Solutions Architect I

Job Title: Solutions Architect I

Position Summary:

The Solutions Architect I is responsible for technical and functional architecture, planning, development, implementation, and maintenance of highly complex systems. Develops and maintains Solution architect standards and processes. Assist with escalated complex support issues and project implementation. Coordinates the evaluation of new tools and technologies as it relates to AMI, Grid Modernization & DI, Transportation, and EHS efforts and works collaboratively across all business units.

Location: Pittsburgh, PA - Hybrid

Job Duties and Responsibilities:

• Design and lead the implementation of solutions architecture across the organization based on enterprise business strategy, business capabilities and business requirements.
• Define the principles, guidelines, standards and solution patterns to ensure solution decisions are aligned with the enterprise's future-state architecture vision.
• Design and direct the governance activities associated with ensuring solutions architecture assurance and compliance.
• Provide consulting support to application analysts within projects to ensure the project is aligned with the overall enterprise architecture.
• Participating in project planning sessions for highly complex systems with clients, business analysts, and team members. Advising on system options, risks, cost versus benefits, and impact on the enterprises business processes and goals. Overseeing the defining, designing and project scope development for complex projects.
• Reviews buy vs. build decisions and assists in obtaining buy-in from Senior Management. Works closely with IT Leadership and enterprise architect to assure all systems are in line with IT long-term strategy.
• Providing architecture recommendations based on long term IT organization strategy. Supports the development of the IT roadmap for assigned business areas.
• Translating (as well as providing technical expertise to others who are translating) business and technical requirements into business application systems. Establishes architect guidelines. Maintaining broad knowledge of a variety of programming languages and software technologies. Acting as an industry class expert in a cross section of technical disciplines.
• Providing guidance and support to multiple projects.
• Reviewing projects to ensure compliance to application architecture standards. Also responsible for defining standards to be utilized in software development/ integration. Performs peer reviews of project solutions.
• Provide guidance for the testing of systems ensuring system meets needs of client and business, assisting others in similar efforts.
• Advising others on maintenance issues and concerns based on areas of expertise, and/or long-term IT strategy. Handling escalated Tier II level support issues across multiple areas of expertise.

Additional Responsibilities:

• May coordinate the workflow of a given team. May support the review of work and training of other employees. Others may look for advice from this team member.
• Perform other job-related duties as assigned
• Storm team duties as assigned

Education and Experience Required:

• Bachelor's degree in Information Systems, Computer Science, or other applicable discipline.
  • In lieu of a bachelor's degree, a commensurate combination of education and experience may be considered

• 7+ years of related experience required

Preferred Qualifications:

• Experience with solutioning and supporting complex integrations between both hosted and on-premises technology
• Experience with Advanced Metering Infrastructure (AMI) technology (Itron preferred)
• Experience with Distributed Intelligence (DI) solutions
• Experience with engineering planning systems (ODMS, Cyme, etc.)
• Experience with enterprise IT systems

Skills/Abilities:

• Ability to analyze, map, and document business and IT processes, including current-state and future-state workflows.
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills, including the ability to identify process inefficiencies, risks, control gaps, and root causes.
• Ability to collect, validate, and analyze operational data and performance metrics to support process improvement and informed decision-making.
• Strong written, verbal, and facilitation skills, with the ability to collaborate effectively with IT teams and business stakeholders.
• Ability to organize and manage multiple assignments, priorities, and deadlines while working within established standards, controls, and methodologies.

Scope

Primary Focus is on daily deliverables, outputs and reporting. Accountable for managing one's own time and work flow and leads projects and/or large project steps. Work is complex in nature requiring the incumbent to draw on previous knowledge to perform role. Acts independently the majority of the time, requiring guidance in only complex situations. Has well established capabilities, acts as a resource to less experienced staff on moderately complex issues.

Decision Impact

Problems and issues faced are vague and require analysis of multiple sources of information for solution. Draws on significant past experience to perform role. Accountable for direct level of reasoning and decision making.

Hybrid Work

Position follows our hybrid work model, with a minimum of two days working in the office and the remaining days working remotely. Reporting location and frequency may be subject to change based on job role and department needs.

Storm Roles

All Non-Union Employees will serve in storm roles as appropriate to their role and skillset. Please be sure to discuss storm roles with the hiring manager for this position, as duties can vary across the Company. Examples of storm roles could include but aren't limited to duties such as: working with operations for service center support or with the communications, customer service or government affairs teams to respond to public and customer requests for information, etc.

Data Governance

Utilize data to make business decisions as appropriate for the position, support data stewardship activities and partner with IT on underlying data needs.