Solution Architect – Infrastructure Technology at Pick n Pay Stores Limited

Job Advert Summary

Provide thought leadership, future vision and define high-level technical architecture; identify and understand industry trends as well as how and if Pick n Pay should look at using various technologies to optimise business processes while working with the business and vendors to ensure the company gets the best solution.

Minimum Requirements

• Relevant diploma/degree
• 5 years relevant experience (preferable experienced broadly across multiple areas of I&T)
• Excellent documentation and writing skills are required
• A solid understanding of networking basics is required. This includes technical knowledge of Wi-Fi standards, firewalls and routing concepts
• AWS technical knowledge would also be beneficial
• Familiarity with Microsoft Licensing, ADDS, Azure AD and Linux also beneficial

Duties & Responsibilities

• Act as technical connection between the project managers, vendors, business analysts and operational infrastructure support teams
• Research, create and deliver, integrate, communicate, and risk manage delivery of technology-based solutions across multiple technology areas of Pick n Pay
• Work closely with vendors and be able to assess vendor supplied solutions for suitability and viability for Pick n Pay
• Identify new industry trends, products, technologies, practices and processes by selecting and using appropriate sources of information
• Understand and keep abreast of the Pick n Pay technical infrastructure by using the appropriate internal sources of information
• Understand the high-level impacts of changes in the environment across a wide range of areas
• Understand and keep abreast of non-technical factors that have a direct bearing on technological decisions such as budget constraints and business objectives by establishing business contacts and doing appropriate fact-finding
• Use applicable industry knowledge-bases to find common causes and resolutions to technical problems, and apply this knowledge
• Perform cost and risk analysis regarding proposed technical solutions as input into the business case for proposed solutions
• Maximise the use and re-use of infrastructure that is already in place by determining to what extent parts of solutions already exist when new solutions are defined
• Use the correct information to define workable, optimal solutions such as processes, data flows, network designs, systems, etc
• Ensure that solutions are not designed and built in isolation, but take cognisance of other similar, related, dependent and dictating solutions
• Ensure that the correct protocols, tools and middleware solutions are correctly used in accordance with Pick n Pay’s architectural principles
• Ensure that solutions are built using the agreed tools, frameworks, processes and architectural principles that apply across all of IT
• Communicate progress, status, events, planned activities and issues, and financial implications to relevant parties
• Promote or market both the introduction of the correct applicable new technologies as well as the best practice use of existing technologies to all relevant parties
• Ensure that team members and other staff members working in related areas of technical concern are informed about all relevant technical decisions, discoveries, practices, processes, knowledge and information
• Regularly monitor the work performed by other staff members working in related areas of technical concern and provide constructive feedback and input into their work
• Establish and maintain good working relationships with all relevant parties as defined by the Pick n Pay I&T organisational structure, the business structure, the nature of the technical work, and any other parties that may add real value
• Ensure that proper cognisance is taken of the people/change impact factors when technical solutions are proposed and that technical solutions are not produced on the basis of technical considerations only
• Ensure that the complete financial impact of technical solutions are well understood and communicated
• Ensure that the people cost implications, sustainability and impact of the administration of technical solutions are understood and taken into account when technical solutions are proposed

Competencies

• Attention to detail
• Absorbs pressure positively
• Self-motivated 
• Patience
• Team leader and player
• Problem solving ability
• Interpersonal skills
• Good communication skills – both verbal and written

Additional Information

• Competency based interview to assess above requirements.