Discovery – Systems of Engagement

Systems Architect

About Discovery 

Discovery’s core purpose is to make people healthier and to enhance and protect their lives. We seek out and invest in exceptional individuals who understand and support our core purpose, and whose own values align with those of Discovery. Our fast-paced and dynamic environment enables smart, self-driven people to be their best. As global thought leaders, Discovery is passionate about innovating to not only achieve financial success, but to ignite positive and meaningful change within our society.

About Systems of Engagement 

Working in a high-performance organization that prides itself in attracting the finest talent, we challenge ourselves to find solutions that make a difference in the world. Our environment is always buzzing with energy and smart, motivated people working on finding the best way to move forward.

About Data Management 

Working in a high performance organization that prides itself in attracting the finest talent, we challenge ourselves to find solutions that make a difference in the world. Our environment is always buzzing with energy and smart, motivated people working on finding the best way to move forward. 

The Data Management team works on a wide range data related projects. We serve as an enabler for quality data flows within Systems of Engagement. We also supply services and solutions to several Business Units within the South African Composite. 

SoE Data Management deploys a Data Management framework which includes: 

• Data as a Service 

• Business Intelligence 

• Data Governance as a Service 

• Data Warehousing 

• Data Transformation (ETL/ELT) 

Key Purpose

The Systems Architect fulfills a central role by defining the systems architecture, standards, and methodologies, aligning them with industry best practices. They ensure the effective functioning

of the System Architecting Process, serving as the high-level designer for systems to be implemented. Their key responsibility is to establish the fundamental system structure, outlining core design

features that create the foundational framework for all subsequent development. Additionally, they provide the architects' perspective on the users' vision for the system's purpose and evolution paths,

diligently maintaining the integrity of that vision throughout detailed design and implementation phases.

Areas of responsibility may include but not limited to:

• Adhere to enterprise architecture standards, procedures, policies.
• Match system requirements with IT strategy and objectives.
• Balance system properties with internal design properties.
• Balance stakeholder needs with system context, during the entire system life cycle.
• Manage consistency across the various organizational and design boundaries.
• Maintain repository of systems architecture artefacts
• Monitor high-level system performance.
• Data Security Management
• Develop systems architectures containing logical models of the components and interfaces involved.

• Produce detailed component specifications from systems architectures, taking into consideration the intended uses of the architectures as a whole.

• Translate component specifications into detailed designs for implementation using selected products.

• Produce documentation for systems architectures, making sensible use of both text and graphics (UML).

• Maintain a good knowledge of current practice and awareness of current developments within own area(s) of expertise.

• Demonstrates awareness of areas outside own specialism, as appropriate. Lead architecture developments for small systems.

• Establish policy for the selection of systems architecture components. Co-ordinate design activity between the systems architecture, application development and service delivery functions to ensure consistency.

• Contribute to the organization’s enterprise architecture technology and vision and ensure alignment with the group strategic architecture direction.
• Document and communicate information about emerging technologies to relevant functional management.

• Establish policy for the selection of systems architecture components.
• Help to develop systems architecture strategy in an organization.
• Help to improve systems architecture design techniques and to promote the discipline.
• Provide architecture guidance to assigned projects.
• Provide the architectural view of the users' vision for the system.
• Take full responsibility for ensuring that systems architectures balance functional, service quality and systems management requirements as indicated by the business requirement.

• Contribute to the organization’s cloud strategy, aligning it with business goals and industry best practices.

• Provide architectural input on identification and modernization of legacy application.

Personal Attributes and Skills

• Optimism 
• Values Driven 
• Driven for Results 
• Resilient 
• Learning on the Fly 
• Instills Trust 
• People Savvy 
• Strategic Orientation 
• Commercial Orientation 
• Team Leadership 
• Problem Solving
• Analytical and systemic thinking

Education and Experience

Minimum Education: 

• Bachelor’s Degree in computer science, information systems or related fields preferred, along with a broad knowledge of the field and proven leadership skills 

Minimum Experience:

• At least 2 to 3 years’ experience in an architectural role with at least 6 – 7 years exposure to software development in Java and J2EE 

Knowledge:

• SDLC. Project Management. Systems Architecture 
• Technologies: Java, Java EE, SQL, UML, JMS, MOM, Web-Services, JSON, RESTful, SOAP, EJB, Camel, Angular
• Solid experience in working with frameworks such as Spring, Spring Boot and Hibernate
• Technical Architecture, Process & Data Mapping, Entity Diagram mapping Advanced Problem Solving
• Hands on experience in AWS cloud services 
• Agile principles and methodologies
• Analytical and systemic thinking. 

EMPLOYMENT EQUITY   
                             
The Company’s approved Employment Equity Plan and Targets will be considered as part of the recruitment process. As an Equal Opportunities employer, we actively encourage and welcome people with various disabilities to apply.