It Solutions Architect

Job Description

At Safaricom Ethiopia, we are a purpose-led technology company dedicated to transforming lives through digital connectivity and inclusive financial services. In under four years, we have grown to serve over 10 million customers, with our network now reaching 55% of Ethiopia’s population – a testament to our bold vision and trusted partnerships.

Guided by core values such as customer obsession, innovation, integrity, and get it done together, we are building a workplace that is dynamic, inclusive, and empowering. We believe our greatest strength lies in our people. That’s why, for two consecutive years, we have proudly get earned the Top Employer Award – in recognition for our unwavering commitment to fostering a supportive, innovative, and inclusive environment to people.

Join Safaricom Ethiopia and be part of a team that is shaping the digital future of Ethiopia. Here, your work has meaning, your voice matters, and your growth is our priority. Together, we are transforming lives for a digital future.

Responsibilities

• Work with technical delivery teams through effective translation of business requirements into technical solution designs and scope of work
• Work with commercial and technical stakeholders throughout the SDLC/PDLC to ensure common understanding of needs, current and future capability as well as associated compromises.
• Develop the required solution artefacts that implementation teams and commercial stakeholders will use in the delivery of their respective scope
• Oversee key deliverables and activities to ensure that implementation is in line with the solution design
• Maintain all architecture and design artefacts to ensure that future solutions are consistent and re-used effectively.
• Work with teams to ensure that all technical and commercial compromises are dealt with in a way that minimizes technical debt whilst maintaining BAU delivery
• Key accountabilities and decision ownership:
• Leadership:
• Partner with senior commercial and technical stakeholders to ensure effective prioritization of initiatives
• Oversee implementation of implementation to ensure conformance to design and requirements
• Engagement:
• Partner with commercial stakeholders
• Clear communication of solution design, risks, quantified technical debt and alternative approaches
• Implementation Support:
• Translation of business requirements into practical, achievable and effective solutions.
• Development of solutions that consider industry and domain best practices
• Development of solutions that align to Vodacom, Vodafone and Safaricom best practices and governance requirements (e.g. Security, ISO, SOX compliance)
• Development of clear solution architecture artefacts that aid delivery teams in understanding integration needs, functionality requirements, capacity plans and associated ongoing support.
• Regular reviews of technical deliverables (incl. functional specs, manuals, test cases, delivery timelines, technical issues) to ensure adherence to the solution design.Core competencies, knowledge and experienceBusiness Competencies:
• Consciously takes steps to make the most of every conversation/interaction
• Identifies people’s needs, interests and motives to be able to influence the decisions they make
• Communicates simply to excite and engage people
• Pro-actively adapts own style and approach to build rapport, and work with others more effectively
• Builds and maintains strong relationships and networks
• Able to work effectively across commercial, technology and related domains such as legal and regulatory, supply chain.Operational Excellence
• Focuses on achieving maximum performance and driving continuous improvement
• Thinks about processes and problems cross-functionally and end-to-end
• Uses knowledge of products, technology, process, systems and policy to solve problemsCreativity and Innovation
• Finds creative ways to exploit opportunities and solve problems
• Takes risks and pushes what is possible
• Experiments with unorthodox approachBusiness Know-how
• Uses data and research to make decisions that are competitively and financially robust
• Balances current and future needs
• Thinks and acts like an owner of the business
• Acts in line with legal, regulatory, professional and ethical standardsWorking With Change
• Responds flexibly to changing situations
• Manages the business and people aspects of change to drive performanceProject and Programme Management
• Defines scope and deliverables in terms of time, cost, quality and business benefit
• Schedules activity and identifies resource needs, dependencies and synergies
• Evaluates progress, mitigates risks and addresses issuesFunctional Competencies:Architecture and Design
• Translates business and customer requirements into technology requirements
• Defines architecture and design of systems and solutions to meet current and future business needs
• Service and solution development
• Develops systems, services and solutions to agreed specificationsImplementation and integration
• Installs, configures, integrates and optimizes systems, services and solutionsSystem, Service and Information Security
• Implements best practice security measures to ensure the integrity and
• continuity of systems, services and information Monitors security compliance
• Optimization
• Monitors systems and services to identify performance issues
• Diagnoses problems to clarify faults and recommend solutions
• Restores systems and services to normal operation
• Performs routine and non-routine maintenance to keep systems and services running
• Takes action to prevent and minimize the impact of incidents, and improve reliability

Qualifications

Must have technical / professional qualifications:

• Degree in Science/computer science/Engineering/Business related is preferred.
• At least 2 years of broad technical background inclusive of databases, applications, Infrastructure, cloud, development , enterprise architecture, solutions architecture and system design experience
• Experience as a developer, systems engineer or delivery lead is preferred
• A methodical approach with proven experience designing and delivering complex technical roadmaps
• Strong business acumen and mindset
• Ability to persuade stakeholders and to champion effective techniques through delivery
• Ability to drive initiatives without any formal authority in an ambiguous environment
• Ability to guide/teach others in architecture principles
• Working knowledge of all Technical domains in telecoms including VAS, Charging, CRM

Skills Required:

• Applied / Natural / Science
• Automotive
• Chemistry / Chemical / Engineering
• Civil / Engineering / Cotm
• Computer / Software / It / Data
• Electrician / Electronics / Electrical / Engineering
• Food / Technology / Science / Engineering
• Hydraulics / Water / Engineering
• Industrial / Manufacturing
• Mechanics / Mechanical / Engineering
• Sales / Marketing / Business / Management