Director - Architecture & Design
Description
Purpose of Role
The purpose of the role of Director, Architecture and Solution Design is to support QTC in setting up and maintaining a technology environment that is secure, efficient, and effective in delivering on the evolving business objectives. This includes establishing a solution design process that efficiently supports the implementation of technology solutions to meet business requirements, reducing QTC’s cyber risk, and ensuring technology strategies are well maintained and align with key business principles and objectives.
Responsibilities & Accountabilities
- Technology Strategy and Roadmap:
- Support the creation and ongoing maintenance of a clear technology strategy.
- Collaborate with cross-functional teams to develop, implement and maintain a comprehensive set of technology road maps and ensure technology choices support organizational objectives.
- Ensure specific focus on the opportunities in safely leveraging AI driven solutions as they emerge in the market.
- Solution Design and Implementation:
- Establish a set of design templates and processes that will facilitate the efficient selection and implementation of new technology solutions.
- Oversee the design, development, and implementation of technology solutions.
- Support the team where required in completing design documentation needed for new solutions.
- Evaluate emerging technologies and recommend adoption where appropriate.
- Champion best practices in solution architecture and design.
- Ensure all “As built” documentation is well managed and updated.
- Security and Infrastructure:
- Ensure the security and integrity of our technology infrastructure through the selection and design process.
- Collaborate with security teams to implement robust measures and controls.
- Optimize existing systems for performance and scalability.
- Governance and Compliance:
- Establish and maintain governance processes related to technology design and architecture.
- Ensure all architecture and design documentation is maintained and updated.
- Ensure compliance with industry standards, regulations, and internal policies.
- Team Leadership and Stakeholder Engagement:
- Lead and manage a team of technology professionals, providing guidance, mentorship, and support.
- Foster a collaborative and innovative work environment.
- Encourage continuous learning and skill development.
- Collaborate with business leaders, stakeholders, and external partners to understand requirements and translate them into technical solutions.
- Support discussions at the Executive Leadership Team (ELT) and the Board to ensure they remain fully informed and are well placed to support investment in QTC’s technology strategy.
Competencies
Technical Competencies
- Strategic Thinking: Ability to create and maintain a clear technology strategy aligned with business goals.
- Cross-functional Collaboration: Competence in working with various teams to ensure technology decisions support organizational objectives.
- Design Expertise: Knowledge of creating design templates and processes for efficient technology selection and implementation.
- Technical Leadership: Ability to oversee the design, development, and implementation of technology solutions.
- Emerging Technology Evaluation: Skills in evaluating and recommending the adoption of emerging technologies.
- Security Management: Ensuring the security and integrity of technology infrastructure.
- Performance Optimization: Skills in optimizing systems for performance and scalability.
- Communication Skills: Ability to collaborate with various stakeholders to understand requirements and translate them into technical solutions.
- Regulatory Knowledge: Understanding of industry standards, regulations, and compliance requirements.
- Documentation Management: Ensuring all design and architecture documentation is maintained and updated.
- Mentorship: Providing guidance and support to a team of technology professionals.
- Innovation Encouragement: Fostering a collaborative and innovative work environment.
- Skill Development: Encouraging continuous learning and professional development.
Behavioural Competencies
- Integrity, including upholding strong professional and ethical standards.
- Competent and confident storyteller; can effectively cut through large quantities of information to get to the 'so what'.
- Understands the viewpoint of higher management and effectively analyses complex problems.
- Effectively builds and maintains feedback channels, responds constructively to feedback from direct reports.
- Establishes a positive environment by always acting with positive intent, and assuming positive intent from others.
Leadership Competencies
- Builds trust and confidence with the team by communicating clearly, following through on commitment, values diverse perspectives.
- Takes personal responsibility for their team's work.
- Holds team to a standard of excellence and takes pride in the team's work.
- Ability to effectively manage, motivate, and develop a team of technology professionals.
- Strong communication skills to effectively convey complex technical information to non-technical stakeholders and to collaborate with other departments.
- Ability to make informed and timely decisions, balancing risk and opportunity, in a fast-paced and dynamic environment.
- Ability to lead and manage change, ensuring that the organization adapts to evolving technologies.
- Ability to influence and persuade others to support and implement best practices.
Qualifications
Essential
- Requires Tertiary qualification in Information Technology, Computer Science or Computer Engineering or equivalent experience.
Desirable
- Relevant industry qualifications such as:
- TOGAF 9 (The Open Group Architecture Framework)
- BCS Certificate in Enterprise and Solutions Architecture
- ITIL (Information Technology Infrastructure Library)
- Microsoft – Such as Azure Solutions Architect Expert
- Relevant leadership qualifications.
Experience
Essential
- 15 years of experience delivering architecture and design services in complex, high availability technology environments that deliver critical services.
- Experience in contributing to establishing technology strategies and associated roadmaps.
- 7 years' experience leading teams of technology professionals.
- 5 years' experience implementing public cloud solutions.
Desirable
- Experience within the financial industry
- Experience delivering services in a government body