Enterprise Architect - Governance and Repository

at  SD Worx

SD Worx is a leading European provider of Payroll & HR services with global reach. We have offices in Europe and an office in Mauritius. Our goal? We bring people solutions to life. So, companies of any size can turn Human Resources into a source of value for the business and the people in it. Our people solutions span the entire employee journey, from getting people paid to attracting, rewarding, and developing talent.
To achieve this, there is a strong need to build & integrate various software assets in such a way they bring a compelling value and seamless user experiences to our customers and their employees. This comes with the necessity to have a continuous up-to-date oversight and strategic management of all of our software assets, and this is where the Enterprise Architect role comes into play. As part of the Center of Excellence (CoE) Architecture and Security you’ll be in charge of maintaining the architectural oversight across the whole of the Products organization who’s focusing on the E2E product development activities for our software assets being used by our customers.
The primary focus of this role will be on developing and maintaining the architectural governance model and ensuring the integrity and accessibility of the enterprise architecture repository. The successful candidate will operate within a federated (decentralized) architecture model, necessitating strong architecture process development and maintenance skills to coordinate across the various software development tribes each building & maintaining their own assets.

1. Architectural Governance Model development & maintenance

• Develop, implement, and maintain the architectural governance framework to ensure alignment with business objectives and IT strategy.
• Establish and enforce architectural standards, guidelines, and best practices.
• Facilitate architecture boards, committees & communities to ensure compliance and alignment across all projects.
• Create and manage processes for architectural decision-making, ensuring clear documentation and communication.
• Monitor and audit adherence to architecture governance policies, identifying and addressing gaps and inconsistencies.

1. Enterprise architecture repository management

• Maintain the enterprise architecture repository - currently based on LeanIX - ensuring it is up-to-date, accurate, and accessible to all stakeholders.
• Develop and implement repository management processes, including data collection, maintenance and consultation
• Ensure the repository supports effective decision-making, planning, and analysis by providing comprehensive and reliable architecture documentation.
• Collaborate with Product & Portfolio teams to ensure the repository reflects current and future state architectures.

1. Federated governance model coordination

• Establish and maintain processes for effective collaboration and two-way communication across decentralized product development teams (Tribes).
• Facilitate the integration of tribe-specific architectures into the overall enterprise architecture framework.
• Develop mechanisms to resolve conflicts and ensure coherence between different architectural domains and tribes.
• Provide guidance and support to Tribe architects, ensuring alignment with enterprise-wide goals and standards.

1. Stakeholder engagement

• Engage with relevant stakeholders across the organization to understand their needs and ensure the architectural framework supports business objectives.
• Conduct regular meetings and workshops to educate and update stakeholders on architectural initiatives and governance processes.
• Build strong partnerships with relevant business (portfolio, operations) and IT (development, operations) stakeholders

1. Continuous improvement

• Monitor industry trends and emerging technologies to ensure the architecture governance framework remains current and effective.
• Identify opportunities for improvements and implement changes to enhance the efficiency and effectiveness of the architecture function.
• Lead and participate in architectural assessments and audits, providing recommendations for improvement.

From many places, we work as one, moving from better to best together.
SD Worx lives diversity in the workplace. Diversity provides inspiration and innovation in our company. We particularly welcome applications from qualified talent, regardless of origin, nationality, gender, skin colour, ethnic and social background, religion, age, disability, sexual orientation and stage of life