Description
We have an urgent requirement for a Solution Architect to start ASAP on an initial 6 month contract. The Solution Architect role is responsible for the development, technical delivery governance and operational problem support of system and infrastructure technology solutions implemented for the organisation. Mapping the business requirements to systems/technical requirements to ensure they are in line with the enterprise architectural plans and technology strategy.
Main duties and responsibilities:
* Act as the overall lead Systems Infrastructure design authority in project delivery. Working with all technical leads to ensure that the requirements of the solution architecture are implemented in full, and that all technical dependencies are identified and managed.
* Working closely with project and technical teams to review, interpret and respond to detailed business requirement specifications to ensure alignment between customer expectations and current and future technology capabilities. Reporting on delivery commitments to ensure solutions are implemented as expected and to agreed timeframes.
* Own, develop and maintain the appropriate documentation required to describe the solution architecture at both an enterprise and solution level (High Level and Low Level designs) and use different views to describe the architecture to audiences of varying levels of technical expertise.
* Provide input to the strategic direction of technology investments. Assisting in the development and the continued improvement of the current enterprise architecture to maximise technology capabilities, ensuring the best return on technology investment
* Estimate cost and support the preparation of business cases for IT solutions, considering infrastructure, licences, development, and support.
* Undertake information gathering and scene setting meetings with customers where necessary, evaluate technical proposals from external suppliers, and make implementation recommendations to senior stakeholders.
Essential Skills and experience include:
* Knowledge and understanding of modern technologies, operating systems, system tools, device architecture and peripherals including but not limited to:
* Data Centre
- Familiarity with Rack/Stacking requirements and dependencies. Familiarity of cabling requirements
- GBIC/SPF requirements
- Cabling standards
* Dell DC Stack and General management
- VxRail platforms (Hyperconverged compute)
- Isilon Storage platforms (OneFS)
- Elastic Cloud Storage
- Data Domain
* Modern VMWare platforms
- (VMWare Cloud Foundation experience) as below and not limited to: ESX, NSX, VMWare, vRealise Suite
* Cloud Platforms - Azure, AWS
* Networking
- Good understanding of networking, knowledge of routing protocols (BGP, OSPF)
- DHCP
- DNS
- AVI (NSX)/Kemp Load Balancing
* Firewalls
- Good understanding of principles of Firewall policies and rule management (Paulo Alto preferred)
* Security
- Authentication/Identity Management
- Microsoft Active Directory
- SAML/OAUTH (Azure SSO, ADFS, Conditional Access)
- Microsoft Certificate Services (PKI)
- Network Policy Services/Network Access Control
* Windows Server/Endpoint Management
- VPN: Direct Access/AOVPN
- InTune/Microsoft Endpoint Manager
- File Services
- IIS
* Microsoft Applications
- MS Exchange
- MS SQL (Inclusive of Always On Availability)
* Experience in IT Service Management, operating within Service Level Agreements and following working policies and protocols. Working knowledge of proprietary ticketing systems
* Familiar with asset life cycle management from delivery from manufacture to secure destruction
* Experience of working in a healthcare environment
* MCA - Microsoft Certified Architect or Enterprise & Solutions Architecture (Practitioner) or TOGAF®
* Excellent communication skills especially when dealing with complex technical information and colleagues who have limited IT knowledge and understanding
* Ability to document technical procedures/standards
LA International is a HMG approved ICT Recruitment and Project Solutions Consultancy, operating globally from the largest single site in the UK as an IT Consultancy or as an Employment Business & Agency depending upon the precise nature of the work, for security cleared jobs or non-clearance vacancies, LA International welcome applications from all sections of the community and from people with diverse experience and backgrounds.
Award Winning LA International, winner of the Recruiter Awards for Excellence, Best IT Recruitment Company, Best Public Sector Recruitment Company and overall Gold Award winner, has now secured the most prestigious business award that any business can receive, The Queens Award for Enterprise: International Trade, for the second consecutive period.