Systems Analyst III (Solution Architect)

Requisition ID: 42545 

Organization

Located on the traditional, ancestral and unceded lands of the xʷməθkʷəy̓əm (Musqueam), Sḵwx̱wú7mesh (Squamish), and səlilwətaɬ (Tsleil-Waututh) Peoples, Vancouver has a commitment to becoming a City of Reconciliation. Vancouver consistently ranks as one of the world’s most liveable and environmentally sustainable cities. Named among Canada's Top 100 Employers, BC's Top Employers, and Canada's Greenest Employers, the City of Vancouver seeks colleagues who can help shape and embody our core commitments to sustainability, reconciliation, equity and outstanding quality of life for all residents.

Consider joining our committed team of staff and being part of an innovative, inclusive and rewarding workplace.

Main Purpose and Function
This role will support our Engineering Services capital technology projects. The Solution Architect will use their design experiences to propose and implement solutions in Sanitation, Street Management, IoT, SCADA, Parking Management, Spatial Asset (GIS) and other areas within Engineering Services. This role helps support and lead the implementation of enterprise, business, information/data, application and technology architectures as defined by the Enterprise Architect. Working with the Enterprise Architect, the Solution Architect will provide support to enterprise-level business functions. 

The Solution Architect will champion this enterprise view with support from the Enterprise Architect, and in alignment with the Enterprise Architecture strategies.  They will apply these Enterprise Architecture strategies, blueprints, and standards into their solutions and designs as they support business and technology projects.  

The role provides leadership in planning and implementing enterprise information systems to support both distributed and centralized business operations. The position has access to confidential information and makes recommendations for changes in methods, processes and procedures that may impact on financial and operational areas as well as staffing work loads, working conditions, changes in positions or staffing levels.

Specific Duties and Responsibilities

• Researches, evaluates and recommends new tools and methodologies for development of business applications
• Validate, Refine and Expand the Enterprise Architecture Model
  • Verify assumptions; utilize subject matter experts to improve and further define the model defined by the Enterprise Architect
  • Assess the value of solution-enhancing developments and incorporate as appropriate. 
  • Use the requirements to develop well-formulated models of the components of the solution; augments models as necessary 
  • Communicates ideas effectively through models
• Consults with customers to understand their requirements
  • Translates business and technical requirements into an architectural blueprint to achieve business objectives
  • Identify use or purpose, constraints, risks, etc. 
  • Participate in the discovery and documentation of the business scenarios driving the solution. 
  • Understand the requirements and captures understanding in architecture and solution specification.
• Provide project management services for programs and projects and management of the resource/team assigned.
• Manage the Architecture:
  • Represent architecture and issues during development and decision points 
  • Act as an "agent of change", communicating the need for the implementation of the architecture. 
  • Continuously foster the sharing of business unit, architecture, and technical information across the organization.
• Create a Useful Model:
  • Use requirements and develop well-formulated models of the components of the solution; augment the models as necessary; use models and multiple views to communicate ideas effectively. 
  • Leads evaluation, design, and analyses of the solution architecture across a group of specific business applications or technologies, based on enterprise business strategies, business capabilities, value streams, business requirements and enterprise standards
• Provides technical assistance to business applications upgrades and implementation of other modules, including integration to other applications
• Develop technical implementation plan, including scope, budget, and schedule, for projects and initiatives
• Contribute to strategic planning of IT enterprise architecture, deployments and road map
• Participate in the development of IT specifications, budgeting estimates for capital and operating requests, procurement processes, and contract negotiation.
• Make recommendations for changes in methods, processes and procedures that may impact on financial and operational areas as well as staffing workloads, working conditions, changes in positions or staffing levels.
• Other duties/responsibilities as assigned

Qualifications
Education and Experience:

• Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science, Business Administration, or a related discipline.
• 5 years of professional IT experience in at least two IT solution disciplines – eg technical or infrastructure architecture, application development, cloud, IoT, data, integration
• Minimum of 3 years of experience in a role focused on delivering solution architecture as a strategic practice
• Minimum of 1 years of experience in project management including all aspects of PM role 

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities:

• Extensive knowledge of current IT trends and technologies.
• Proficient in the techniques required to produce designs of complex systems; including requirements discovery and analysis, formulation of solution content, identification of solution alternatives and their assessment, technology selection, and design configuration.
• Working knowledge of more than one design method, such as the TOGAF Architecture Development Method (ADM)
• Experience using Enterprise Architecture tooling, Hopex preferred
• Ability to direct groups with diverse opinions together to reach a consensus and the ability to lead the effort of architecting a technical solution to address complex business problems.
• Excellent analytical, writing, and communication skills are required.
• Ability to communicate effectively to all levels of the organization.
• Demonstrated ability to work with both technical and non-technical staff.
• Demonstrated ability to work under pressure, manage multiple priorities and respond to requests in a timely manner.
• Ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships with a variety of internal and external contacts and team members to provide advice, information and assistance
• Thorough working knowledge of office productivity tools (e.g. Windows, MS Office, MS Project, etc.).
• Capable of handling business critical and sensitive information in a position of trust.
• Experience with API Management and Integration Platforms (API design, gateways, analytics)

Where operationally appropriate and subject to change, the City of Vancouver has a Flexible Work Program. This program allows staff to work remotely 1 – 4 days a week from locations that are a daily commutable distance from their work at a City worksite.  At this time this position is eligible to be part of the Flexible Work Program.

Business Unit/Department: IT, Digital Strategy & 311 (1070) 

Affiliation: Exempt 

Employment Type: Regular Full Time 

Position Start Date: December, 2024 

Salary Information: Pay Grade RNG-091: $111139 to $138924 per annum

Application Close: November 6, 2024

At the City of Vancouver, we are committed to recruiting a diverse workforce that represents the community we so proudly serve. Indigenous peoples, people of colour, 2SLGBTQ+ persons including all genders and persons with disabilities are encouraged to apply.  Accommodations will be provided upon request during the selection process. Learn more about our commitment to diversity and inclusion. 

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