Job: Senior Architect (Solutions Architect)

Location: Washington
Deadline: Monday, 04 November 2013

Background / General description:

Innovation and partnership bond the five institutions of the World Bank Group (WBG): the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development (IBRD) and the International Development Association (IDA), which together form the World Bank; the International Finance Corporation (IFC); the Multilateral Investment Guarantee Agency (MIGA); and the International Centre for Settlement of Investment Disputes (ICSID). The World Bank Group is one of the world's largest sources of funding and knowledge for developing countries. It uses financial resources and extensive experience to help our client countries to reduce poverty, increase economic growth, and improve quality of life. To ensure that countries can access the best global expertise and help generate cutting-edge knowledge, the World Bank Group is constantly seeking to improve the way it works. Key priorities include delivering measurable results, promoting openness and transparency in development, and improving access to development information and data.

Information and Technology Solutions (ITS) enables the WBG to achieve its mission of ending extreme poverty by 2030 and boosting shared prosperity in a sustainable manner by delivering transformative information and technologies to its staff working in over 130 client countries. ITS services range from: establishing the infrastructure to reach and connect staff and development stakeholders; providing the devices and agile technology and information applications to facilitate the science of delivery through decentralized services; creating and maintaining tools to integrate information across the World Bank Group, the clients we serve and the countries where we operate; and delivering the computing power staff need to analyze development challenges and identify solutions. The ITS business model combines dedicated business solutions centers that provide services tailored to specific World Bank Group business needs and shared services that provide infrastructure, applications and platforms for the entire Group. ITS is one of three VPUs that have been brought together as the World Bank Group Integrated Services (WBGIS), to provide enhanced corporate core services and enable the institution to operate as one strategic and coordinated entity.

The Enterprise Architecture and Enterprise Application and Platform Services unit is responsible for providing leadership in the definition, standardization and governance of Enterprise Architecture to ensure a smooth execution of the WBG IT Strategy. To this end, ITSEA has two main functions. Enterprise Architecture Governance and Strategy convenes various governance committees and strategy practice groups to ensure standards and future-states are defined and followed. Enterprise Architecture Practice actively participates in the software development life cycle of IT projects to ensure the architecture principles are followed and the Bank Group enterprise architecture is kept up to date. The practice focuses in Business, Information, User Experience, Solutions, Technology and Infrastructure architecture. The Second function, Enterprise Applications and Platform Service provides the IT capabilities for the lines of business to implement business enabling solutions. This function implements, with the help of Enterprise Architecture Practice, cross Enterprise platforms and applications which are leverage by more than one LoB. There are 3 vacancies and each will be aligned to work with one or more of the 3 lines of business as described below:

Unit Context - Corporate

The duties and responsibilities as described below will be focused on working with the Corporate Line of Business which consists of a diverse and highly visible set of clients consisting of 27 departments. ITSCO is accountable for the implementation of the WBG ITS Strategy which includes supporting the reforms in the Bank's corporate business line, as well as understanding linkages with other related reform initiatives in finance, knowledge, and access to information. ITSCO includes the Corporate IT team which provides services to many of the business units within the corporate business line. The Global Support department (ITSCC) is also part of ITSCO and responsible for providing a wide range of technical and customer support services to meet the Institution's end-user computing and mobility support needs.

Unit Context - Finance Complex

The duties and responsibilities as described below will be focused on working with the Finance Complex ITS (ITSFI) that is responsible for providing high quality, streamlined information and technology solutions for the World Bank's Financial services, which include Corporate Finance, Risk Management, Controls, Treasury, Loans, Accounting, and Concessional finance (managing donor contributions from inception to the point of final disbursement, including IDA, Financial Intermediary Funds and Trust Funds). ITSFI is additionally responsible for building its IT services using a shared platform that provides scale, leverage, reliability, and control while at the same time improving responsiveness to emerging business needs.

Unit Context - Operations

The duties and responsibilities as described below will be focused on working with the ITSOK that aims to partner with clients and provide transformative development solutions through the management of information, provision of IT enabled business, and knowledge solutions to help move the business towards a world free of poverty. The services offered by the unit include archives and records management, provision of library functions, provision of the A2I program, provision of IT-enabled business solutions, provision of ITS products and services in OK LoB VPUs. Additionally, ITSOK provides leadership with operations clients in order to identify, design, develop, implement, and support technology solutions to business challenges; and also facilitate client consensus on operations technology policies through governance processes.

The incumbent will report to the Chief Enterprise Architecture Practice.

Note: If the selected candidate is a current Bank Group staff member with a Regular or Open-Ended appointment, s/he will retain his/her Regular or Open-Ended appointment. All others will be offered a 3 year term appointment.

Note:: This vacancy has 3 positions

Duties and Accountabilities:

The Senior Architect typically works on one or more projects as a member of a team or as a project leader; Works on complex projects that require knowledge in one or more architectural domains and business segments; They are responsible for participation on one or more project teams, including the design and modeling of the architecture and related solutions, component identification, quality reviews and adherence to policies, standards, guidelines and procedures. Responsibilities include, but may not be limited to, the following:

Enterprise Architecture (EA) Engagements: Enterprise Architecture Practice team conducts various engagements including impact analysis during the project lifecycle including planning, assessment, implementation, and maintenance; product / vendor procurement review, and annual investment planning review. The Senior Architect is expected to manage these different engagements including program and project planning, develop terms of reference for EA engagements, resource selection & allocation, oversee the implementation and delivery of these projects, coordinate, meet and communicate with various stakeholders, ensure delivery of all the agreed projects on schedule and all the performance SLAs are met; develop weekly status reports etc.

Business Alignment: Works with key stakeholders, both leadership and SMEs to identify the business capabilities necessary in order to reach business goals. Based upon an understanding of capabilities defines or designs business processes and organizational structure, creating policy and governing principles to effectively insure IT and business alignment. Supports the development of enterprise architectural models or views.

Architectural Requirements: Analyzes and develops architectural requirements to include how information assets will flow among groups inside and outside the enterprise; business processes, work flow, roles/functions; technical infrastructure and systems; and the application portfolio. Aligns architectural strategy with business goals.

Domain Architecture: Assesses the capacity and resource utilization of application and search tools, components, network, platform facilities, application/integration/ database servers, storage, security and management hardware and software. Approves and modifies the designs and architectures by reviewing end-user topology, physical, security, performance and interoperability requirements.

Architectural Roadmap: Analyses and develops an enterprise roadmap and implementation plan based upon a comparison of current to future state in a cohesive enterprise architecture viewpoint, definition of principles, a gap analysis. guidelines, and prioritization of architecture demands. To include the following areas: Information Architecture- Integrates structured and unstructured data to support business information integration and interoperability across systems. Components which may include enterprise data models associated with meta data model, common business vocabulary, ontologies and taxonomies. Business Architecture- Includes the enterprise value chain, major business processes that deliver value, primary business functions performed within the processes, primary supporting applications systems in place Technical Architecture-Definition of principles that guide technology decisions, Clear relationship between enterprise business context (industry and market trends) and specified technology Solution Architecture-Definition of principles to guide solution decisions. The evolution of the enterprise application portfolio from current state to future state.

Infrastructure Architecture-Develop Infrastructure strategy that promotes cloud-based computing solutions; improves hardware scaling, virtualization and productivity by designing a robust integration architecture incorporating adequate security controls. Review, Assess and improve Disaster Recovery Strategy, including storage and back up plans; analyze and recommend target architecture for disaster resilient applications. Review, Analyze, and develop plans to ensure selection, deployment, and integration appropriate infrastructure/hardware in alignment with the Enterprise Architecture and Security Strategy. Identifies inefficiencies in the areas of application security design constructs, productivity, performance, and develop/recommend design specifications to improve operational efficiency

Architectural Standards: Supports and establishes policies, standards, guidelines and procedures pertaining to such areas as the use, access and security of information, software products and configuration, and software/technical decisions and governance. Participates in institutional working groups related to standards. Assists in developing and communicating enterprise-wide standards.

Impact Analysis: Review project plans, technology and vendor procurement proposals for alignment with Enterprise Architecture Strategy. Plan, coordinate, and execute projects that analyses the impact and alignment of the project proposal on the Business goals, Domain Roadmap, Information and Data Architecture, Solution/Infrastructure and User Experience Strategy; compliance with organizational, and architectural standards including security architecture and controls; Review business requirements and functional specifications to creation business architecture blueprints; derive logical data models, system resource flows; identify risks, gaps, inefficiencies, and opportunities for synergies; develop and recommend target architecture necessary including design requirements, cross-functional integration needs, technical reports, operational procedures and design specifications for risk mitigation. Evaluate request for funds release to ensure appropriate budget outlay for the scope outlined. Review the detailed design to ensure compliance with prior architectural guidance and recommendations. Conduct Architecture Reviews for software and hardware based changes to ensure compliance with the target architecture

Process Management: Plans, coordinates, and performs inspections, quality reviews, certification, audit, business process management software quality assurance, ITIL and process integration to optimize processes in need of consistency and improvement.

Enterprise Architecture Management: Analyzes the current architecture to identify weaknesses and develop opportunities for improvement such as improving business processes, expanding capacity, reducing time & cost, and increasing effectiveness.

Systems Integration: Ensures compatibility with existing infrastructure and services. Solution Integration: Develops custom integration solutions including major enhancements, interfaces, functions and features. Third Party Integration: Coordinates the integration of third party and internally developed components to achieve operability. Emerging Technologies: Researches and evaluates technology industry and market trends to assist in project development and/or operational support activities. Considers potential application and impact to enterprise architectures. Assesses and provides recommendations on business relevance, appropriate timing and deployment. Recommends and facilitates product/solution selection or process improvement.

Consulting: Provides strategic consultation to clients and IT senior management in defining and understanding the business environment and processes, recommending IT solutions of enterprise-wide systems or processes. Consults with project members to maintain knowledge of their progress and in regard to alignment of the enterprise architecture with project goals and requirements. Understand problem areas; identify enterprise capabilities; provide guidance and support to the users by working with the Enterprise Platforms team to meet their business and technical requirements. Upon the request of project teams, help oversee the implementation including design and integration of necessary hardware and software solutions to meet the project objectives

Vendor Product Evaluation: Interfaces with vendors to keep abreast of new technologies, pricing and customer applicability. Evaluates vendor solutions to ensure requirements compliance and cost-effectiveness. Recommends alternative solutions to the vendor, combining of contracts, where appropriate. Assesses any associated risks and options. Conducts research and makes recommendations on products and services. Advocacy: Promotes the architecture process, it outcome and ongoing results. Coaching and Mentoring: Provides technical leadership, supervision, participates in staffing decisions, coaching and mentoring to team members. Recommends training programs targeting specific areas of improvement.

Selection Criteria:

Preferred Education/Experience:

Master's degree with 8 years experience plus professional training in project management, Sample degrees include: Computer Science, Library Science, Information Management or Information Systems. (Bachelor's degree is minimum education requirement, with 10+ years of relevant experience)

Experience managing programs and/or multiple projects, including simultaneous task assignments. Prior experience in conducting impact analysis as outlined in the 'Duties/Accountabilities' section above Knowledge and experience in Enterprise Architecture frameworks, Solution Design, modeling, design and implementation Proficient in translating business processes into Information/Solution architecture blueprints, experience developing Integration Architecture for various Information exchange across various Enterprise systems Experience in delivering successful systems within a variety of business sectors.

• Proven Ability to develop detailed Solution design (Business objects, Data Objects, ER models, Interfaces etc.)
• Well rounded technology experience - Java, SharePoint, IBM, SAP, Peoplesoft etc.
• Understands and maintains market trends in technology & architecture including hardware and software based solutions
• Understands Architecture Constructs - (Architecture & Design patterns, protocols SOAP, REST etc.), Development Methodologies (Agile, Iterative etc.)
• Knowledge of databases, best practices in Information & Solution Architecture and applying them to solve problems
• Proficient in Software Development Life Cycle, and experience in full life-cycle implementations
• Must have experience using MS Visio for documenting process/information flows and architecture, knowledge of iGrafx a plus
• Experience working with various stakeholders (business, technology etc.) and conducting workshops to obtain relevant information
• Excellent oral and written communication, documentation and presentation skills
• Ability to work with independently, and direct a team of architects

Required Competencies

• Business Enterprise Knowledge - Directs and coordinates the development and implementation of process-based solutions that cross-organizational lines.
• Service Provider Assessment and Evaluation - Leads the evaluation and selection process for external service providers.
• Information Systems Knowledge - Identifies means of integrating technical support requirements with enterprise processes and strategies.
• Foundation Architecture Knowledge - Researches the design of new architectural components.
• Knowledge of Emerging Technology - Defines the processes and practices for evaluating new technologies and their potential value to the business
• Business Process Knowledge - Describes and documents critical cross-functional business process flows.
• Strategic Technology Planning - Researches and benchmarks against best-practice architecture/technology needs for significant, integrated work processes.
• Client Orientation - Maintains client relationships in the face of conflicting demands or directions and provides evidence-based advice and solutions based on sound diagnosis and knowledge.
• Drive for Results - Identifies the needed resources to accomplish results involving multiple stakeholders and finds solutions to obstacles affecting key deliverables.
• Teamwork (Collaboration) and Inclusion - Shows leadership in ensuring the team stays organized and focused, and actively seeks and considers diverse ideas and approaches.
• Knowledge, Learning and Communication - Leads in the sharing of best practice, trends, knowledge and lessons learned across units and with clients and partners, articulating ideas verbally and in writing in a clear and compelling way across audiences of varied levels.
• Business Judgment and Analytical Decision Making - Gathers inputs, assesses risk, considers impact and articulates benefits of decisions for internal and external stakeholders over the long term.
• Analytical Thinking - Determines criteria for assessing issues and opportunities.
• Initiative - Describes future scenarios and related opportunities.
• Empowering Others - Determines the capabilities of a department or function and options for maximizing its resources.
• Negotiation - Clarifies strategic expectations and principles of the enterprise.
• Risk Management - Assesses the probability associated with varying degrees of risk.
• Strategic Relationship - Partners with business leaders to identify cross-functional opportunities that integrate organizational and technological strategies, meet externally benchmarked criteria and integrate the client's specific operational requirements as they relate to.
• System Development Life Cycle Knowledge (SDLC) - Coordinates required tasks for one or more phases of the SDLC.
• Systems Thinking - Plans improvements that take into account the critical, underlying and less apparent relationships between business, technology and systems platforms.
• Business Function Knowledge - Engages business and technical leaders in the identification of medium-term business solutions consistent with best practices for cross-functional implementation.
• Business Requirements Analysis - Reviews customer business requirements, recommending technological solutions that can be integrated and deployed in the environment.
• Database Knowledge - Provides expertise in the development of complex database projects.
• Network Technology Knowledge - Researches and applies best practice to ensure that data and voice communications networks are and remain effectively integrated for the longer-term needs of the enterprise.
• Logical Data Modeling - Develops logical data models for complex databases.
• Project Management (IMT) - Able to define staff and manage multiple projects as part of a program.
• Financial Management - Utilizes financial tools and techniques for budget forecasting and tracking.
• Vendor and Alliance Management - Works with vendor and/or alliance partners to identify strategic opportunities and define solutions to meet the needs of multiple stakeholders.
• Compliance with Standards - Maintains broad oversight of client requests and responses by staff.
• Disaster Recovery/Business Continuity - Detailed knowledge and understanding of the Bank's infrastructure and systems and ongoing processes to enhance or replace infrastructure
• Future Needs - Identifies trends affecting the capability of systems, software and sources to support future Bank needs.
• Bank Systems, Policies and Infrastructure - Broad and in-depth knowledge of Bank organization, infrastructure and policies that supports understanding of opportunities and limitations on innovation and change in records, archives and information management systems and software.
  The World Bank Group is committed to achieving diversity in terms of gender, nationality, culture and educational background. Individuals with disabilities are equally encouraged to apply. All applications will be treated in the strictest confidence.
  
  
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