Director - IT Architecture & Strategy

JOB SUMMARY
Serves as a strategic IT advisor focusing on technology and infrastructure initiatives.
Manages and leads IT Solutions Architecture practice. Leads a team of professionals to ensure technology solutions throughout the company are critically evaluated to provide successful combinations of technology, costs, business effectiveness and integration. Manages a group of professionals and tools to manage IT asset purchases and budget as well as ensures that licenses are renewed and negotiated in a timely manner minimizing overlaps and reducing waste.

JOB DUTIES

• Responsible for hiring, coaching, training, and performance management of staff.

• Regularly interacts with executives and/or major customers. Interactions frequently involve special skills, such as negotiating with customers or management regarding matters of significance to the organization.

• Typically directs and controls the activities of a broad functional area through several department managers within ERCOT. Has overall control of planning, staffing, budgeting, managing expense priorities, and recommending and implementing changes to methods.

• Responsible for budgetary decisions within functional area according to organizational policy/guidelines. Recommends financial decisions that impact area of responsibility.

ADDITIONAL JOB DUTIES

• Leads the creation and evolution of the IT architecture function and overall plan for IT architecture strategies 

• Investigates causes of bottlenecks and delays on projects and provides advice on mitigation measures. Researches information affecting intradepartmental or interdepartmental coordination, operations and efficiencies.

• Provides leadership for overall direction of technology infrastructure, establishment and enforcement of integration standards to ensure information technologies are built, maintained and available to the organization in a useful and consistent manner. 

• Sets information technology architecture directions, investigates technology and market trends to advance the use of appropriate emerging technologies and assesses options for extending existing technologies through integration opportunities. 

• Coordinates the design and delivery of the strategic technology efforts required to provide continually improving systems. 

• Responsible for defining the Non-Functional Requirements to be implemented in IT projects in coordination with Enterprise Architecture, IT-operation, Compliance, Cyber Security and Procurement. Accountable for the delivery of the agreed upon Non-Functional Requirements.

• Works with Enterprise Architecture to ensure that IT solutions are in-line with strategic corporate roadmaps laid out and approved by Enterprise Architecture.

• Plays a pivotal role in defining technical requirements and technical roadmaps for new systems, changes to existing systems and ensuring consistent methodologies are enforced for all systems. Works with suppliers in these areas along with the Technical Relationship Owner identified by Procurement to align suppliers’ roadmaps with ERCOT’s roadmaps.

• Ensures that all technology (hardware or software) at ERCOT is within the End of Life or supported by the vendor unless explicitly identified and agreed to by the CIO, Compliance and Cyber Security.

• Investigates working of a project or group of projects and identifies technology or software implementation methodology gaps and recommends improvements.

• Accountable for approval and management of new 3rd party Open Source or Commercial off the shelf software after approval with compliance, Cyber security, procurement and ensures that the vendor follows ERCOT accepted standards including Supply Chain Risk Management. 

• Responsible for updating upcoming budget cycle plan in a timely manner with relation to software and hardware maintenance, licensing and subscriptions as well as conveying impact of the purchase to Finance so that it can be factored in the subsequent budget cycle.

• Responsible for identifying headcount changes or operating cost changes due to purchase of any new technology (software or hardware) or due to sunset of aging technology. Develops plans to address impacts and seeks approval, including future budget cycle update as part of technology decision.

• Partners with Enterprise Architecture to promote architecture practices and adherence to standards at ERCOT and promotes using Enterprise Architecture processes, outcomes and results to ERCOT’s IT and business leaders

• Develops the content for ERCOT’s overall plan for information technology architecture strategies

• Analyzes the current IT environment to detect critical deficiencies and recommends solutions 

• Consults with project teams to align projects with the corporation’s enterprise architecture and to identify when it is necessary to modify the IT architecture to accomplish project needs

• Consults with application and infrastructure architects to align solution architectures with the enterprise architecture

• Evaluates and understands emerging technologies and market trends through research and study to help guide ERCOT to better ways to deliver reliable services

• Directs the standards setting process across all IT platforms including developing and maintaining technology roadmaps for platforms used at ERCOT

• Creates and chairs a standards committee across the IT group and develop and maintain a standards guide

• Develops and delivers hardware and software vendor strategies; works closely with Enterprise Architecture for incorporation into ERCOT’s corporate strategies

• Maps the overall hardware and software operating environment.

• Ability to confidently present to Executive and Board Level and may represent the CIO in assigned external or internal engagements

EXPERIENCE

• Requires minimum 10 years job related work experience and 5 years in a management or leadership role in excess of degree requirements. Minimum years of job related experience can include time in leadership roles.

• Prefers minimum of 5 years of experience in a development organization either at a software arm of a major utility/ISO or at a major vendor for an EMS or MMS system

• Requires minimum 10 years of progressively responsible experience in IT Architecture

• Experience in at least two IT disciplines (such as technical architecture, network management, application development, middleware, information analysis, database management or operations) in a multitier environment. May substitute experience in business analysis or business strategic planning

• Background in systems engineering and administration, power and energy systems/applications development, delivery and production deployment preferred

• Knowledge of project management methodologies preferred

• Knowledge of NERC CIP/Operation & Planning standards required. Audit participation experience preferred

EDUCATION

• Bachelor's Degree : Computer Science, Electrical Engineering, MIS or related field (Required)

• Master's Degree : Computer Science, Electrical Engineering, MIS or related field (Preferred)

• or a combination of education and experience that provides equivalent knowledge to a major in such fields is required

CERTIFICATION

• TOGAF (Preferred)

WORK LOCATION – Taylor, TX:

• Employees will be required to be on-site in Taylor, TX at minimum 2 days per week, or more, as needed based on the business needs as determined by management
• On-site schedules are flexible or may be rotated based on business needs as determined by the Manager
• Remote work is required to be performed from your Texas residence.  
• Employees may opt to work on-site more than required or 100% of the time

The foregoing description reflects the minimum qualifications and the essential functions of the position that must be performed proficiently with or without reasonable accommodation for individuals with disabilities.  It is not an exhaustive list of the duties expected to be performed, and management may, at its discretion, revise or require that other or different tasks be performed as assigned.  This job description is not intended to create a contract of employment with ERCOT.  Both ERCOT and the employee may exercise their employment-at-will rights at any time.
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ERCOT is firmly committed to equal employment for all qualified persons without regard to race, sex, medical condition, religion, age, creed, national origin, citizenship status, marital status, sexual orientation, physical or mental disability, ancestry, veteran status, genetic information or any other protected category under federal, state or local law.

Expected Salary Range:

$219,000 - $301,000