Solutions Architect

Who we are:
Pillar is an Israeli and Ukrainian company. Since 2015, we provide outsourcing and out staff services to world-class companies all over the world.

Every day we partner across functional areas: logistics, medicine, education, tourism, the game industry, utilities, data storage, etc.
We work in a flexible environment where there is an opportunity to achieve results, receive feedback for learning, improve ways of working by developing both soft and hard skills, and contribute to a corporate culture focused on people.

Our team is highly experienced, and all the projects we work on are solid and long-term as our clients appreciate our expertise and stay with us for a long time.
We are also keen on learning from each other, which is why we cheerfully meet people who bring a new set of experiences and backgrounds to our team.

About the project:
As Bhutan gears toward becoming a fully digitally transformed nation, it is critical to
look at the IT application systems from the Whole-of-Government (WOG) approach.
Although in the last decade and a half, the Government has initiated the development
of ICT systems to automate many government services with the aim to provide systematic services, improve efficiency and increase productivity, these systems triggered the need for process automation of public service delivery in Bhutan.

Further, several targeted reforms and initiatives after 2014 such as the e-Government
Master Plan, e-Government Interoperability Framework (e-GIF), e-Gov Management System, and sectoral EA by a few agencies particularly the Ministry of Health and the Ministry of Economic Affairs have brought renewed coordination and collaboration
among service delivery agencies.

However, the constant advancement of technology and its trends and rising demands for
public services from the citizens on the one hand, and the existence of multiple fragmented systems still in the ecosystem on the other hand has not brought in the much-needed efficiency gain in the RGoB. Thus, the need for a WoG (Whole of Government) perspective was felt ever crucial.

The purpose of embracing the WoG approach is to develop integrated systems that cut across various sectors, sub-sectors, and activities within. Such a holistic approach can help break existing sectoral barriers and silos by re-architecting common government services as a single system which could improve overall governance and efficiency and create values for the citizens.
Considering the above issues in our existing systems, the Department requests proposals from qualified individuals to assess and perform comprehensive Solution Architecture for Application Systems in the Royal Government of Bhutan (RGoB) that are developed on different platforms, in order to achieve an integrated common ecosystem so that the system functions in an ERP-like model – From planning to HR to payroll to procurement and expenditure on one hand and delivery of one-stop citizens services on the other hand.

About the role:
The Bhutan Government are looking for an experienced Solutions Architect to help them in assessing the current (300+) systems in the country, and to advise what should be changed in those systems (complete rewrite or nothing) to make them better and solid.
The Solution Architect is planned to be on-site in Bhutan several times per year.

What you’ll do:

Objective:

The objective of this assignment is to assess and develop the corresponding Solution and Technical Architecture of Application systems in line with the national Enterprise Architecture Framework. The primary domains for focus are HR, Procurement, Finance, Planning, Monitoring, ePayment, Municipal Services, and Public Service Delivery under four different clusters namely Economy, Social, Security, and Central Governance.

The broad objectives of the following assignments are as follows:

• Assess & Develop a Service Catalog for the agencies focusing on
  the above-listed areas.
• Assess & Develop an Application System and Technology Portfolio across
  the relevant stakeholder agencies.
• Development of As-IS and To-be Systems/ Security Architecture of the
  relevant stakeholders.
• Interview all Stakeholders in the above-mentioned agencies and their stakeholders to collect information in order to complete Service Catalogue, Application Portfolio, Technology Portfolio, Master and Metadata, and Security Requirements.
• Develop a comprehensive understanding of the current processes related to application design, architecture, software development, IT infrastructure, hosting and maintenance, database management, IT security, controls, document management, system performance, and other applied business operations, practices, and procedures of the organization applications.
• Determine the ability of the applications to scale up successfully to accommodate a range of future expansions if required and also an estimate of escalating costs as expansion occurs.
• Evaluate the efficiency and sustainability of the current business and IT processes, procedures, controls, and methodologies.
• Identify gaps, risks, issues, and opportunities to meet WoG objectives and needs
• Develop recommendations to ensure the scalability and sustainability of the applications, eliminate or reduce software and process inefficiencies, increase productivity, and create new functionalities.
• Enable and guide capacity development within DITT and other RGoB entities towards an effective architecture practice.

Scope:

Stage 1: Design Solution Architecture for eGov Systems.
The Solution Architect is responsible to carry out the following tasks but not limited to:

• Review the legacy eGov System and propose the way forward.
• The design solution architecture e-Gov Systems (Enterprise Environment).
• Recommend best practices eGov System and solution (eg. Coaching Developers).
• Recommend the technology stack and perform resource evaluation for system architecture.
• Conduct an evaluation of the solution and system architecture.
• Define a procedure and process to ensure solution delivery by analyzing technical
  and business requirements.
• Recommend solution architecture and system architecture best practices.

Stage 2: Training and Capacity Development.

• To transfer skills and knowledge to team members.
• Provide guidance in designing SA for new systems.
• Coach System and Database designers on best practices.

Expected outcomes:
The expected outcomes for SA are as follows:

• Generic Solution architecture diagram based on an identified sector like finance, HR, Governance, procurement, etc.
• Solution architecture for the implementation of Public services including Payment and Financial Services.
• Prescription of how systems are best designed and developed.
• List recommendations and best practices while systems are identified and implemented.
• Local EA/SA team trained, certified and capability developed.

What you’ll need:

The most commonly used technologies in the systems are:
Java, .Net, PHP, Laravel, Python with MySQL, PostgreSQL, Maria BD & SQL DB.

There will be additional technologies used in some of the systems so, any additional technologies would be a big plus.
A strong candidate will be one that feels comfortable dealing with new and unknown tech stacks.
The candidate should also have good experience and knowledge of various Cloud Services and a strong understanding of Software Principals and System Design and Architecture.

Must:

• Good level of English: B2 (speaking and writing).
• Strong communication skills, patience, and management skills.
• Readiness and ability for frequent onsite visits (business trips) in Bhutan
  every few weeks/months.
• Have a minimum of 3 years of related experience and training as an Enterprise Architect, Software Architect / CTO / Development, or Technical Manager.
• Master’s Degree or Bachelor’s Degree in Electronics, Computer Science, IT, or equivalent.
• At least 5 years of software development experience, preferably with 3+ years
  at a higher position.
• Proven ability to:

1. Understand the long-term (“big picture”) and short-term perspectives of
situations.
2. Translate business needs into enterprise solution architecture requirements.
3. Estimate the financial impact of solution architecture alternatives.
4. Define multiple solution options to business problems.
5. Quickly comprehend the functions and capabilities of new and emerging                              technologies.
6. Fundamental knowledge in all aspects of enterprise architecture and security.

Nice to Have:

• Experience in the Public Sector is preferred.
• Held a similar position in the past.