Job Title
Reports To
Solutions Architect
Lead Solutions Architect
Grade
Location
SDS 6
Adelphi Centre, Glasgow
Direct Reports
n/a
Directorate/Team Enabling Services /EIS
Purpose of the Job:
Provide Solution Design Services to the partner organisations in the EIS Shared Service.
Organisational Context of the Job:
As Scotland’s skills body, SDS is central to driving the success of Scotland's economy. Working with partners, we aim to create a Scotland where:
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employers are able to recruit the right people with the right skills at the right time
employers have high performing, highly productive, fair and equal workplaces
people have the right skills and confidence to secure good work and progress in their careers
there is greater equality of opportunity for all
We do this by delivering services for individuals and employers that help them to achieve their ambitions.
With a significant role in supporting the Government’s agenda for economic development and growth, career management skills and youth employment,
our strategy is to develop our services to meet changing economic and customer demands. The organisation is tasked with achieving this in an external
environment which has high customer expectations about the quality and responsiveness of public services and where the general public expect, and
demand, good value for money, robust stewardship of public funds and a high degree of openness and transparency.
These expectations are reflected in the ambitions we have for our own organisation. We aim to be an employer of choice and recognised for excellence
and customer focus. As part of this, we are committed to continuous improvement and to using our combined strengths to deliver the best outcomes for
our customers and for SDS. Through a sharper focus on the principles of everyday leadership, we are an organisation with values that promote self
motivation, personal responsibility and respect amongst our colleagues and our partners.
Context of the Job:
Enterprise Information Services is part of the Development and Delivery Directorate at SDS and is responsible for the provision of ICT services internally and
to partner organisations; Scottish Enterprise and Highlands and Islands Enterprise. The service supports approximately 2750 users throughout these
bodies, delivering business applications and desktop computing services over an extensive communications network that includes international sites. A
number of systems support front-line activities and also client engagements as well as core back-office functions. All three bodies have an increasing
business dependency on these systems and information technology generally.
The EIS Strategy, Solutions and Architecture Team is responsible for development of the IS&T vision and strategy in line with business strategies. It also has
responsibility for the management of the demand pipeline with a strong bonding and understanding of each of the businesses that EIS support. Providing
analysis and solutions to the business is key, through working with all suppliers in the chain. Delivering expertise for key enterprise systems to fully exploit
our investments in SharePoint, Dynamics and Cognos is part of the team remit. The team has overall control and assurance of the end to end architecture of
the IS&T environment.
Dimensions of the Job:
The Solutions Architect will provide solutions service to all partner organizations. They will provide solution services to approximately 2750 end customers,
split between SDS, SE and HIE and will engage with around 7 main suppliers. They will be involved in developing 4 strategies per year; handle around 400
Demands, compile over 100 Solutions/Proposals, and take part in about 150 governance sessions per year.
They will be responsible for the compiling and assessing IT solutions within a value range of £10K to over £1M.
Working Relationships and Key Contacts:
The Solutions Architect will engage with the senior leadership groups and managers of all partner organisations. They will also engage with the senior
supplier architects to ensure that strategies are consistent and solution design components are appropriate. The Solutions Architect will also engage with
other parts of EIS to ensure that the Solutions Team have the information and support they require to achieve the required results. They will also have a
close working relationship with Business Analysts and other members of EIS. They will have a close working relationship with Business Relationship
Manager and senior business users.
Key Accountabilities:
 Scope, feasibility and production of Solution Designs and Proposals
 Collaborate with IT Suppliers in the production of Solution Designs and Proposals for work (i.e. Pre-Project specifications and designs)
 Develop good working relationships with Business Stakeholders
 Participate in appropriate forums as required (Design Review, Change Forum etc)
 Provide Support, business and technology expertise on a consultancy basis across the businesses
 Ensure solutions are aligned to the overall IT Strategy and Architecture and change is governed appropriately
 Provide Architectural and Strategy Governance into Projects post proposal/solution design acceptance
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Produce as-is and to-be architectural states
Lead the development of appropriate Architecture artefacts and roadmaps
Contribute to the benchmarking and selection of emerging technologies, systems and solutions
Influence technology partners to provide appropriate solutions that meet the needs of the business
Participate in the development of commercials and pricing that form part of solutions
Contribute and participate in commercial reviews
Assist in the development and production of the IS&T Strategy
Knowledge, Skills Experience & Qualifications (need to know)
Essential
 Educated to degree level in Computing subject or Equivalent
 Solutions Architecture experience across the IT domains
 Broad IT Domain knowledge
 Deep IT Domain knowledge and solutions development experience
in one or two areas (for example Business Systems)
 Ability to translate business needs or requirements into high level
then detailed solution designs
 Pragmatic and common sense approach to solving simple or
complex business and technology issues
 Broad understanding of Enterprise Architecture and familiarisation
with one framework
 Ability to work collaboratively with EIS colleagues and IT suppliers
 Ability to effectively translate business need into appropriate
solution design
 Experience of creating architecture artefacts, documents and
roadmaps
Desirable
 ISEB Solutions Architecture - Foundation
 Experience of working with multiple businesses
 Experience of working in an outsourced IT environment
 Experience of working with multiple IT Suppliers
Behaviours (need to be)
Essential
 Good facilitation and influencing skills
 Excellent verbal and written communication skills and the ability to
explain in plain English
 Strong Interpersonal skills
 Team working
 Customer Focus
 Problem Solving & Decision Making
 Negotiating and Influencing
 Planning & Organising
 Job and Professional knowledge
 Change
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IT Supplier Relationship Management
Use Case Analysis and Documentation
Commercial awareness in terms of impact of particular solution or
design on cost
It is desirable that your IT domain expertise is in the core Microsoft
technology product set - for example, Exchange, Lync, and
associated data centre services.