Description
An excellent opportunity has arisen with our NHS client for a Senior Technical/Solutions Architect to engage in a long term contract role. Previous exposure to NHS environments, or major programmes such as SPINE, would be beneficial.
The role will typically be responsible for leading a small team of Architects and provide support to the Lead/Senior Lead Architect in a particular area. Typically the role will involve taking ownership of a particular product or programme architecture and ensuring architecture consistency with the Enterprise Architecture whilst ensuring a pragmatic delivery is achieved.
Core capabilities of dealing with a wide range of stakeholders and demonstrating the capability to define and deliver the appropriate architecture approach will be required. However, the specific content of the role will be flexible and the individual will be expected to work across/within different programmes and across different layers of the architecture (eg information, application, technical) as needed.
Key Competencies
Architecture
- Working with a defined framework and using appropriate artefacts tools including logical models of components and interfaces, to contribute to the development of systems architectures in specific business or functional areas.
- Use of appropriate tools, including logical models of components and interfaces, to contribute to the development of systems architectures in specific business or functional areas.
- Produces detailed component specifications and translates these into detailed designs for implementation using selected products.
- Within a business change programme, assists in the preparation of technical plans and cooperates with business assurance and project staff to ensure that appropriate technical resources are made available.
- Provides advice on technical aspects of system development and integration (including requests for changes, deviations from specifications, etc.) and ensures that relevant technical strategies, policies, standards and practices are applied correctly.
Requirements definition
- Identifying and documenting non-functional requirements for a large application or suite of applications.
- Challenging those requirements that are ambiguous (both functional and non functional).
- Offering programmes alternative requirements that deliver similar capabilities for reduced cost/risk/timescales.
Assurance of supplier solutions
- Responsible for cross architectural assurance for supplier technical documentation in conjunction with NHS CFH strategic objectives, standards and EA.
- Responsible for levelling comment responses from multiple technical perspectives and working with the supplier to satisfactory resolution. Escalating where necessary.
- Works actively with programme domain to link business impact of technical assurance providing the point technical contact for assurance activity.
- Ensuring documentation reviews follow the correct process, issues are resolved and appropriate risk mitigations are identified and implemented
Supplier Liaison
- Develops contracts with suppliers, under guidance, as part of a cross-functional programme, to meet key functional and non-functional requirements.
- Advises on selection of suppliers. Is responsible for the "point technical" liaison between the organisation and designated supplier(s).
- Leads technical review meetings for contracts and suppliers liaising with supplier senior technical staff and establishing supplier respect for NHS CFH technical staff.
- Takes part in supplier negotiations over difficult commercial and technical issues and express NHS CFH position clearly and professionally.
Leadership
- Makes decisions confidently and ensures team members are given clear objectives.
- Creates an environment where the team have a clear direction and remit that other team members feel able to contribute to effectively and efficiently. Motivates the team to deliver in difficult scenarios.
- Confidently challenges the way things are done and offers constructive suggestions for how things should be done better.
- Is aware of how to adjust own leadership style to suit different needs and circumstances.
- Seeks 360 feedback to increase self awareness and identify development needs.
Knowledge and Experience
- Extensive, proven experience of working in one or more specific technical specialism's, providing detailed advice regarding their application and experience of executing specialised tasks. The specialism can be any area of information or communication technology, technique, method, product or application area.
- Proven ability to transfer and develop skills and knowledge into new technical areas at short notice.
- Experience of working in a large, complex multi-discipline organisation.
- Demonstrable experience of gathering business requirements and working with diverse senior stakeholders.
Skills
Communication
- Ability to translate complex technical problems both verbally and in written form to a range of business and technical audiences, including senior management and novice users, to support a wider understanding of key issues
- Ability to negotiate and influence at all levels of seniority, including engagement in difficult decisions
Teamwork
- Proven ability to establish effective working relationship with colleagues at all levels.
- Experience of adapting the leadership style to get the best out of others and an understanding of how recognise potential in others
- Proven track record for ownership and completion of tasks and self-management of parallel activities.
Please apply with CV in the first instance.