Solutions and Business Architecture Area Chapter Lead

About the role

The Solutions and Business Architecture Area Chapter Lead reports to the Head of Data, AI Systems & Architecture and provides strategic leadership for solution architecture and business analysis across Safaricom. The role drives capability maturity, governance, and continuous improvement while ensuring alignment with enterprise architecture principles and technology roadmaps.

Key responsibilities

• Define and own the solution architecture and business analysis strategy, operating model and capability roadmap.
• Lead and develop engineering managers across consumer, enterprise, financial services and technology solution architecture domains.
• Establish architecture principles, standards and governance processes, including architecture review boards and documentation standards.
• Oversee business and technology roadmaps, ensuring application, technology modernization and legacy retirement plans are current.
• Provide quality oversight for business requirements, solution designs, integration designs and non‑functional requirements.

Required profile

• 8+ years of experience in solution, business or enterprise architecture and 5+ years leading architecture or business analysis practices.
• Proven track record delivering enterprise‑wide digital transformation programmes.
• Strong leadership, coaching and stakeholder management skills.
• Relevant advanced degree (MBA, Master’s in Technology or Enterprise Architecture) is highly desirable.

Required skills

• TOGAF® certification
• TM Forum Open Digital Architecture (ODA) certification
• Cloud certifications (AWS, Microsoft Azure, Google Cloud)
• Experience with Kubernetes, API Management, DevSecOps and CI/CD pipelines
• Architecture modelling tools such as ArchiMate, UML, BPMN, C4
• Knowledge of enterprise, solution, application, integration, cloud, security, data and AI architecture