Solutions Architect IV

FUNCTIONAL PURPOSE:  Serves as a technical expert and lead in Solutions Architecture for Chief Information Office (CIO) organization; develops standards, processes and policies for technology solutions across the enterprise and collaborates cross-functionally to develop and implement solutions based on business requirements and infrastructure.

DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES: 

1. Leads multiple, large scale, and enterprise-wide projects to develop and implement solution architectures; collaborates, advises, and assists USPS area and/ or business units with defining, documenting, and implementing solutions aligned with a Microservices/Service Oriented Architecture (SOA).

2. Leads the creation and communication of IT Solutions standards that define repeatable solutions and collates information related to existing solutions across the enterprise. Defined areas include software frameworks and technologies, servers and storage, virtualization, network, security, high availability, enterprise infrastructure monitoring, and architecting for application resiliency to provide highly available web-scale systems.

3. Identifies training and development needs required to support IT solutions standards; develops and ensures publications of related materials are disseminated to the intended audience.

4. Collaborates and interfaces with vendors to ensure standard architectures are adhered to and implemented for projects across the enterprise.

5. Provides technical direction to management and systems professionals engaged in the analysis, design, development, implementation, support, and maintenance of business information systems.

6. Ensures compliance and governance of proposed technology solutions (e.g., applications, systems) with established USPS technology standards, policies, processes, and industry best practices.

7. Analyzes the technology industry and market trends relating to technology solutions to determine potential impact upon the IT enterprise; makes recommendations to capitalize on trends and best industry practice.

8. Provides leadership and technical assistance to management and systems professionals regarding the use and maintenance of information technology systems and applications; uses problem solving techniques to identify, troubleshoot, and resolve obstacles impeding performance of informational systems and applications.

REQUIREMENTS: 

1. 4 years of experience developing and integrating solutions from business requirements into established enterprise-wide architecture, including defining solutions and technical system configurations, and developing cost estimates using detailed measurable terms.

2. Ability to research, analyze, and evaluate existing and proposed business systems, architecture, and procedures sufficient to develop business requirements, identify opportunities for improvement (e.g., reduce inefficiencies, redundancies, and obsolesce), and to improve performance and cost effectiveness of systems.

3. Ability to develop and present reports, summaries, and recommendations, and provide program and policy guidance related to products, services, and business initiatives to stakeholders at all levels of the organization.

4. Ability to develop and facilitate training (e.g., content, materials) on information systems, standards, processes, and technology for the appropriate audience.

5. Ability to provide problem solving analysis sufficient to respond and oversee IT assistance to development teams and service providers to resolve problems quickly and efficiently in time-sensitive situations.

6. Ability to manage, implement, coordinate, and develop strategies, policies, procedures, and standards ensuring adherence to the technology standards for the applicable functional area across the enterprise

7. Ability to communicate orally and in writing sufficient to provide technical direction and guidance to functional stakeholders regarding proposed and existing business initiatives (e.g., statements of work), including cross-functional teams and executive level management.

8. EDUCATION/EXPERIENCE REQUIREMENT: Possession of a Bachelor's degree in one of the following fields: Information Technology, Software Engineering, or a closely related field from an accredited college or university by a national or regional accreditation organization recognized and sanctioned by the U.S. Department of Education; or 4 years of professional Information Technology experience in software engineering.