Title: FIS IBS / Digital One Solution Architect
Contract: 2 Months (Till 30th November 2026) Maybe possibility Extension
Location: Remote Position (Client HQ in Arizona)
1. PURPOSE OF THIS PROFILE
We are delivering a custom Multi-Entity Loan Routing (Intelligent Routing) solution for Western Alliance Bank. The delivery team is strong on integration, middleware, AI routing, and program execution, but does not have deep FIS product expertise. A prior FIS consultant (time-share) produced the solution approach but availability has been unreliable.
This profile defines the replacement / standing FIS domain expert we need: someone who can stand in front of the client with the TF team, run intelligent discovery, validate IBS premises, and de-risk caller-side and lending/GL integration — without becoming a single point of failure.
2. ROLE TITLE & POSITIONING
Recommended title options (use one consistently in search):
· FIS IBS Solution Architect — Lending & Integration (Preferred)
· FIS Digital One / IBS Domain Consultant — Core Banking Integration
· Senior FIS Core Banking SME — Multi-Entity Loan Routing
This is a hands-on client-facing domain architect role, not a pure developer seat and not a distant advisory-only retainer. The person must be available for workshops, discovery on the bank’s IBS install, and ongoing design validation with TF engineers.
3. BASELINE REFERENCE (SKILLS WE ARE REPLACING / MATCHING)
The prior consultant profile is used only as a skill baseline — not as a named replacement requirement. Ideal candidates should meet or exceed the following capability clusters:
· Tenure & FIS suite: 15+ years core banking; deep FIS product suite exposure
· Products: IBS (Integrated Banking Solution), with secondary strength across Digital One, and familiarity with related FIS cores (BancPac, Bankway, HORIZON, MISER, Systematics) for multi-core context
· Domains: Consumer & Commercial Lending, loan boarding/advances/payments, deposits, payments (ACH/Wire), General Ledger / reporting pathways
· Lifecycle: Implementation, conversion, data mapping, IBS configuration/parameters, UAT, parallel processing, cut-over, post-go-live stabilization
· Client engagement: Client workshops, translating FIS concepts for non-FIS teams, training bank staff, floor support
· Technical breadth: API-oriented integration, microservices awareness, enterprise architecture communication (enough to partner with TF middleware/API engineers — not necessarily to build the stack alone)
· Differentiator: Digital One Business / corporate channel experience (transaction initiation, lending-related flows, multi-core integration) is a strong differentiator for this bank’s Case 1 path.
4. PROJECT CONTEXT THE CANDIDATE MUST OWN CONCEPTUALLY
Western Alliance runs a single FIS IBS instance. A REIT (no IBS of its own) currently receives real-estate-related activity via next-day manual reconciliation from Bank GL into PeopleSoft.
Target solution (custom Intelligent Routing — not a generic TF platform product):
· At transaction entry, determine destination legal entity (Bank, REIT, future entities).
· Bank-bound events: standard TXN through existing overnight IBS → Bank GL path.
· Non-Bank events: MEMO in IBS (record, no Bank GL hit) + actual post to PeopleSoft (or other destination).
· Routing decision via custom middleware called by FIS D1 Connect and/or WA Middleware — never direct TF→IBS.
· Channels: Case 1 FIS Digital One (UI → Gateway → D1 Connect → Reverse Proxy → Code Connect → IBS); Case 2 WA UI → WA Middleware → Reverse Proxy → Code Connect → IBS.
· Discovery must validate memo vs TXN per event, destination carrier field (Option A additional field / Option B Additional Description), servicing continuity under memo, and memo consumption for PeopleSoft.
5. MUST-HAVE SKILLS (NON-NEGOTIABLE)
Skill Area | What “Good” Looks Like | Why This Project Needs It |
FIS IBS — deep product expertise | Can explain and validate event classification (memo vs transaction), additional fields, description tags, overnight GL behavior, and servicing side effects on this bank’s install. | Four IBS premises gate the entire design; wrong assumptions = rework. |
Commercial / Real-estate Lending on IBS | Fluent in loan boarding, advances, payments, fees, participation concepts, and how RC-C / call codes are used operationally. | Routing today is RC-C driven; target is per-event entity routing for RE/REIT activity. |
FIS Digital One + D1 Connect | Knows how D1 initiates transactions, how D1 Connect translates to IBS-compatible traffic, and where a pre-IBS routing call can be inserted safely. | Case 1 is a primary integration path; TF team is blind here without an SME. |
Code Connect / Connectware | Understands gateway role, what may/may not be modified, and realistic integration constraints with bank security. | All IBS traffic converges here; SOW forbids direct core/gateway surgery. |
GL / intercompany / downstream posting literacy | Can speak to Bank GL overnight post vs memo non-post, and REIT/PeopleSoft-style intercompany or destination posting patterns. | Success = kill manual next-day REIT move with clean reconciliation. |
Discovery & premise validation leadership | Runs structured workshops with bank + FIS owners; writes clear validation outcomes; forces Option A vs B decision. | Month 1 is discovery-critical under T&M; delays burn the cap. |
Client-facing with mixed audiences | Credible with WA business/accounting and with FIS/platform owners; coaches TF engineers live in the room. | TF must appear competent when the SME is the only FIS brain in the meeting. |
Integration partnering (API/middleware) | Can specify caller contracts: when to TXN vs MEMO, payload fields, failure modes, idempotency, audit needs — for D1 Connect and WA Middleware teams. | Middleware is custom-built by TF; SME must guide interfaces, not only IBS screens. |
UAT, parallel run, cutover discipline | Designs parallel against manual REIT process, defines reconciliation tolerance, cutover checklist, rollback thinking. | Explicit in-scope transition pattern; accounting trust depends on it. |
Reliable availability | Predictable calendar, responsive in client-critical windows, written handoffs; not a choppy time-share black box. | Prior gap: knowledge trapped with unreliable availability. |
6. STRONGLY PREFERRED SKILLS
· PeopleSoft Financials / GL intercompany or equivalent bank ERP posting integration experience.
· Multi-entity, participation, or REIT/SPE banking operating model exposure.
· Western Alliance or similar mid/large U.S. commercial bank IBS implementations.
· Prior FIS employee or long-term FIS partner delivery (conversion/modernization).
· Experience inserting decisioning/middleware beside D1 Connect or bank-owned middleware without breaking overnight batch.
· Regulatory/call report awareness (confirm memo classification does not distort RC-C / call report outputs).
· Security & access patterns for bank APIs (authN/Z, network zones, change control with FIS).
· Ability to produce FSD-quality functional specs and review TSDs written by TF engineers.
· Cloud/API literacy (REST, JSON payloads, audit logging) sufficient to challenge designs.
· Training mindset: short lender/sender guides and accounting transition narratives.
· HORIZON / Systematics / BancPac / Bankway / MISER cross-core context (helps multi-core war stories; IBS+D1 is primary).
· ODS, Kafka, Snowflake, or reporting-lane experience (observability/reconciliation patterns).
· Positive Pay / ACH / Wire depth (payments adjacency; not core of day-1 REIT routing).
· Azure/AWS architecture fluency; IaC familiarity (partnering only).
· M&A core consolidation experience (change-over-time / multi-entity storytelling).
8. BEHAVIORAL & WORKING-MODEL REQUIREMENTS
· Knowledge transfer: Teaches while delivering — leaves TF team smarter every week (written notes, decision logs).
· Intellectual honesty: Separates fact (confirmed on this install) from assumption (needs discovery).
· No bluffing: Comfortable saying “I don’t know — here’s how we verify with FIS/WA.”
· Meeting leadership: Can run a 60-minute discovery agenda without TF feeding every question.
· Artifact discipline: Documents open questions, owners, due dates; does not rely on oral-only tribal knowledge.
· Commercial sensitivity: Aligned to custom client solution framing — not pitching a multi-tenant “TF product platform” narrative that confuses Legal/IP.
· Availability SLA: Minimum agreed weekly hours + on-call windows for client workshops; backup coverage plan if PTO.
9. EXPECTED RESPONSIBILITIES ON THIS ENGAGEMENT
· Lead / co-lead IBS premise validation at Western Alliance (memo/TXN, fields, servicing, memo consumption).
· Map as-is Case 1 and Case 2 paths to precise insertion points for routing calls.
· Define functional routing rules inputs (RC-C, loan type, participation, collateral, entity IDs, NVPs) with bank SMEs.
· Advise Option A vs B destination carrier; document operational and audit implications.
· Specify caller-side behavior for D1 Connect and WA Middleware (TXN vs MEMO handling).
· Guide REIT/PeopleSoft destination connector expectations and reconciliation keys.
· Support FSD content; review integration designs and test scenarios.
· Stand up with TF in client meetings; ask and answer FIS-intelligent questions.
· Coach TF engineers and PM on FIS vocabulary and risk signals.
· Support parallel run design and cutover readiness criteria with accounting stakeholders.
10. SUCCESS CRITERIA (FIRST 30–45 DAYS)
· Written Premise Validation Report (pass/fail/unknown per premise + fallback path).
· Confirmed carrier option (A or B) with bank sign-off path.
· Integration touchpoint diagram for D1 and WA channels agreed with client system owners.
· Draft routing rule catalog and exception/override model.
· TF team can run a client technical discussion with SME backup only — not SME monopoly.
· Risk register updated for FIS cooperation, access, and premise failures.
11. EXPERIENCE & EDUCATION BAR
· 12–20 years in banking technology preferred; 10+ minimum if FIS IBS depth is exceptional.
· At least one full lifecycle: implementation or major conversion involving FIS IBS or Digital One.
· Demonstrable lending + GL pathway experience (not deposits-only careers).
· Bachelor’s in CS/Engineering/Information Systems or equivalent experience.
· Certifications nice-to-have: FIS product credentials, cloud architect associate, relevant banking ops certs — not a substitute for install-level IBS depth.
12. ENGAGEMENT MODEL (SEARCH GUIDANCE)
· Type: Contract / consulting; part-time time-share acceptable only if calendar is fixed and client workshops are protected.
· Location / hours: Strong preference for overlap with U.S. banking hours (Western Alliance). India/offshore supplemental possible for documentation — primary SME should cover live client sessions.
· Intensity: Discovery-heavy first 4–6 weeks, then design authority + on-demand validation through UAT/parallel run.
· IP / KT: Must agree to structured KT: session recordings notes, decision log, and a “FIS field guide for TF” living doc.
· Anti-profile: Avoid pure staff-aug developers with shallow IBS admin exposure; avoid pure sales engineers with no conversion scars.
13. SCREENING QUESTIONS (USE IN INTERVIEWS)
Technical / domain:
· Walk through how a commercial loan advance posts in IBS from Digital One to overnight GL.
· Explain memo vs transaction classification — per event vs account-level — and servicing impact risks.
· Where would you carry a destination-entity identifier on an IBS transaction, and how would downstream pick it up?
· How does D1 Connect differ from bank-owned middleware when both use Code Connect?
· Design a parallel run that proves REIT postings match the current manual PeopleSoft process.
Working model:
· Describe a time you enabled a non-FIS delivery team to face a bank client confidently.
· How do you document decisions so the project survives your PTO?
· What is your realistic weekly availability for a 3-month T&M engagement with workshop spikes?
14. CANDIDATE SCORECARD (RATE 1–5)
Dimension | Weight | Score (1–5) | Notes |
FIS IBS depth (memo/TXN, fields, GL path, servicing) | 25% | | |
Digital One / D1 Connect / Code Connect fluency | 15% | | |
Lending + RC-C / multi-entity / REIT-adjacent business sense | 15% | | |
PeopleSoft/GL or destination-posting integration judgment | 10% | | |
Discovery leadership & client presence | 15% | | |
Ability to coach TF (KT, artifacts, no hero dependency) | 10% | | |
Availability reliability & communication discipline | 10% | | |
Guideline: Do not advance candidates below 4 on FIS IBS depth or below 3 on availability reliability, regardless of overall average. A brilliant but unreachable SME recreates the current failure mode.
15. SOURCING KEYWORDS & CHANNELS
Keywords:
· FIS IBS, Integrated Banking Solution, FIS Digital One, D1 Connect, Code Connect, Connectware, HORIZON, Systematics, core banking conversion, commercial lending IBS, RC-C, memo transaction IBS, bank GL overnight, PeopleSoft banking integration
Channels:
· Ex-FIS delivery / professional services alumni networks
· Core banking implementation partner benches (FIS SI ecosystem)
· Specialist banking technology recruiters (IBS/Digital One explicitly in req)
· Referrals from WA/FIS project veterans (screen carefully for conflict/independence)
16. READY-TO-POST SHORT REQUISITION
We areseeks a contract FIS IBS / Digital One Solution Architect to support a custom Multi-Entity Loan Routing engagement for a U.S. commercial bank. Must have deep IBS lending and GL-path expertise, Digital One/D1 Connect/Code Connect fluency, and proven ability to lead discovery (memo vs TXN, additional fields, servicing continuity) while coaching a non-FIS integration team in live client settings. Experience with multi-entity or PeopleSoft-bound intercompany posting is a plus. Reliable workshop availability is mandatory. This is hands-on domain architecture and client facilitation — not a multi-tenant product build and not an unreliable advisory time-share. |
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