Application Architect - Toronto, Canada - St Marys Cement Canada

Description

VCNA

Job Description Form

Job Title: Application Architect

Date Prepared:

Incumbent Name: N/A

Division / Department: Information Technology

Reports to (Title & Name): Michael Myc - IT Applications Manager

New position: Y

Existing position (re-drafted to reflect additional duties): N

Job Purpose (A brief overview of the purpose of the job and why it exists)

This position is responsible for ensuring that VCNA's IT systems reliably and effectively support the company's business goals. The incumbent will achieve this by:

· Providing the vision and strategy for VCNA's overall systems architecture, and innovating through the research and application of existing and new technologies.

· Addressing business requirements and improving business effectiveness by collaborating with the business teams, local and global IT, and vendors, to deliver solutions aligned with the overall IT strategy.

· Managing large systems projects, and supervising and mentoring IT analysts, technicians and outsourced support teams.

· Providing third level technical support.

Key Job Functions (List the major functions of the job and identify the time spent on each activity on an annual basis) (5-7 main activities is sufficient)

% of Time Spent on Function on an Annualized Basis

Projects

· Act as focal point for the technical team on large projects.

· Prepare and present project proposals as well as help to identify and schedule project deliverables, milestones, and required tasks.

· Define project plans for implementing solutions including project scope, technical, financial, resource, change, and people-related aspects.

· Manage large implementation projects (>300hr).

· Estimate project schedule and cost based upon agreed scope.

20

Business Analysis

· Research and analyze technologies to identify, propose innovative, cost-effective solutions to improve processes and support business growth.

· Create business cases to justify investment.

· Act as a trusted advisor for business stakeholders to identify the needs of the business.

· Create functional requirements that clearly define the scope of the request to the business team.

· Communicate well verbally and in writing: listen, understand, and respond both appropriately and effectively with team members and business focal points.

30

Development and Systems Design

· Design and implement large software solutions and mentor other team members on medium and small projects including leading with improvements in governance, security, and architecture.

· Provide technical guidance, advice, and recommendations to assist in technology decisions, directions, strategy, and roadmap.

· Communicate technical design through functional/technical specifications and diagrams (Landscape, Dataflow, Sequence).

· Create and execute test plans and detailed test scripts for software solutions (custom and vendor solutions).

· Understand networking sufficient to analyze application requirements and impacts.

30

Support

· Respond to assigned tickets and provide third level support including occasional emergency support after regular working hours.

· Mentor other team members and outsourced support teams.

· Lead problem investigations to solve system incidents and determine root cause of complex issues.

· Demonstrate on a regular basis original thinking which is required to assess, troubleshoot, and mitigate issues.

· Assess complex problems, independently find Root Cause, and determine solutions to implement and document resolutions for future reference.

· Independently repair and recover from system failures in a timely manner even when not familiar with the system.

· Coordinate and clearly communicate with impacted parties.

· Advanced level knowledge of MS Windows operating systems, scripts, Active Directory, and familiarity with computer hardware, interfaces, and cables sufficient to identify and specify cables and systems.

· Provide reasonably accurate effort estimates for assigned incidents for investigation and solution implementations.

· Work with vendors, outsourcers, and contractors to improve existing systems and services and ensure SLAs and KPIs are met.

20

Organization Structure (Overview of structure where job is located -Attach an updated organizational chart).

KNOW HOW - Know How includes every kind of relevant knowledge, skill and experience, however acquired, needed for acceptable performance in a job or role.

Skills

· Strong analytical, problem solving and troubleshooting skills.

· Ability to communicate effectively and work collaboratively with a broad range of people.

· Strong technical and software architecture skills, especially Microsoft technology stack (dotnet, SQL, PowerBI)

· Highly self-motivated and directed, with keen attention to detail.

· Excellent analytical, problem solving and decision-making skills

Education

· Bachelor's degree in computer science or a related information technology field.

Experience

· 12+ years of related experience.

· Managing small teams.

· Working with and negotiating with vendors.

· Working with outsourced support teams.

Knowledge

· Good interpersonal, written, and oral communication skills in English.

· Microsoft technology stack (dotnet, SQL, PowerBI)

Certificates, Licenses, Registrations

· Microsoft solution architect, Microsoft platform certifications, or equivalent would be very beneficial.

PROBLEM SOLVING - Problem Solving is the amount and nature of the thinking required in the job in the form of analyzing, reasoning, evaluating, creating, using judgment, forming hypotheses, drawing inferences and arriving at conclusions.

Please identify the degree to which thinking is limited by roles, procedures, precedents, policies, strategy, etc.:

· Must be able to define problems, collect data, perform research, establish facts and draw defendable conclusions.

Please describe the complexity of the problems encountered and the extent to which original thinking must be used to arrive at solutions:

· The person in this role must regularly solve complex, unusual or unique problems, providing solutions to issues. Original thinking is often required to assess business needs and propose new processes or solutions to issues arising out of all systems.

ACCOUNTABILITY - Accountability assesses the extent to which a job/role is answerable for actions and their consequences. It measures the effect of the job/role on end-results.

1. Please describe the level of autonomy the position requires in terms of deciding on the measures and actions to be taken to achieve the required results: e.g. the position has very little freedom - the role is closely controlled and operates within direct and detailed work instructions with very close supervision.

a. The role requires significant autonomy, particularly when designing and recommending solutions and troubleshooting issues. The incumbent will have little day-to-day supervision, instead working independently towards achieving broader goals.

2. If this position manages an operating budget, please choose the amount.

a. $80,000-$800,000

b. $800,000-$8 million

c. $8 million-$80 million

d. $80 million-$800 million

e. $800 million-$8 billion

f. Not applicable

3. Any other quantitative data such as sales revenue, capital expenditures, etc., should be indicated:

a. This individual may be managing projects with capital budgets of up to $2 million.

Working Conditions (Please indicate the intensity, frequency and duration of each condition described below)

Physical Effort: The combination of intensity, duration, and frequency of physical activity is such that it results in:

□ Minimal-alternating positions of light physical activities, e.g., sitting, standing, walking, bending, lifting etc.

X Moderate-intermediate positions of moderate physical activity, e.g., sitting in one place, standing, walking, sustained keyboarding, working in awkward or constrained physical positions or confined/restricted space for up to 50% of the work day

□ Considerable-frequent lengthy periods of heavy physical effort, e.g., if the above is performed for 51% to 80% if the work day

□ Extreme-Almost continuous and lengthy durations of heavy physical activity, e.g., lifting heavy weight objects and or performing the above for more than 80% of the work day

Physical Environment: The combination of intensity, duration, and frequency of exposure to factors in the environment is such that it results in:

X Occasional exposure to mild unpleasant or disagreeable conditions e.g. dust, dirt, odours, noise etc.

□ Frequent exposure to unpleasant or disagreeable conditions e.g. minor conditions of dust, dirt, noise, odours, inclement weather, grease/oil etc.

□ Continuous exposure to unpleasant or disagreeable conditions e.g. extreme conditions of dust, dirt, fumes, heat, cold, etc.

□ Almost continuous exposure to health or accident hazards of an extreme nature which may result in disabilities or death.

Sensory Attention: The combination of intensity, duration and frequency of concentration is such that it requires:

□ Low intensity of concentration requiring little demand for sensory efforts

□ Work activities involve the need to concentrate on a variety of sensory inputs for intermediate durations of time requiring close attention several times daily

X Work activities involve a frequent need to concentrate on a variety of sensory inputs for lengthy durations of time requiring diligence and attention to interpret effectively

□ Work activities involve an almost continuous need for a high degree of concentration to focus simultaneously on several events or changing factors, leaving no room for error

Mental Stress: The combination of intensity, duration, and frequency of exposure to physical and environmental factors is such that it results in:

□ Little exposure to any factor that would produce mental stress e.g., few deadlines, limited unpleasant client contacts, limited need to travel etc.

□ Occasional exposure to one or more mental pressures e.g., pressure for deadlines, unpleasant public or client contacts etc.

X Frequent exposure to mental pressure conditions where the mental stress would be noticeable e.g., deadlines that are competing, dealing with clients who are angry, demanding, uncooperative etc.

□ Almost continuous exposure to mental pressure conditions. Extreme mental stress is a noticeable part of the job e.g., exposure to emotionally disturbing experiences, confrontation, concern about danger to self or others etc.

Other Comments (Additional information that would add value to the job description)

Immediate Supervisor/Manager

Date

P&M Representative

Date