SME Program & Project Management

Job description

Senior Technical Architect – Hosting "The Digital Technology Office (DTO) shapes and enables technology decisions that drive business value, ensure enterprise coherence across Shell, and unlock opportunities in digital, data and artificial intelligence. Achieving this purpose requires all staff to take ownership in aligning to shifting business priorities, challenging the status quo in the face of accelerated technological change, while protecting the enterprise backbone. This change starts with ourselves, transforming DTO into an AI-first organisation, where AI is embedded in every stage of our activities, while we retain accountability for decisions and outcomes. This journey is one that we shape together, requiring re-imagining of the architecture, data, innovation and strategy disciplines, building AI capabilities across the DTO community, and establishing the foundational building blocks required, such as re-usable patterns/standards, machine-readable artefacts, codified business context, trusted data products, specification-driven design and automated validation. Ultimately this improves quality and timing of decisions to unlock business value. This role supports the Lead Architect Hosting by translating hosting, cloud and infrastructure architecture direction into solution-level designs across products, projects and programmes. It focuses on hybrid and multi-cloud hosting, platform services, infrastructure integration, resilience, security, lifecycle management, technical debt reduction and cost-effective use of enterprise hosting services. The role ensures solution designs are practical, compliant with enterprise guardrails, aligned with hosting and cloud standards, and support reliable, scalable and secure delivery. The Senior Architect is accountable for high-quality, end-to-end solution architecture across products, projects and programmes within a defined portfolio or domain Key accountabilities / responsibilities • Translate business strategy into architecture by applying VADA, scenario modelling and enterprise design principles to deliver valuable, affordable and implementable solutions. • Own end-to-end architecture decisions across business processes, data, applications, integrations, technology and security. • Produce and maintain high-quality architecture artefacts including solution options analysis, solution designs, key design decisions, models, decision records, design constraints and documentation for products, projects and programmes within scope. • Apply architecture methods (TOGAF, ArchiMate), modelling standards and approved tooling (BizzDesign, Erwin Data Modeler) to translate business requirements into structured, reusable and traceable architecture deliverables. • Define and govern architecture designs including APIs, data flows, integration patterns, guardrails, acceptance criteria and architecture decision records. • Assure solution quality and technical integrity by reviewing designs, managing trade-offs, removing blockers and mitigating architecture risks. • Ensure compliance and alignment with enterprise standards, reusable patterns, reference architectures, enterprise technology services, regulatory requirements and security/privacy-by-design principles. • Drive AI-enabled architecture practices by leveraging AI for analysis, design, documentation and quality assurance, while creating AI-ready specifications that support both human and AI-assisted delivery. • Create AI-ready architecture specifications including structured models, design constraints, acceptance criteria and validation checks that support automation, assurance and AI-assisted delivery. • Embed responsible AI considerations into architecture decisions, including data quality, transparency, security, privacy, explainability, human oversight and operational support requirements. • Engage across the product and delivery lifecycle including backlog refinement, planning, design governance, implementation support and assurance o Key Responsibilities structured, reusable and traceable architecture deliverables. • Define and govern architecture designs including APIs, data flows, integration patterns, guardrails, acceptance criteria and architecture decision records. • Assure solution quality and technical integrity by reviewing designs, managing trade-offs, removing blockers and mitigating architecture risks. • Ensure compliance and alignment with enterprise standards, reusable patterns, reference architectures, enterprise technology services, regulatory requirements and security/privacy-by-design principles. • Drive AI-enabled architecture practices by leveraging AI for analysis, design, documentation and quality assurance, while creating AI-ready specifications that support both human and AI-assisted delivery. • Create AI-ready architecture specifications including structured models, design constraints, acceptance criteria and validation checks that support automation, assurance and AI-assisted delivery. • Embed responsible AI considerations into architecture decisions, including data quality, transparency, security, privacy, explainability, human oversight and operational support requirements. • Engage across the product and delivery lifecycle including backlog refinement, planning, design governance, implementation support and assurance of architecture decisions through delivery. • Support implementation and adoption of architecture decisions by resolving design issues, managing deviations and maintaining architecture integrity through build and deployment. • Influence, collaborate and lead through stakeholder engagement, architectural authority, mentoring, knowledge sharing, storytelling, inclusive leadership and the promotion of psychological safety and continuous learning. • Monitor technology, market and regulatory trends and translate relevant insights into architecture recommendations, risks, opportunities and roadmap inputs. Requirements (for Knowledge / Skills / Experience) • Masters degree or equivalent qualification in Information Technology, Computer Science, Engineering, or a related discipline. • Required experience: 10–15 years in Digital/IT, including significant solution architecture delivery experience in complex, multi-system environments. • Strong experience working across agile, product-centric and programme delivery environments, with the ability to assure architecture decisions through delivery. • Strong solution architecture experience across business process, application, data, integration, technology, cloud and security dimensions in complex, multi-system environments. • Architecture methods and modelling standards such as TOGAF and ArchiMate, and approved tooling such as BizzDesign and Erwin Data Modeler. • Deep knowledge of enterprise architecture frameworks, cloud platforms, integration patterns, architecture tooling and modern delivery practices. • Strong analytical, problem-solving, communication and stakeholder engagement skills, with the ability to simplify complex architecture topics for senior audiences. • Demonstrates learner mindset, adaptability, inclusion and the ability to influence across product, engineering, business and architecture teams. • Proven stakeholder engagement and influencing capability, including the ability to challenge constructively, align competing views and support decision-making across business, product, engineering and architecture stakeholders. • Practical experience applying AI-assisted architecture practices, including AI-ready specifications, structured decision records, validation checks and responsible AI considerations. Able to guide teams in the responsible use of AI for architecture analysis, design, documentation and assurance. • Experience mentoring architects or technical team members and contributing to architecture capability development, knowledge sharing and continuous learning. • Demonstrates inclusive behaviours, adaptability, learner mindset and resilience, creating trus