Chief Enterprise Architect at Old Mutual South Africa

Role Description & Key Result Areas:

• The Chief Architect is responsible for driving the modernization of OML’s architecture leveraging the benefits of the groups cloud strategy.  Specifically, the role holder:
• Leads the cultural change for cloud adoption, acting as an advocate, a mentor and coach to enable the application teams and the solution architects adopt the best practices and deliver the benefit of the cloud
• Own, develop, co-ordinate and propagate OML’s cloud architecture including the principles and ground rules
• Keep the cloud strategy current end and coordinating the adaptation process
• Ensures OML IT software engineers and designers have the relevant talent with the necessary technical skills
• Assessing applications, software and hardware ensuring the health of the IT Estate improves in line with the OML IT Strategy
• Creating a “cloud broker team” and establishing best practices for cloud across the company
• Selecting cloud providers and vetting third-party services
• Oversee governance and mitigate risk
• Work closely with IT security to monitor privacy and develop incident-response procedures
• Managing budgets and estimating cost
• Operating at scale.

Governance

• Defines and maintains architectural principles, frameworks and standards for the development, deployment and management of application, information, communication and technology infrastructure.
• Ensures that the OML architecture aligns with OML IT strategy and is presented and approved through the IT Sub Committee and Technology and Platform Board Committee
• Provides long-term management of the OML IT Architecture Strategy

Technical Consultation

• Provides consulting to OML Delivery Teams to reduce execution risk and improve efficiency
• Research leading technology and sells concepts and assesses/ refocus across OML

Relationship Management

• Establish and manage the relationships with suppliers (both internal and external to OML IT), including service and support (SLAs).
• Manage stakeholder relationships and engagements.
• Participate in, and where appropriate, chair relevant cloud adoption forums.

Vendor & Contract Management

• Acts on expert advice and is a key player and sometimes technical leader in large-scale contract negotiations.
• Manages the relationship between technology / solution providers and Old Mutual.

Experience:

• Solid exposure to Insurance Industry from a business perspective – sales, servicing, underwriting, reassurance, product launches, money in/out, claims,
• Solid understanding of Insurance products (protection, savings, annuities, wealth)
• Good understanding of the different Insurance software solutions available
• Very good functional understanding of Insurance, Savings and Investment Platforms.
• Well versed in the IT Architecture and Design of Insurance Platforms – ideally exposed to many different architecture and design approaches
• Solid background in IT System architecture, design, and development.
• Solid background in data modelling, database design and data management
• Good track record of large-scale systems migrations 
• Expert at cloud adoption and scaling, certified AWS practitioner

Qualifications and experience:

• 10 years + related Systems Management/ Architecture, Information Management, Infrastructure Management/ Architecture experience
• Proven track record in cloud adoption and scaling
• Experience in broader Financial Services (incl. Banking) would be an advantage
• Multi-disciplinary application of wide knowledge spanning business, data and technology
• Working knowledge of Financial & Project management