Principal Enterprise Architect

Tower Group; Gauteng; On-site; ZAR 800 000 - 1 200 000; Full time

Job summary

A technology consulting firm in South Africa is seeking a seasoned professional to lead enterprise architecture governance and design cloud-native platforms. The ideal candidate will have over 8 years of experience in enterprise architecture, knowledge of frameworks such as TOGAF, and possess strong skills in API design and hybrid cloud solutions. This role involves collaboration with various stakeholders to ensure architectural compliance and drive technology initiatives.

Qualifications

• 8+ years of technical experience in a large enterprise environment.
• Experience in Financial Services and Financial technologies.
• Knowledge of Agile and Waterfall methodologies.

Responsibilities

• Ensure governance processes for architectural compliance.
• Lead the design of enterprise-scale platforms.
• Act as a strategic advisor to Head of Architecture.

Skills

Enterprise architecture strategies

TOGAF/Zachman frameworks

Architecture transformations

Microservices decomposition

API design (REST, GraphQL)

Hybrid/multi-cloud architectures

Zero Trust Architecture

Software engineering frameworks

High-traffic system design

Data warehousing

Education

Bachelor's or Master's degree in Computer Science or related field

TOGAF or similar EA certification

Tools

ArchiMate

Sparx EA

Job description

Governance & Oversight

Chair Architecture & Design Review Boards (ARBs) to review, guide, and approve solution designs, ensuring consistency with enterprise standards and strategic objectives.

Define governance processes for architectural compliance, exception management, and deviation tracking across business portfolios and technical teams.

Perform architecture assurance and gap assessments to identify technical risk, misalignment, and opportunities for consolidation or optimization.

Ensure ongoing enforcement and evolution of architecture policies, design standards, and lifecycle documentation for all enterprise assets.

Support audit readiness and regulatory compliance by embedding architecture governance in change delivery.

Collaboration & Stakeholder Engagement

Act as a strategic advisor to Head of Architecture, shaping investment decisions and prioritizing technology initiatives based on architectural insights.

Work closely with product managers, domain architects, engineers, and business analysts to co‑create architectural solutions that meet functional and non‑functional requirements.

Build alignment across multiple delivery streams and business units to ensure architecture decisions enable reusability, resilience, and cost‑effectiveness.

Facilitate cross‑functional design workshops, architecture forums, and technical deep‑dives to enable shared understanding and decision‑making.

Represent the enterprise architecture function in vendor evaluations, technology partnerships, and RFP / RFI processes.

Architecture Delivery

Lead the design and evolution of enterprise‑scale platforms, including cloud‑native systems, Payment Systems, API gateways, service orchestration layers, event‑driven architectures, and data lakes.

Guide the definition of architecture enablers and technical epics within agile planning cycles.

Ensure timely delivery of architecture artifacts and technical blueprints to support sprint‑level execution and platform runway readiness.

Monitor implementation of architectural designs to ensure conformance with standards and provide hands‑on support in resolving complex design challenges.

Foster DevSecOps and platform engineering practices by integrating architecture with CI / CD pipelines, security automation, and observability frameworks.

Technical Experience

Essential:

• Proven track record in defining and evolving enterprise‑wide architecture strategies, reference models, and technology roadmaps.
• Deep understanding of enterprise architecture frameworks such as TOGAF, Zachman, or FEAF, and experience applying them in complex organizations.
• Experience driving architecture transformations aligned to digital business models (e.g., omnichannel, platform as a service, composable architectures).
• Demonstrated hands‑on experience architecting across multiple domains, including:
  • Applications: Monolith to microservices decomposition, modernization, and lifecycle management.
  • Data: Master Data Management (MDM), data lakes, streaming pipelines (e.g., Kafka), and analytics platforms.
  • Integration: API‑led design (REST, GraphQL), event‑driven architecture, service mesh, and ESB replacement strategies.
  • Infrastructure & Cloud: Hybrid / multi‑cloud architectures (AWS, Azure, GCP), container orchestration (Kubernetes), IaaS / PaaS adoption models.
• Deep understanding of architectural implications for regulatory compliance frameworks (e.g., PCI‑DSS, GDPR, ISO 27001).
• Experience integrating Zero Trust Architecture, identity management (OAuth2, OpenID, SAML), and encryption protocols into enterprise design.
• Familiarity with architecture risk assessments, threat modelling, and secure‑by‑design principles.
• Experience of various software engineering playbook frameworks (Agile development, Automated testing, Code reviews, Continuous delivery, Continuous integration, Machine learning, Observability, Privacy, Reliability, Security).
• Strong experience in designing high‑traffic, scalable, reliable, and secure software systems.
• Knowledge of architectural styles and patterns (e.g., Microservices, SOA, MVC, Event‑driven architecture).
• Understanding of cloud architecture and services (e.g., serverless computing, containerization, orchestration).
• Experience with data modelling, data warehousing, and data integration.
• Experience in Mobile App Development and Mini‑app Frameworks.
• Experience with architectural modeling tools (e.g., ArchiMate, Sparx EA).
• Experience leading or supporting large‑scale modernization or transformation programs (e.g., core banking revamp, mobile money overhaul, ERP replacement).

Desirable:

• Experience of continuous delivery and release automation processes.
• Experience in Blockchain Software Architecture, AI / ML‑driven decision systems, edge computing, etc.
• Experience in Orchestration Architectural Patterns.
• Knowledge and interest in market leading Payments technologies, suppliers and innovations.
• Understanding of technical and architectural policies and ability to transform that policy into detailed technical design.
• Experience in Vendor assessment and technical due diligence for major platform selections.

Must have technical / professional qualifications:

Educational Qualifications:

• Bachelor's or Master's degree in Computer Science, Information Systems, Engineering, or related field, or equivalent work experience.
• TOGAF, Zachman, or similar EA certification preferred.
• 8 years technical background inclusive of software architecture, software design, software development in a large enterprise environment.
• Domain experience in Financial Services and Financial technologies will be an added advantage.
• Has demonstrable knowledge and experience in both Agile and Waterfall methodologies.