Lead Architect (Information Technology)

Southwest Power Pool (SPP) is about more than power. We're about the power of relationships. Our employees have the opportunity to work together to ensure electricity is delivered reliably and affordably to the millions of people living in our service territory. We have been voted one of Arkansas' Best Places to work by Arkansas Business and we are looking for a member of our team who is passionate about our mission to keep the lights on!

We have a core ideology here at SPP that we stand by: Do the right thing, for the right reason, in the right way.

We believe in supporting our employees through a fantastic benefits package:

• Competitive pay with bonus opportunities
• Excellent insurance package including three great medical plans to choose from, employer-paid short term disability, long term disability, and life insurance
• Relocation assistance
• Flexible working environment for positions that are eligible where employees have the flexibility to work from home and come in where collaborative in person work is needed.
• Fantastic contributions to your retirement through a 401(k) savings plan with employer-match benefits and a defined benefit plan fully funded by SPP

COMPENSATION INFORMATION
The salary range(s) represents our good faith estimate for the role at this time. While we strive to provide competitive and transparent compensation, there may be circumstances where an offer is above or outside of the listed range. We are open to discussing salary expectations with qualified candidates considering factors such as the candidate's qualifications, skills, competencies, experience and geographic location will all be considered during the hiring process.

 Lead Architect| Pay Range: $109,500.00 -$142,250.00

Join our team as a Lead Architect!

Are you ready to take on a dynamic role where strategy meets cutting-edge technology? As a Lead Architect, you'll drive the future of scalable, cloud-native infrastructure while shaping the strategic direction of our enterprise systems. This role offers the best of both worlds: the chance to design high-level architecture that aligns with business goals, paired with the hands-on opportunity to manage and optimize Kubernetes clusters.

What You'll Do:

• Architect & Implement: Define and execute Kubernetes-based architecture roadmaps aligned with enterprise strategies.
• Scale & Secure: Manage Kubernetes clusters, ensuring high availability, security, and performance.
• Optimize & Innovate: Lead cloud-native initiatives to streamline infrastructure and reduce costs.
• Collaborate: Work closely with DevOps, development, and leadership teams to align technical solutions with business goals.
• Governance & Compliance: Establish security standards and governance policies to meet regulatory requirements.
• Strategic Leadership: Maintain in-depth knowledge of the company's strategic business vision, IT roadmap, and architectural standards.
• Consult & Guide: Provide architectural expertise and direction to systems analysts, engineers, and other architects, ensuring best practices are followed.
• Technical Discussions: Facilitate technical discussions, offering thought leadership to teams across the organization.
• Infrastructure Planning: Develop and manage an infrastructure capacity plan to support long-term growth and scalability.
• Technology Standards: Create, document, and enforce technology standards and policies to ensure consistency and quality across all systems.
• Emerging Technologies: Conduct research and recommend emerging technologies to improve infrastructure flexibility and reduce costs.
• Systems Design: Oversee the architectural integrity of end-to-end integrated systems, ensuring they meet both business and technical requirements.
• Performance & Improvement: Develop test plans to evaluate infrastructure performance, reporting on findings and recommending improvements.
• Collaboration & Buy-In: Work closely with end users, senior management, and vendors to define business requirements, gain buy-in for plans, and ensure alignment with business objectives.
• Training & Mentorship: Provide guidance and mentorship to junior team members, helping them grow in their technical expertise.

If you're passionate about Kubernetes, cloud infrastructure, and driving business success through innovative technology, we want to hear from you! Apply Now! 

To be successful as the Lead Architect, we're looking for:

• Bachelor's degree in Information Technology or related field or equivalent experience
• Lead Architect: Twelve (12) plus years of applicable experience in IT involving systems/software architecture, design, development and deployment
• Experience documenting systems and software architectures using modeling languages (UML, E-R diagrams, etc.)
• Expert written and oral communication skills
• Experience in hardware and software evaluation principles, practices, and guidelines
• Experience in requirements gathering and developing strategic plans
• Expert technical architecture, support, and documentation skills
• Expert analytical and problem solving abilities

Preferred:

• Background that includes Cloud Computing and Infrastructure, Software development and application architecture, networking and security, systems and infrastructure automation, DevOps and SRE.
• Kubernetes certifications (e.g., CKA, CKS) and cloud certifications (e.g., AWS Certified Kubernetes Specialist) are highly desirable. 
• Utility industry experience

Position Type and Expected Hours of Work:

• This is a full-time position. Days and hours of workweek are Monday through Friday; 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.  Working extended hours may be required.

Position Type, Location and Hours:

This is a full-time, onsite hybrid position based in Little Rock, Arkansas. The standard workweek is Monday through Friday, from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., with extended hours may be required.

Travel Requirement:

This position requires minimal (10%) travel

SPP is an Affirmative Action and Equal Opportunity Employer of individuals with disabilities and protected veterans and is committed to excellence. If you need a reasonable accommodation for any part of the employment process, please contact us at HR@spp.org and let us know the nature of your request. We will only respond to messages left that involve a request for a reasonable accommodation in the application process. We will accommodate the needs of any qualified candidate who requests a reasonable accommodation under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA).

At SPP we believe in a culture of belonging. Learn more here: Culture of Belonging - Southwest Power Pool .

Full job descriptions will be made available to those selected for an interview.

Equal Opportunity Employer/Protected Veterans/Individuals with Disabilities
This employer is required to notify all applicants of their rights pursuant to federal employment laws. For further information, please review the Know Your Rights notice from the Department of Labor.

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