Sr. Solution Architect (Data Integration) - Hybrid

At AZ Blue, we have a hybrid workforce strategy, called Workability, that offers flexibility with how and where employees work. This position is hybrid within the state of Arizona only and requires residency, with work performed within the State of Arizona. Minimum onsite requirements are as follows:

• Hybrid People Leaders: must reside in AZ, required to be onsite at least twice per week
• Hybrid Individual Contributors: must reside in AZ, unless otherwise cited, required to be onsite at least once per week
• Hybrid 2 (Operational Roles): must reside in AZ, unless otherwise cited, required to be onsite at least once per month
• Onsite: daily onsite requirement based on essential job functions
• Remote: not held to onsite requirements, though leadership may request presence for business reasons

Onsite requirements may change based on business need and job responsibilities. Most employees should expect onsite requirements at a minimum of once per week.

About the role

The Solution Architect will be responsible for the detailed design of technology-related projects from inception through production support, providing industry best practices as a trusted advisor to key business and technology stakeholders. This role involves exceptional technical design and thought leadership, collaborating closely with various technology teams, vendors, and business partners to deliver highly effective technology solutions.

The Solution Architect will leverage extensive experience in data engineering (API/Integration/ETL/Microservices) and full-stack software development to identify issues and optimization solutions for efficient data integration across the enterprise landscape (data sources, enterprise data warehouse, API platforms/gateways, consumer endpoints, etc.). This role includes hands-on work with engineering teams, providing consulting, guidance, support, and mentoring to ensure smooth operation of data-driven initiatives.

Responsibilities

• Design and implement the architecture and deployment of high-performance, integrated solutions spanning multiple application and technology platforms.
• Develop architecture design documents to facilitate integration of in-house development projects and/or vendor-based applications within the existing enterprise architecture.
• Oversee the technical design and development efforts of complex projects from concept to completion.
• Evaluate technology and market trends, recommending innovative solutions to improve overall architecture.
• Create and share architecture and design artifacts that clearly convey intent and rationale.
• Design appropriate security controls in every solution to protect networks, applications, and data.
• Work closely with implementation teams to ensure alignment of plans with deliverables.
• Propose level-of-effort projections, functional breakdowns (phases, features, user stories), and technical resource plans to support project managers, scrum masters, and product owners.
• Educate and influence others to gain buy-in on proposed roadmaps, strategies, standards, and solutions.
• Participate in architectural review functions and ensure adherence to technology standards and architecture.
• Review current system designs for improvement opportunities and recommend solutions.
• Facilitate communications between IT teams and business stakeholders for technical issues and/or major changes, acting as the technical domain subject matter expert.
• Provide expertise to educate, coach, and mentor team members; offer performance feedback to managers.
• All other duties as assigned.

Requirements

• 3 years of experience in a similar role.
• 7 years of experience in at least two IT disciplines in a service-oriented architecture environment (e.g., architecture, application development, database, security, or infrastructure).
• 4 years of experience in the design, implementation, and governance of systems architecture in a complex business applications environment.
• Experience and background in software development and Agile methodologies.
• High School Diploma or GED in a general field of study.

Qualifications

Required Skills

• Strong knowledge of application security and securing complete solutions.
• Mastery of coding design patterns and services architecture.
• Proven track record of using technology to capitalize on business opportunities and deliver projects on time and on budget.
• Proven experience in documenting business processes and creating system designs using process flow diagram tools, UML, sequence diagrams, etc.
• Ability to understand and resolve highly complex, large-scale, or systems-level problems, troubleshooting efficiently using team resources.
• Strong leadership, partnership, collaboration, and teambuilding skills.
• Strong understanding of infrastructure technologies: WAN, LAN, Networking, Firewalls, Security.
• Strong understanding of software development methodologies.
• Ability to apply verbal, written, and persuasive communication skills to influence others both individually and in groups.
• Proficient in utilizing audio/visual tools to effectively present to groups and capable of presenting technical information across functions.
• Collaborate closely with business stakeholders and development teams to ensure architecture and design are usable, maintainable, scalable, reliable, extensible, secure, portable, and functional.
• Understand, advocate, and augment standards, best practices, and architectural principles guiding solution decisions, development environments, tools, and deployment procedures.
• Strong self-starter, motivated, enthusiastic, risk-taker, innovative, and customer service-oriented with a record of success.
• Excellent organizational and planning skills.
• Ability to cope with the rapid pace and constant change associated with the industry.
• Ability to successfully manage numerous projects simultaneously.
• Ability to communicate effectively, both oral and written, with internal and external contacts.
• Extensive experience or understanding of services technologies and standards, .NET platform, and Web Service Specifications (WS).
• Technical expertise in XML and Web Services, XML, XSLT, SOAP, WSDL, UDDI, and GRID.
• Expert in ASP.NET, VB.NET, XML, CSS, JavaScript/JQuery, SQL, Content Management Systems, and GUI Development.
• Strong understanding of infrastructure architecture and security architecture concepts.
• Strong command of database design concepts.
• Understanding of NoSQL, MS Dynamics CRM technologies, and microservices architecture.
• Familiarity with an Enterprise Service Bus (ESB) architecture in Microsoft BizTalk or other platforms.

Required Professional Competencies

• Customer-focused with strong verbal and written communication skills and the ability to interact professionally at all levels of the organization.
• Able to teach others and explain complex concepts with clarity, educating through knowledge-sharing presentations and written documents.
• Ability to be self-aware and emotionally intelligent, giving and receiving constructive feedback for self-development.
• Confidence to challenge the status quo and lead change in the organization.
• Demonstrated understanding of modern architecture and design.
• Mix of creative and technical thinking with a high degree of accuracy and attention to detail.
• Strong knowledge of IT systems, practices, and functional units.
• Strong knowledge of application development, infrastructure, and operations.
• Ability to be approachable and develop healthy working relationships across a diverse team.
• Ability to assess situations, make critical observations, and take appropriate risks using available information.
• Anticipate downstream technical needs and steer architectural designs to factor in considerations.
• Strong analytical skills to support independent and effective decision-making.
• Driven for results and work effectively with management, project managers, analysts, developers, engineers, architects, system administrators, and testers to conceive, design, and deliver successful solutions.
• Able to operate at highly varying levels of abstraction, including business strategy, technology strategy, technical design, and implementation.

Required Leadership Experience and Competencies

• Provide leadership, promote teamwork, and act collaboratively to meet objectives.
• Experience leading teams and implementing projects with both business and technical participants.
• Ability to prioritize tasks and work with multiple priorities, sometimes under limited time constraints.
• Ability to build consensus with a diverse team in an ever-changing environment.

Preferred Qualifications

• 5 years of experience architecting applications in .NET and Microsoft Technologies.
• 2 years of experience in cloud-based system design.
• Demonstrated experience across multiple IT technology domains, including software development languages and platforms, infrastructure platforms, data management and database technologies, cloud and networking technologies, and security frameworks.
• Experience in applying Service-Oriented Architecture to solutions.
• Deep knowledge and experience in using and applying API, SOAP, WSDL, JSON, ESB, and XML-based solutions.
• Experience and background in project management.
• Bachelor’s Degree.
• Microsoft Technical Certifications or Cloud Architect Certification.

Preferred Skills

• Expert knowledge designing highly redundant, scalable, multi-tier enterprise transaction processing systems from front end to back end.
• Experience with cloud architecture.
• Knowledge of HIPAA security and privacy standards.
• In-depth knowledge of healthcare and health plan data structures, business processes, and workflows.