System Architect

The Systems Architect is responsible for managing a variety of infrastructure platforms with a good understanding of cloud technologies, virtualization, converged infrastructures, networking, and related software. They will design and standardize the Commission infrastructure and provide strategic coordination and tactical governance . The incumbent must understand the Commission's business and be able to dive deeply into technology issues to define the IT systems architecture that supports the Commission's and the CIO's strategy. The Systems Architect partners with technical and business groups to ensure that IT system performance standards adhere to enterprise service level agreements. They advise the CIO and IT management about technology trends and best practices. They are also responsible for providing subject matter expertise across technology / functions to drive the implementation of the technology strategy and roadmap direction. They work closely with technical leads to build system infrastructure and application solutions.

Essential Functions

• Understands, helps to refine, advocates for, and supports the implementation of WSSC Water's overall IT strategic plan that includes both business projects and IT foundational projects.
• Helps promote innovation and the use of technology to optimize business processes and enhance informed decision-making.
• Works with vendors to evaluate various technologies, including setting up Proof of Concept (POC), evaluation criteria, and managing professional services resources for design, architecture, and implementation.
• Presents architectural design concepts and solutions to all levels in the organization, as well as works with all stakeholders to build consensus and drive decision-making.
• Collaborates with the technical team and actively involves key stakeholders in selecting the infrastructure framework.
• Defines, establishes, and implements technology migration strategies for applications or architectures.
• Provides analytical and systems expertise in a broad range of disciplines to support the design, installation, and maintenance of technology solutions across the enterprise to meet business needs.
• Develops and facilitates strategies in the area of systems, data, and application integration, ensuring that interfaces are correctly identified, designed, and implemented.
• Participates in the holistic solution definition across all architecture domains.
• Analyzes the current business and IT environment to identify critical deficiencies and recommend improvement solutions.
• Analyzes industry, technology, and market trends to determine their potential impact on the enterprise; recommends solutions that align with the business strategy.
• Consults with program / project teams to fit solutions to architecture across all viewpoints.
• Identifies organizational requirements for the resources, structures, and cultural changes necessary to support the architecture.

Other Functions

• Works collaboratively across the enterprise to build a roadmap defining how the organization will migrate to the envisioned future state architecture over time.
• Serves as the subject matter expert and advisor on technology strategies and recommendations to promote best practices and ensure alignment with the future state architecture.
• Participates in architectural efforts at all levels and continuously assesses project architecture for improvements based on lessons learned from implementation projects.
• Ensures enterprise application's design aligns and evolves with strategic architectural direction; leverages the company's technical infrastructure environment, including legacy applications, to maximize operational performance and business value.
• Reviews all hardware / software decisions made within WSSC Water
• Evaluates new software and hardware to determine usefulness and compatibility with existing software and hardware.
• Performs related duties as required.

Work Environment and Physical Demands

Business casual office environment

Required Knowledge, Skills, And Abilities

• Experience in designing architectures for on-premises / multi-cloud computing technologies, including infrastructure, networks, elastic scalability, high-availability, backup / recovery, disaster recovery, software applications, and design.
• Knowledge of developing infrastructure governance strategies, ensuring compliance with industry standards, and efficiently managing spend.
• Skill in collaborating with application development, operations, and security teams to recommend best practices and ensure alignment with the future state architecture.
• Ability to lead large, complex system implementations and engage with executive-level staff and technical experts.
• Experience in creating technical statements of work (SoW) for the procurement of goods and services.

The Systems Architect is instrumental in identifying, assessing, and recommending emerging technologies to drive business benefits. This role is not just about technology, but about making a tangible impact on our business operations and performance.

• Ability to present reports, justifications, costs, and timeline projections to senior management for the onboarding of new technology.
• Skill in effectively managing vendor relationships and performance.
• Knowledge of database technology, software technology, systems analysis, research techniques, systems development standards, quality, and cost controls
• Ability to implement technology-enabled business change in a complex business environment.
• Ability to assess program and project integration architectures for non-compliance and define corrective actions.
• Knowledge of hyper-converged infrastructure, virtualization platforms, storage platforms, and operating systems
• Knowledge of operational technology (OT) systems, such as SCADA, and internet of things (IoT) solutions, both on-premises and in the cloud

Minimum Education and Experience Requirements

• Bachelor's degree in Computer Science or related technical discipline
• 8+ years' IT architecture experience in hardware and software planning, design, and security that includes the following :

Expertise in architecting major cloud computing platforms such as AWS, Azure, GCP, OCI, including networking, storage, security, virtualization, and financial management to meet evolving business needs.

Experience in TOGAF, Zachman, NIST, or similar architecture frameworks, including recommending and leading the implementation of a best-in-class EA management.

Software to oversee, manage, maintain, document, and communicate over five layers of enterprise architecture.

Comprehensive understanding and experience in managing complex cybersecurity / resilience challenges in the critical infrastructure sector.

Management of large-scale, application analysis, design, development, and integration projects.

Experience in the design, development, and implementation of scalable and secure enterprise-wide solutions, encompassing applications, infrastructure, data, and integration layers.

Excellent analytical and problem-solving skills

• Excellent written and verbal communication skills
• Must be able to pass government background investigation.