at Southern Company in Naperville, Illinois, United States
Job Description
Corporate Services Systems Application Portfolio
Application Solutions Architect (ASA)
Level 7
Job Description
The Corporate Services Systems Application Portfolio, within the SCS Technology Organization (TO), provides support for ~160+ application solutions for ~20+ different functional and departmental Business Partner entities, across the enterprise. The Application Solutions Architect (ASA) position will function as a key role within the Portfolio team, providing expert technical leadership and consultation, in support of the unique and evolving business imperatives – and associated technology needs — of the Portfolio’s supported Business Partners.
The ASA will be responsible for providing architecture direction and supporting technology governance for all application solutions within the Portfolio, and throughout all stages of an application solution’s lifecycle. This position will drive informed application solution decision-making within the Portfolio specific to strategic technology planning and roadmap development; new application solution evaluation and implementation; existing application solution support; and overall application solution lifecycle planning, management, and execution.
The ASA will combine business and TO acumen with cross-functional leadership skills, to collaborate and innovate with key TO and Business Partner stakeholders, to facilitate and execute a range of diverse, line-of-business projects to achieve maximum business value and exceptional customer service/satisfaction through the appropriate use of technology.
Job Responsibilities
+ Identify and communicate the strategic implications of emerging application solution technologies/capabilities, evaluate how they can align to Business Partners’ needs, and identify impact to existing Portfolio application solutions.
+ Collaborate with the broader TO organization and other Architects to ascertain and communicate emerging/evolving technologies and technology strategies with the Portfolio.
+ Provide oversight and technical leadership for all phases of application solution lifecycle management, for all Portfolio application solutions, in relation to SCS TO enterprise strategies/standards, roadmaps, and best practices.
+ Manage the convergence of existing Portfolio application solutions with new, emerging capabilities and ensure compliance with SCS TO enterprise strategies/standards, roadmaps, and best practices.
+ Investigate and develop proof-of-concept opportunities, in partnership with Portfolio and Business Partner resources, on innovative approaches to leveraging technology.
+ Lead development and maintenance of short- and long-term architecture/design planning for the Portfolio’s application solutions, in collaboration with key stakeholders.
+ Provide technical leadership, guidance, and direction to the Portfolio team – Developers, Analysts, Contractors, and Vendor resources.
+ Partner with Technology Planning Analysts to facilitate required Technology Validation Process (TVP) and Architectural Review Board (ARB) vetting procedures for the Portfolio’s application solutions.
+ Ensure adherence with all applicable regulatory and compliance requirements, as well as with requisite SCS TO policies, procedures, and standards.
+ Partner and collaborate with the Portfolio Manager, Technology Planning Analysts, and Application Development Supervisor to explore technology governance and strategic technology planning opportunities for supported Business Partners, to drive development of requisite technology roadmaps to provide a prioritized pipeline of required technology projects/initiatives for implementation, in support of business imperatives.
+ Partner and collaborate with Business Partners to understand their respective business processes and identify opportunities to drive efficiencies through application solutions; advance business capabilities and solve business needs; maximize the value of existing application solution investments.
+ Actively engage with new application solution requests/projects to drive out and define the needed application solution capability — solution research, evaluation, design/architecture, recommendation.
+ Contribute to implementation/cost proposal development.
+ Consult and assist – as needed – with development, testing, training, implementation, and support.
+ Serve as a technical leader and consultant to Portfolio Developers and Analysts for production/operational issue troubleshooting, root-cause analysis, problem solving, and resolution.
+ Contribute to Portfolio process improvement efforts.
+ Production/operational support issue-tracking and resolution.
+ Knowledge management and collaboration.
+ Other duties or special projects as assigned by leadership.
Education & Experience
+ Bachelor’s degree in computer science, information systems, engineering, business, or a related field is required.
+ Five (5) years or more of recent experience:
+ Working with application development methodologies/processes and technologies.
+ Working with application architecture for both on-premises and vendor/cloud-hosted solutions.
+ Creating technical documentation, including system architecture/design documents, system integration/interface designs, system operation/user manuals, business impact assessments, and business continuity/disaster recovery plans.
+ Experience with custom application development and delivery, as well as third-party/vendor application solution evaluation, selection, procurement, integration, and delivery.
+ Experience implementing/supporting/maintaining both department-level and enterprise-level applications.
+ Experience optimizing system performance and scalability.
+ Experience with security best practices and secure coding principles.
+ Experience identifying Business Partner application solution needs, communicating expectations, validating quality, and managing delivery timeline.
+ Experience planning and managing application solution projects (schedules, resource allocations, costs)
+ Managing multiple assignments and conflicting priorities.
+ Prioritizing and executing tasks independently.
+ Exhibiting flexibility, adaptability, and innovation – as well as prioritizing shifting workloads – in a dynamic environment.
+ Planning work, coordinating/leading teams, and training personnel.
+ Meeting tight schedules/deadlines and delivering on commitments.
Knowledge, Skills, & Abilities
+ Expert knowledge of computing infrastructure and architectural design concepts, and their application to strategic and tactical architecture decisions.
+ Ability to define and articulate the “big picture,” long-term vision for application solutions, and progressive plans to achieve it.
+ Ability to understand emerging technologies and concepts involved in the multiple, different Business Partner areas supported, and to determine if/how they can be applied to meet business imperatives.
+ Ability to envision, define, and shape innovative concepts and application solutions around evolving requirements, technologies, and market capabilities to support Business Partner imperatives.
+ Expert analytical, diagnostic/troubleshooting, and problem-solving skills – ability to analyze information from multiple sources for complex problem/issue resolution.
+ Effective consulting skills, with the ability to negotiate, build consensus, and influence others.
+ Ability to collaborate with Business Partners to elicit and translate requirements into the design/architecture of innovative application solutions.
+ Comprehensive leadership skills, recognizable by others.
+ Comprehensive customer service skills – ability to consistently deliver on commitments.
+ Excellent communication (both oral and written) and presentation skills, with the ability to relate and connect with a v
