Senior IS Architect

BlueCross BlueShield of South Carolina•Columbia, SC

About The Position

Why should you join the BlueCross BlueShield of South Carolina family of companies? Other companies come and go, but for more than seven decades we’ve been part of the national landscape, with our roots firmly embedded in the South Carolina community. We are the largest insurance company in South Carolina … and much more. We are one of the nation’s leading administrators of government contracts. We operate one of the most sophisticated data processing centers in the Southeast. We also have a diverse family of subsidiary companies that allow us to build on a variety of business strengths. We deliver outstanding service to our customers. If you are dedicated to the same philosophy, consider joining our team! Position Purpose: Provide technical expertise on decisions and priorities regarding the enterprise’s overall systems architecture. Ensure business requirements are enabled using approved architecture concepts. Provide consultative services to high-level clients for their set of applications. Provide oversight to project teams to ensure that technical risks and opportunities are considered and appropriately addressed in business initiatives and decisions. Work closely with senior application development staff to ensure products meet analysis, design, and development standards for the various operating environments. Work with Enterprise Architecture to set the architectural direction for the set of assigned applications. Ensures application owner and/or key design team members have the necessary understanding of the operating environments to ensure system integrity. Review systems for potential improvements and present recommendations to the Architecture group and IS Senior Management.

Requirements

Bachelor's in a job-related field Or an additional 4 years job related work experience Or an Associate's and an additional 2 years job related work experience
9 years of IT experience.
Possesses a track record of successfully managing joint IS/Business teams through strategic challenges in meeting business objectives.
Excellent negotiation and decision-making skills.
Demonstrated ability to develop and release quality products on time.
Demonstrated ability to build network and collaborative relationships throughout complex organizations.
Understands and applies the attributes and processes of current application or system development methodologies.
Excellent verbal and written communication skills, including the ability to communicate technical approaches to all levels of non-technical and technical staff, management, and end-users.
Able to lead dynamic, energized, and highly creative multidisciplinary work teams in a matrix environment to respond to company business needs.
Has thorough knowledge and understanding of the technologies, architecture, and practices and direction of the application areas.
Able to acquire knowledge of the company’s business practices and direction.

Nice To Haves

Prior BlueCross BlueShield of South Carolina experience with AI, AWS, DataLake, and Web UI development.

Responsibilities

In coordination with Enterprise Architecture, establish application architecture direction for change sheets and project efforts, Research and Development (R&D) efforts and RFS efforts based upon the approved architecture.
Ensure business objectives are met using approved architecture principles.
Review and design system software and hardware builds analyzing system options, risks, cost vs. benefit, and impact on the enterprise business process and goals.
Provide architectural guidance on assigned efforts.
Serve as a leader in the integration of solutions and construction of applications.
Reviews and authorizes the integration of application solutions for complex projects within a business unit.
Provide technical oversight on complex projects for a wide range of business initiatives.
Ensure the final product is properly integrated into the technical architecture.
Provide application architecture research for assigned R&D and assigned vendor alerts to include documenting the findings in whitepapers.
Evaluate software packages and make recommendations to IT management.
In coordination with Project Leads, provide input on all proposals that could potentially impact systems.
Serve as a key decision maker and escalation point for approving architectural decisions within the scope of assigned applications.
Serve as an expert resource to IT groups in planning the resource requirements for systems under development.
Develop and document the framework for integration and implementation for changes to technical standards.
Mentor others to ensure technical skills are in place to meet current and future technical leadership-related resource requirements.
Facilitate the establishment and implementation of standards and guidelines that provide direction for the design of technology solutions, including architecting and implementing solutions requiring integration of multiple platforms, operating systems, and applications across the enterprise.
Build relationships with development teams in coordination with design personnel to ensure architecturally sound solutions.
Conveys the impact of strategic technical decisions to application owners, key design team members, and project team members.
Ensures they have a clear understanding of Corporate direction in relation to architecture and technology and ensure integration of that direction as appropriate.
Build and maintain relationships that can be leveraged to support the achievement of business and technical objectives.
Build customer relationships to ensure solutions are leveraged to meet customer's business requirements.
Review customer requests, security patches, and audit requirements for additions or changes to systems, and evaluate feasibility to determine if/how to handle the request while maintaining an adequate/appropriate overall systems infrastructure.
Support RFP and marketing efforts by serving as a subject matter expert for the set of assigned applications.
Answers RFI’s and certify RFS estimates for assigned applications.

Benefits

Equal Employment Opportunity Statement BlueCross BlueShield of South Carolina and our subsidiary companies maintain a continuing policy of nondiscrimination in employment to promote employment opportunities for persons regardless of age, race, color, national origin, sex, religion, veteran status, disability, weight, sexual orientation, gender identity, genetic information or any other legally protected status.
Additionally, as a federal contractor, the company maintains affirmative action programs to promote employment opportunities for individuals with disabilities and protected veterans.
It is our policy to provide equal opportunities in all phases of the employment process and to comply with applicable federal, state and local laws and regulations.
We are committed to working with and providing reasonable accommodations to individuals with disabilities, pregnant individuals, individuals with pregnancy-related conditions, and individuals needing accommodations for sincerely held religious beliefs, provided that those accommodations do not impose an undue hardship on the Company.
If you need special assistance or an accommodation while seeking employment, please email [email protected] or call 800-288-2227, ext. 47480 with the nature of your request.
We will make a determination regarding your request for reasonable accommodation on a case-by-case basis.
We participate in E-Verify and comply with the Pay Transparency Nondiscrimination Provision.
We are an Equal Opportunity Employer.
Some states have required notifications.