Enterprise Architect

Position Description:

Sprezzatura seeks an Enterprise Architect to join our growing team.  The architect will be responsible for working with business analysts, software developers, and others to help design a solution to reduce, or eliminate, the use of social security numbers within the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) systems.  The reduction will help provide a more secure environment for our veterans needing support from the VA.

Roles/Responsibilities:

• Enterprise Architecture Expertise: 
  • Extensive experience in designing and implementing enterprise-level solutions. 
  • Ability to create detailed system diagrams and map complex workflows. 
  • Proficiency in visualizing and documenting both existing and proposed architectures. 
  • Experience with system integration, especially within federal environments. 
• Data Privacy and Security Compliance: 
  • Strong focus on data privacy and security within large organizations. 
  • In-depth knowledge of data privacy regulations such as NIST 800-53 Rev5, VA Handbooks, and VA Directives (including those related to reducing SSN usage). 
  • Proven track record of implementing data privacy solutions and mitigating the use of Personally Identifiable Information (PII), including SSNs. 
  • Ability to develop and enforce policies and procedures that ensure compliance across enterprise systems. 
• Regulatory and Federal Processes Knowledge: 
  • Familiarity with federal regulations and processes. 
  • Experience working with the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) or other federal agencies. 
  • Understanding of federal data privacy regulations and compliance requirements. 
• Leadership and Team Management: 
  • Experience leading the creation of enterprise architecture strategies. 
  • Proven leadership skills in supervising teams of developers and engineers. 
  • Ability to collaborate with cross-functional teams, including business analysts, developers, and project managers. 
  • Experience conducting workshops and meetings with stakeholders to gather requirements and provide guidance. 
• Analytical and Investigation Skills: 
  • Strong analytical skills to evaluate existing systems and identify gaps and risks related to PII exposure. 
  • Proficiency in using tools like RSpec for testing and investigation. 
  • Ability to propose innovative solutions to enhance data protection. 
• Software Development Lifecycle and Methodologies: 
  • Advanced knowledge of the software development lifecycle. 
  • Experience with Agile Methodology and Scrum Processes. 
  • Familiarity with both unit testing and integration testing practices. 
• Technical Skills: 
  • Experience managing large, legacy, and diverse backend systems. 
  • Familiarity with government cloud hosting environments like AWS. 
  • Proficiency in managing API services within the VA network and optimizing RESTful API transactions. 
  • Experience with code versioning tools like Git. 
• Project Management and Documentation: 
  • Proficiency with project management tools such as Power BI, Jira, and Confluence. 
  • Ability to produce comprehensive architectural documentation, including diagrams, standards, and guidelines. 
  • Experience presenting findings and recommendations to senior leadership and stakeholders. 
• Emerging Technologies and Trends Awareness: 
  • Ability to monitor and assess emerging trends in data privacy, security technologies, and federal regulations. 
  • Stay updated on best practices for data protection and PII reduction strategies. 
• System Integration Expertise: 
  • Experience with systems like CorpDB, Master Patient Index (MPI), Benefits Delivery Network (BDN), and Veterans Benefits Management System (VBMS). 
  • Skilled in handling system integrations to ensure seamless functionality across platforms. 

Programming Languages and Technologies:

• Ruby, Ruby on Rails, JavaScript, JSON, Sidekiq, Swagger, Git, RSpec, AWS (Amazon Web Services), RESTful APIs.

Skills & Qualifications:

• B.S. degree in math, statistics, computer science, or equivalent technical field
• 5+ years’ experience in software architecture.

• Skills and experience conveying technical information to non-technical audiences
• Ability to communicate effectively with internal and external stakeholders. 
• Experience working in a remote work environment. 
• Proactive in addressing project issues and ensuring alignment across teams. 

Additional Preferred Skills: 

• Strong familiarity with the VA platform and its ecosystem. 
• Ability to navigate and optimize features effectively within VA systems. 
• Familiarity with DevOps methodologies to enhance collaboration between development and operations teams. 
• Understanding of continuous integration and continuous deployment (CI/CD) pipelines. 
• Knowledge of encryption, tokenization, and anonymization techniques to protect sensitive data. 
• Experience implementing technologies that reduce reliance on sensitive data elements like SSNs. 

Other Requirements:

Location:  Remote

Veteran Preference: Yes

Citizenship/Security: Citizen/Green Card. Must be able to hold a federal security clearance.

Transitioning military and/or Veterans with IT/IS, finance, and/or healthcare systems specialties are invited to apply. Sprezzatura is an equal opportunity employer and offers benefits including healthcare, vacation, and paid sick leave.

Company Description

Sprezzatura Management Consulting, LLC (www.sprezzmc.com) is a Washington, DC-area Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned Small Business (SDVOSB) that enables transformation by supplying insight and leadership at the intersection of people, processes, and technology. We apply knowledge, project, and life cycle management best practices to catalyze change.