Strathmore University – ICT Business Analyst & Solutions Architect.

Reporting To: Manager, ICT Strategic and Assurance Services

Basic job summary: Work closely with ICTS section heads and teams and business line managers and teams to define and build consensus around ICT technology roadmaps and further to assist in the design of proposed ICT solutions across the ICTS and the University so as to ensure they fall within
these defined roadmaps. Further, the jobholder will provide proper and timely support for business analysis to business- line leading to conceptualising of fit-for-purpose systems designs that meet key technical and functional quality requirements leading to acquisition (buy) or development (build) of
the proposed systems.

Duties & Responsibilities:

• ICT Enterprise Architecture: Support the definition and delivery of ICT enterprise architecture and architecture review processes, which provide a holistic view of the processes, data, application systems and technology infrastructure that exists within the University in order to lay strategic context for planning the evolution of institutional information systems into an integrated environment that is responsive to change and supports the delivery of the University’s strategy.
• System Analysis and Design: Support the respective business owner/ department by working closely with respective ICTS teams to ensure proper gathering and documentation of functional and technical requirements for new systems or proposed change is a system and to translate this into appropriate systems designs that fall within the established technology roadmap and have wellarticulated technical quality requirements such as meeting auditability and security standards.
• System Development Assurance: Ensure proposed systems development projects adhere to established methodologies across the systems development life cycle (SDLC).
• System Documentation: Work closely with systems developers, consultants and the ICTS team to ensure completeness of user documentation as well as technical documentation for respective automations projects and systems.
• System Testing and Quality Assurance: Leads or provides direction for the planning, designing, and execution of user testing efforts including overseeing implementation (i.e., testing, issues resolution) of new systems or modifications and analysing testing results to ensure the solution meets the needs of the business.
• Project Management: Participate in work stream planning process including inception, technical design, development, testing and software solutions including developing work plans or reviewing other work plan timelines while managing workflows to meet timeframes. This may further include
• participating in project management estimation process, managing and planning for service demand forecasts.
• Business Analysis and Innovation: Identify and provide input to new technology opportunities that will have an impact on the enterprise wide systems while advising business line on opportunities for optimization through change in processes, practices and technologies towards improving business management and optimization.
• Talent Development and Supervision: Guide, mentor and coach assigned, as well as other ICTS staff in growing their job-related technical skills, organizational skills, team spirit and leadership capacity. This further involves assigning supervisees, tasks and responsibilities and monitoring delivery of the same in meeting University service delivery requirements and expectations.
• Learning and Innovation: Research on new technologies that may enhance current processes or deal with identified problem areas as well grow and maintain professional skills by attending  educational seminars/conferences, reviewing professional publications, participating in professional bodies.
• Other Duties: Perform other duties as may be assigned by the supervisor.

Minimum Requirements:

Core qualifications

• A Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science, Informatics, Business Information Technology or related field from a recognized institution with a minimum of Second Upper qualification.

Experience:

• 3-year work experience in business analysis and software/systems development in a busy software development environment within a highly automated institution (s), where customer-facing digital solutions are developed and used.

Competencies and Attributes

• Thinks outside the box (creative);
• Attention to detail,
• Results – oriented;
• Works well under pressure,
• Team player;
• Problem solving focus;
• Technical zeal;
• Strong time management & organizational skills;
• Self-discipline and drive;
• High integrity and ethical standards;
• Good interpersonal & communication skills.
• Desirable – Knowledge of virtualization software (VMware, Citrix), version control (SVN, GIT).
• Relevant hands-on experience in systems development
• Knowledge of PHP programming language will be an added advantage

Knowledge and Skills

• Demonstrable proficiency in Java and other Programming Languages.
• Knowledge of MVC tools/frameworks such as Spring, Spring boot etc. is a must.
• Familiarity with web applications development is a must: HTML, JavaScript, CSS and JQuery.
• Skills in Process Mapping and Business Process Reengineering
• Demonstrable proficiency in relational databases such as MySQL, Oracle.
• Linux system administration proficiency.
• Enterprise Architecture frameworks (Zachman, TOGAF etc.)