Senior Cloud Solution Architect, Information and Communications Technology

Senior Cloud Solution Architect, Information and Communications Technology

Information and Communications Technology (ICT), as strategic partners to the University, enables courageous curiosity by empowering students, staff, and faculty to do more than thought possible with technology that boosts productivity, strengthens security, and enhances research outcomes.

The university offers flexible work arrangements; access to the university’s recreation services; ongoing professional development; and a comprehensive benefits and pension program.

Primary Purpose : The Senior Solution Architect is a strategic position that will significantly influence the direction for new cloud service paradigms to enable research, teaching, administration, and IT infrastructure across the entire service lifecycle. The architect will be responsible for designing, implementing, and managing the technology services for varied, innovative stakeholders who require help with challenging, complex problems. In partnership with other support units, they will develop architectural and governance patterns that will harmonize the common needs for most USask programs while also developing more specialized approaches to enable programs with additional requirements.

Nature of Work : The Senior Solution Architect is responsible for analyzing and translating business and technical requirements into a long-term architectural blueprint for cloud solutions and integrations primarily in AWS. To achieve the intended outcomes, collaboration with research, network, infrastructure, security, and integration teams will be necessary. Realizing long term benefits will also require ongoing analysis of the architecture to identify weaknesses and develop opportunities for continuous improvement. The Senior Solution Architect will also be tasked with bridging activity including proposal development, design, project execution, provisioning, governance, skills development, and resource planning.

This position will be based in-person at the University of Saskatchewan campus in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan. The position may be eligible for hybrid work under the terms of USask's Alternative Workspace Guidelines.

Typical Duties or Accountabilities :

• Works with stakeholders, ICT leadership, and operations teams to analyze the technical environment and identify areas of opportunity for improvement and solution development;
• Manages and tracks the technology plan for cloud services including : Developing the technology plan and managing expectations to implement leadership-defined service offerings;Stakeholder coordination, consultation, and facilitation;Issue management, risk management, and reporting for the portfolio;Communications and change management;Documenting and maintaining solution architecture artefacts, encouraging the development and use of a knowledge library.
• Implements cloud services within the portfolio including : Consulting with and advising various stakeholders to map business needs into effective and efficient cloud service architectures;Provisioning services and developing orchestration for both pilot and production implementations;Participating in financial controls, vendor management, security and compliance related to cloud services;Establishing system requirements and designs for critical cloud and research-cloud deliverables;Driving implementations towards technology standards, industry trends, and industry best practices in support of university goals;Participating in service governance as a key contributor.
• Aids in planning projects in detail, clearly identifying project scope, budget, and schedule as well as project risks;
• Performs other duties / responsibilities as assigned.

Education & Experience : We appreciate that non-traditional career paths may have developed a candidate’s competency, and alternate combinations of education and experience may be considered.

A diploma, certificate or degree in a related discipline is required (, computer science, engineering, etc.). A graduate degree would be an asset. The successful candidate will possess experience demonstrating progression through increasingly responsible, substantive positions involving cloud services, solution architecture, research, cybersecurity, and / or information technology.

A proven track record of applied experience in AWS cloud services is essential for this role. While not required, an Associate certification as an AWS Certified Solutions Architect – Associate is an asset and an AWS Certified Solutions Architect – Professional is a significant asset.

Skills :

Specialized expertise and experience include :

Additional cloud services experience would also be valuable :

Additional post-secondary research support experience would also be valuable :

Post-secondary research and associated methods