Enterprise Architect Job Description
What Does An Enterprise Architect Do?
The Enterprise Architect combines many different skills and experiences to address and solve business, information, and technology related opportunities, and problems.
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In many activities, the Enterprise Architecture developed by the Enterprise Architect is the “glue” that integrates the project and program strategies across multiple programs and projects, and ensures alignment with business strategies and drivers, and management priorities. This “glue” is a series of explicit graphical models that, at a minimum, are “human consumable, define and describe the Goals the Enterprise is trying to achieve, the Processes needed to be performed to meet these Goals, the Things (Data) needed to perform these Processes, and the Organizational alignment and responsibilities in place to perform the required activities.
Finally, the Enterprise Architect catalogs, develops, coordinates, communicates, maintains, and enforces the overall Enterprise Architecture Models, Representations, Initiatives, Capabilities, and Standard Components used by the Enterprise to perform all business and technology related activities.
How To Become An Enterprise Architect
Normally, a Minimum of 7 Years of Analysis Experience is Expected
In addition to the analysis background, the Enterprise Architect will possess a broad background in different sectors, and it is desirable to have experience and knowledge in at least one aspect of the business (example: engineering, manufacturing, planning, etc.). This is necessary to allow the Enterprise Architect to dialog with business people and management, on their terms.
Finally, and key to this position, the Enterprise Architect should have demonstrated skills, and actual examples of models built using The Enterprise Framework. A Master’s Degree in a related field is desirable.
Enterprise Architecture Skills
A Successful Enterprise Architect Should Possess These Skills:
Communications, both verbal (e.g.: presentations, seminars, etc.), and written (e.g.: reports, articles, etc.).
Group session facilitation.
Team leadership.
Marketing (“selling” the results of architectural approaches through presentations).
Analysis and design.
Modeling and graphical representations and abstractions. Actual experience developing and building models based on The Enterprise Framework.
Management (e.g.: prioritization, trade-off analysis, psychology, etc.).
Key Roles For Enterprise Architects
While the following is not exhaustive, the Enterprise Architect will be involved in programs with the following roles:
The Architect for cross-program, and cross-project Architecture strategies, opportunities, and problem resolution
The Architect for complex development projects
The consultant in business process analysis and design, and service delivery, particularly with respect to the use of information, and trends and directions
The Project “Auditor” to ensure conformance and compliance of projects and programs with Architect guidelines. Essentially the “voice of the customer” during development activities.
The Successful Enterprise Architect Will Have Many Responsibilities
While the following is not exhaustive, it does represent some of the key responsibilities:
Definition, implementation, and execution of the processes for the definition, maintenance, and conformance management of the Enterprise Architecture.
Update and maintenance of the key Enterprise Architecture deliverables.
Establishment and maintenance of contacts within business units and information system programs to understand business activities and business drivers, business requirements, solutions strategies and alternatives, etc., being considered and/or implemented.
Architectural leadership in the resolutions of inter-program and inter-project issues.
Ongoing publicity and communication of the Enterprise Architecture both within the information community, and the business units.
Ongoing research and assessment of new analysis approaches for potential use within the Enterprise.
Specific Duties
The Enterprise Architect is responsible for the development or coordination of the following deliverables:
Developing the Enterprise Architecture
Coordinating all Enterprise Architecture activities locally and globally
Developing and coordinating Architecture Plans
Assisting in aligning business and enterprise initiatives with the Enterprise Architecture
Auditing compliance within the Enterprise Architecture standards
Serving as advisor to senior business management on business and information integration strategies
Strategy Development Competencies
Influencing business strategy
Translating or mapping business strategy into information strategy
Understanding technology product and vendor strategies, products, and customer preferences
Understanding, modeling, and representing the organizations business requirements in a human consumable manner, as it relates to strategy
Organizational Competencies
Communicating with business and technology leaders, both within and outside the organization
Understanding the business needs for solutions
Influencing the organization to accomplish goals and needs through architecture activities
Being viewed as the trusted advisor to the organization
Building an effective architecture organization
Understanding developers needs in parallel with business needs
Modeling Competencies
Demonstrating abilities to derive, define, and explicitly represent various artifacts within The Enterprise Framework.
Understanding the meanings and relationships between various models.
Developing and maintaining project level and Enterprise level model consistency and integration.
Technology Competencies
Understanding of appropriate technologies
Developing methods and techniques for modeling technologies
Enterprise Architect Salary
These estimates are approximate.
EACOE Enterprise Architect – Base Salary approximately $140,000
EACOE Senior Enterprise Architect – Base Salary approximately $150,000
EACOE Distinguished Enterprise Architect – Base Salary approximately $165,000
EACOE Enterprise Architect Fellow – (10+ years of actual practice) – Base Salary approximately $190,000