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IT jobs brief - technical architect
As a technical architect you have an important role as the project manager overseeing various IT assignments that are aimed at improving a business. It's your responsibility to make sure that all strands of the project run smoothly and come together as planned at the end when the project goes live.
The kinds of projects you might oversee could range from planning the structure of a large-scale patients records database for the NHS to the redesign of a shop's online shopping site.
You'll spend a lot of time liaising with people from all backgrounds - from management to designers and programmers in the IT department - to make sure the project meets the needs of the organisation and the people who are going to use the new system.
You'll most likely be employed by an IT firm which specialises in the delivery of these kinds of projects to clients, or in-house at a large organisation which has its own team. Depending on your seniority you'll either oversee one part of a system's framework or you could be in charge of the whole thing.
Your role will therefore vary from project to project but the core set of tasks you'll cover include:
- Identifying the organisation's needs
- Breaking down large scale projects into manageable chunks
- Working out which IT products to use based on cost benefit analysis and research
- Agree plans with the client
- Explain to designers and developers what is required and overseeing the progress
- Producing documents that monitor progress and ensure the quality of the project
- Advise the client on managing future It needs
Hours and environment
The project you're working on will decide the hours you need to put in.
Most of the time you'll be able to work a 40 hour week but when your project reaches a critical stage then you might need to be on hand considerably more. Possibly into the evening or even weekends for short periods of time.
You are usually based onsite at your office but expect quite a lot of travelling to meet clients and suppliers. They could be anywhere in the country so you might have to work away from home at times.
Skills and interests
There's never a dull moment in the life of a technical architect. It's an interesting, varied and challenging role and you'll need to be a jack of all trades to be successful. You'll need to:
- Be good with clients/operational managers - listening and providing answers
- Have strong problem solving skills
- Have good communications skills
- Build a good rapport with clients/operational managers and colleagues
- Be tactful and diplomatic
- Be good at gathering and assimilating information
- Have a good knowledge of technical applications and be willing to keep up to date
- Have a good knowledge of quality standards, legislation and best practice
- Be adaptable and able to prioritise
- Be able to work under pressure and meet deadlines
- Think ahead and anticipate problems, issues and solutions
Entry
You'll need to work your way up the IT food chain to make it as a technical architect.
Although the actual job doesn't need in-depth technical knowledge (the people you manage will often have much greater expertise than you in certain areas), it is important that you understand what technologies are out there (Java/J2EE, SQL, SAP, Oracle and C#) and what they do.
That's why you'll usually need a degree or postgraduate award in subjects like computer sciences or computer engineering, information management systems, software development or business information systems.
Employers look favourably on systems development, analysis, programming or testing experience as a good springboard to success so it's common to start in one of these roles and work your way up.
Communications skills are as important as IT skills for this role so make sure you polish up you people skills and talk up any management experience you've had.
Training
Although you won't need to understand the nitty gritty technical stuff, you will need to keep your hand in so you're up to date with the fast moving changes in the technology world so you can advise your clients and understand what's going on with your project.
Your employer will probably send you on courses, either in-house or through recognised training bodies like The British Computer Society and e-Skills UK or you could take the specialist industry certifications including: Microsoft Certified Architect, Sun Certification Enterprise Architect, Open Group IT Architect Certification or IBM Service Orientated Architecture Solution Designer.
There is more information for you to explore on qualifications on the Skills Framework for the Information Age (SFIA) website
Opportunities
The IT industry is booming so there are lots of great opportunities out there. There are jobs all over the country although London and the South-East have the lion's share. Employers include not only the specialist IT consultancies but also public service organisations, Government departments, financial institutions and utility companies.
Looking at your future prospects, you would most likely be promoted to a more senior architect's role, or go on to specialise in projects for certain industries. A jump even further ahead could see you become a top IT consultant or IT strategist.
Annual income
It's not a job for anyone fresh out of uni so the starting salary reflects your experience and position on the IT career ladder. You could earn between £30,000 and £50,000 per year, and between £55,000 and £80,000 when you become a senior architect.
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