• 5+ years leading architecture teams or senior technical teams.
• Proven experience in fintech, payments, banking, e-commerce, or highly regulated industries.
• Demonstrated experience defining architecture strategy and governance frameworks.
• Strong experience designing enterprise-scale distributed systems and integrations.
• Experience leading large digital transformation and cloud modernization initiatives.
• Strong technical expertise in: [Enterprise Architecture frameworks (TOGAF preferred); Solution Architecture and Systems Design; API Management and Integration Architecture & Architecture Modeling Tools (ArchiMate, Sparx EA, Visio, etc.)