Solutions Architect

Job Summary Expectations from this role: Lead solution/application architecture for medium to large engagements. Deliver technically sound projects across one / multiple customers within the guidelines of the customer and UST standards and norms. Deliver technically complex applications. Identify and institutionalize best practices across multiple accounts and manage multiple customers and architects. Define architecture for large engagements and act as its design authority. Design solutions involving multiple tech components after scoping out requirements for a client with large engagements. Key Responsibilities Asset Development and Governance: Provide thought leadership in conceptualizing the need and design of assets. Track implementation of assets. Improve asset effectiveness. Improve deployment effectiveness. Project Control and Review: Perform architecture design review. Identify opportunities for optimization of cost, time and asset utilization in complex projects; advising relevant teams accordingly where possible. Provide advice to teams facing complex technical issues in the course of project delivery. Conduct planned and unplanned technical audits for complex projects as applicable. Define and measure project/program specific architectural and technology quality metrics. Review outputs to ensure NFRs are met. Knowledge Management & Capability Development: Provide inputs to teams for training, etc. Identify the training needs and conduct internal sessions to meet the same. Partner with UST Gamma to create curriculum, assessments, training programs, courseware based on new service offerings / solutions, etc. Update collateral on the knowledge management repository. Gain and cultivate domain expertise to provide best and optimized solution to customer. Requirement gathering and Analysis: Understand the requirements from a larger system / transformation program context. Validate the cross application / cross technology requirements to ensure integrated ability and reconciliation of conflicting requirements, by working with customers and other stakeholders. People Management: Provide support to various Project Managers in identification of training needs of the team. Conduct training / certifications with the help of Gamma and mentoring with respect to technical skills on projects. Support technical evaluation of external and internal candidates to meet project requirements. Perform career guidance and performance management for team members. Alliance Management: Identify alliance partners based on the understanding of service offerings and client requirements. Identify areas for joint GTM with the partner. Develop internal capabilities/complementary toolsets to support the GTM strategy. Maintain the relationship with partners. Act as the UST technical POC for the specific technology/solution area. Technology Consulting: Define problem statement for the customer. Analyse application/ technology landscape, process, and tools to arrive at the solution options best fit for the client. Analyse cost vs. benefits of solution options. Define the technology/ architecture roadmap for the client. Articulate the cost vs. benefits of options to key customer stakeholders. Innovation and Thought Leadership: Interact and engage with customers/ partners around new innovative ideas, concepts, and assets; as well as industry trends and implications. Participate in Beta testing of products / joint lab setup with customer to explore application of new technologies / products. Identify areas where components/accelerators or design patterns could be reused across different accounts. Create documents, reports, white papers (international/national) on research findings. Sales Support and Project Estimation: Develop collaterals for proposals. Conduct workshops at the client site to assist the sales team in sales support, if required. Compare various designs and propose appropriate technology solutions based on the understanding of the RFP and inputs from Architects. Calculate and present estimates based on high level designs to management for supporting go/no-go decisions. Review estimations and resource plan. Review risk and mitigation plan. Anchor proposal development with cross-linkages across multiple competency units to arrive at a coherent solution, unique value propositions and clear differentiators. Participate in client presentation and client visits. Solution Definition & Design: Ensure alignment of high-level architecture with the existing client need and business logic; review design prepared by architects. Ensure the involvement of right teams in solution design. Ensure technical integrate ability, and requirements compliance of the solution; especially in case of a multi group / multi-vendor program. Involve external partners / horizontals as appropriate. Provide guidance to solution architect around usage of patterns/anti patterns in the solution. Ensure UST architecture principles and QOA (Quality of Architecture) are maintained. Analyse trade-offs and provide recommendations, if any, on the solution architecture. Identify opportunities for efficiency improvements (e.g., automation) or risk reduction in the transformation process. Understand the various work streams and the technologies necessary to deliver on large programs. Resolve any issues based on industry expertise, leverage partners. Provide best in class technology and solution options to customers with detailed examples and case studies. Guide customer on process and technology improvements to achieve agility and quick results. Project Management Support: Proactive identification and management of technical risks. Stakeholder Management: Build credibility with the client as a technical go-to person. Work to expand professional network in the client organization. New Service Design: Identify potential opportunities for new service offerings based on customer voice/ partner inputs / industry connects and trends. Support the development of business case for investments for approval from senior management. Work with partners to co-develop a joint GTM (as applicable). Develop IP/tools and framework to address the opportunity technically. Conduct beta testing / POC as applicable. Develop collaterals, guides for GTM. Required Qualifications Skill Examples: Use knowledge of domain and industry to understand business requirements. Create POC to meet business requirements, contextualize the solution to the industry under guidance, create business logic, and interact with SMEs at various stages of the development. Translate business requirements to system requirements and perform impact analysis of changes in requirements. Use Technology Knowledge to build solutions that interface multiple products/ technologies under guidance. Design technology roadmap for the client, define POC specifics, and provide technical guidance to teams to create the same. Create assets independently and provide technical guidance to practitioners. Identify and evaluate new technologies, create white papers on Enterprise Architecture, and conduct demos to the client to showcase the features of the solution. Review and audit solution independently. Use knowledge of Technology Trends to identify technologies/ product relevant to UST in the short term (1-2 years) within own area/ multiple areas. Forecast trends on new solutions/products/ technologies required in USTC/ review technology roadmap for the client. Use knowledge of Architecture Concepts and Principles to evaluate the readiness and relevance of architecture solutions, evaluate existing client implementations for performance bottlenecks and suggest improvements. Create value proposition, presentations and demos. Provide thought leadership within UST. Provide training on best practices in architecture, providing technical guidance to teams during system architecture. Define enterprise architecture frameworks, and validate application architecture solutions independently. Define system architecture for complex applications within the boundaries of enterprise architecture. Use knowledge of Design Patterns, Tools and Principles to identify optimized patterns within the given requirements. Review and suggest applicability of design/ patterns to business needs, define design best practices at project level, and provide technical guidance to create high level design. Use knowledge of Software Development Process Tools & Techniques to identify and assess incremental improvements for software development process, methodology and tools. Take technical responsibility for all stages in the software development process, conduct optimal coding with clear understanding of memory leakage and related impact. Implement global standards and guidelines relevant to programming and development, come up with 'points of view' and new technological ideas. Use knowledge of Project Management Tools and Techniques to plan and manage simple, small or medium size projects/ modules as defined within UST. Identify risks and mitigation strategies and implement the same to manage simple, small or medium size projects/ modules. Use knowledge of Project Governance Framework to support development of the communication protocols, escalation matrix, and reporting mechanisms, for small / medium projects/ modules as defined within UST. Use knowledge of Project Metrics to understand relevance in project. Collect and collate project metrics; share it with the relevant stakeholders. Use knowledge of Estimation and Resource Planning to consolidate estimates at a solution level. Evaluate risks and validate estimates from a technical standpoint, assumptions, scope and boundaries defined. Conduct resource planning (pyramid, people development) at a project level based on project requirements. conduct impact analysis for changes and analyse corresponding impact to overall estimates, resource loading and MPP (re-baseline). Use knowledge of Knowledge Management Tools & Techniques to leverage existing material/ reusable assets in knowledge repository. Independently create and update knowledge artefacts; create and track project specific KT plans. Provide training to others, write white papers/ blogs at internal level, write technical documents/ user understanding documents at the end of the project. Use knowledge of Technical Standards, Documentation & Templates to create documentation appropriate for the project needs; create documentation appropriate for the reusable assets/ best practices/ case studies. Use knowledge of Requirement Gathering and Analysis to create requirements documents and high-level process maps. Identify gaps on the basis of business process and analyse responses to clarification questions. Produce design documents, RTM independently. Create/review estimates and solutions at project level, create/review design artefacts, update resourcing and schedule based on impacted areas identified. Create design specifically for the non-functional requirements. Use knowledge of Solution Structuring to carve out complex solutions/POCs for a customer based on their needs. Recommend technology specific accelerators / tools for the overall solution along with optimal features e.g. time savings, cost benefits. Knowledge Examples: Domain/ Industry Knowledge: Working knowledge of standard business processes within the relevant industry vertical, customer business domain. Technology Knowledge- A broad knowledge in multiple technologies (Java/Microsoft), multiple frameworks (Struts, JSF, Hibernate, etc.) within one technology area and their applicability. Consider low level details such as data structures, algorithms, APIs and libraries and best practices for multiple technology stacks, best practices for high performance and well-designed applications across multiple technologies. In-depth knowledge of at least two technologies, customer technology landscape. Technology Trends: Demonstrates broad knowledge of technology trends related to multiple inter-related technologies. Architecture Concepts and Principles: a. Applies specialized level of understanding of standard architectural principles, models, patterns (e.g. SOA, N-Tier, EDA etc.) and perspective (e.g. TOGAF, Zachman etc.), system integration points, integration architecture including input and output components, source and external system, non-functional areas, architecture trends b. Broad understanding of enterprise assets, deployment architecture, architecture governance c. Working knowledge of data architecture, capacity planning, security architecture Design Patterns, Tools and Principles: Demonstrates in-depth knowledge of design patterns, design principles, practices and design tools. Software Development Process Tools & Techniques: Demonstrates thorough knowledge of end to end SDLC process (Agile and Traditional), SDLC methodology, programming principles, tools, best practices (refactoring code, code package, etc.). Project Management: a. Demonstrates working knowledge of project management process (such as project scoping, requirements management, change management, risk management, quality assurance, disaster management etc.), tools (MS Excel, MPP, Client specific time sheets, Capacity planning tools, UST 2.0, etc.) b. Demonstrates working knowledge of Project Governance Framework, RACI matrix c. Basic knowledge of Project Metrics such as utilization, onsite to offshore ratio, span of control, fresher ratio and quality metrics Estimation and Resource Planning: Specialized knowledge of estimation and resource planning techniques (e.g. TCP estimation model, case based, scenario-based estimation, work breakdown structure estimation, etc.). Knowledge Management Tools & Techniques: Demonstrates working knowledge industry knowledge management tools (such as portals, wiki, UST and customer knowledge management tools, techniques (such as classroom training, self-study, application walkthrough and reverse KT). Technical Standards, Documentation & Templates: Demonstrates working knowledge of various document templates and standards (such as business blueprint, design documents and test specifications). Requirement Gathering and Analysis: Applies specialized knowledge of requirements gathering for (non-functional), requirements analysis for functional and non-functional, requirement analysis tools (such as functional flow diagrams, activity diagrams, blueprint, storyboard), techniques (such as business analysis, process mapping, etc.) and requirements management tools (such as MS Excel) and basic knowledge of functional requirements gathering. Solution Structuring: Demonstrates specialized knowledge of service offerings and products. Preferred Qualifications Certifications Technology certifications #J-18808-Ljbffr