Solution Architect

 

Solution Architect
The Solution Architect helps teams turn business needs into technology solutions that are practical, secure, and built to last. 
They bring together decisions about applications, data, infrastructure, integration, security, and operations so the solution works as a whole and fits the company’s broader technology direction. 
Solution Architects work across multiple initiatives and partner closely with Enterprise Architects, project teams, technical specialists, and business stakeholders. 
They help teams make good design decisions, understand trade-offs, and address architecture risks before those risks become expensive problems.
This is a hands-on architecture role. 
The Solution Architect stays involved as the solution moves from early design through implementation and transition to production, providing continuity as requirements and circumstances change.

The Solution Architect is responsible for the following:
Lead solution design: Guide the architecture of assigned initiatives from early design through implementation, keeping the overall solution coherent as individual teams make detailed design choices.
Bring the pieces together: Work across application, data, infrastructure, integration, security, and operational teams to make sure the solution works end to end.
Make sound technology choices: Evaluate products, platforms, and design options, and help teams make informed trade-offs among capability, cost, risk, delivery needs, and long-term supportability.
Document important decisions: Create and maintain Solution Architecture Records (SARs), Architecture Decision Records (ADRs), diagrams, and other materials that explain how and why the solution was designed.
Surface risk early: Identify architecture concerns, dependencies, and departures from established direction while the project still has time to respond.
Guide solutions through governance: Prepare and present designs through the Architecture Review Board and other architecture reviews, then help teams address the resulting decisions and conditions.
Stay engaged through delivery: Continue working with project and technical teams as the solution is built, tested, deployed, and transitioned to production, helping resolve material design issues along the way.
 
In this role:
Project teams understand the architecture, the important decisions behind it, and the trade-offs that shaped the design.
Architecture risks and difficult decisions are surfaced early rather than discovered late in delivery.
Solutions fit together across technology domains and align with enterprise standards and direction.
SARs, ADRs, and supporting diagrams stay useful and current as the solution evolves.
Architecture reviews are focused on meaningful decisions, with resulting conditions and follow-up actions carried into delivery.
The architect remains a useful partner through implementation and helps teams respond when circumstances require the design to change.
 
Required:
Education and experience, either: a bachelor’s degree in Computer Science, Information Systems, Engineering, or a related field and at least 7 years of progressively responsible IT experience; or an associate’s degree in one of these fields and at least 10 years of progressively responsible IT experience.
At least 3 years of solution architecture or equivalent technical-design leadership experience involving complex solutions that span multiple technology domains, counted within the total experience above.
Experience leading solution design from early planning through implementation and transition to production.
Strong analytical skills and the ability to explain architectural trade-offs clearly to technical and non-technical audiences.
Experience creating architecture documentation and presenting designs through architecture governance or technical design reviews.
Strong communication, storytelling, facilitation, and relationship-building skills, including the ability to build alignment without direct authority.
Valid driver’s license and ability to travel to company offices and facilities as needed.
Experience in utilities, energy, or another regulated industry.
Experience with enterprise integration, cloud platforms, data architecture, cybersecurity, operational technology, or highly available enterprise systems.
Working knowledge of enterprise architecture or IT governance frameworks, such as TOGAF or COBIT, and Agile delivery practices, preferably SAFe.
Familiarity with architecture repositories, modeling tools, and workflow or portfolio platforms such as ServiceNow or Jira.
Experience working with Architecture Review Boards, Design Authorities, or similar governance forums.
Relevant architecture, cloud, or security certifications, such as Microsoft Certified: Azure Solutions Architect Expert or comparable credentials.