IT Modernization Architect

Title: IT Modernization Architect
Location: Houston, TX (Hybrid in downtown)
Duration: Contract/Contract-to-Hire
Work Requirements: US Citizen, GC Holders or Authorized to Work in the US.

Key Skills Required: Experience with CJIS (Criminal Justice Information Systems) is a requirement
Previous experience working with courts, law enforcement, state or local governments is a requirement


Responsibilities Modernization: Define, build and align modernization models and strategy/tools with industry best practice such as 6 R's (Rehost, Re-platform, Replace, Retire etc).
Viewpoints: Architecture -Monolith/SOA/Microservice, Physical Servers layer – VMs/Cloud, Delivery-Waterfall/Agile/DevOps


Assessments: ​Complete initial assessments to understand and document current landscape to support the supporting applications and infrastructure.
Identify any in-flight projects; Assess Couty's change readiness levels


Strategy/Vision/Prioritization: ​Develop an architectural roadmap related to the modernization and migration efforts around Application and Infrastructure solutions.
Developing an overall strategy that aligns with County's mission and vision.
Identify short-term and longer-term initiatives and priorities


Hybrid multi-cloud: ​Propose cloud related design and elaborate on Hybrid cloud models and how they enhance the County's stance around innovation, security posture, benefits, and speed to value.
Government cloud focuses on Microsoft Azure, AWS clouds


Collaboration/Partnership and Stakeholder Leadership: Acts as a trusted advisor and builds and maintains relationships with the director and other IT leaders and executives to develop a clear understanding of enterprise needs; ensures cost-effective delivery of IT services to meet those needs and can respond with agility to changing industry and organization priorities.
As such, the Architect will communicate and coordinate with all areas of the Information Systems department, including infrastructure, applications, database administrators, business owners and vendors; also work with customers, partners, and other critical stakeholders to develop and align architecture roadmaps


Disaster Recovery Strategy/Approach: Work closely with IT and business teams to understand current state of organization's application and infrastructure solutions and DR plans, including any hot, warm or cold DR sites, templates, documentation, and related technology assets and tools.
Get clear understanding of the current backup strategy, designs, processes, and tools; the Architect will develop, coordinate, and maintain application disaster recovery plans and coordinate the testing of those plans and then operationalized these DR plans as needed


Compliance/Standard and Governance: Ensure compliance according to County Technology Information Security standards and best practices.
Establish governance processes related modernization and transformation initiatives aligned with the county standards, processes, plans, tools, and measures


Budgets and Costing: ​Assist the IJIS Director in developing annual budget based on business requirements, operational needs, and forecasted technology investments.
Estimate costs associated with Modernization and DR projects / initiatives and ongoing operations including hardware, software, personnel, and external services.


Knowledge Management and Enablement: Conduct workshops to provide and get input around important concepts and decisions.
Document and align work products with key stakeholders as necessary. Ensure a process that enable knowledge transfer and support for less senior employees.




Work Experience/Qualification Bachelor's degree
Minimum 15 years of experience leading large complex projects supporting Transformation and modernization goals and objectives
PMP/PMI Certification that is current
Minimum 10 years of experience with information technology or infrastructure support, design or analysis and/or project management
Minimum 7 years of experience assessing and designing/implementing disaster recovery solutions for applications and related infrastructure across on-prem and government/public clouds using services such as Azure Site Recovery (ASR) and AWS Backup and Recovery Services/Solutions
Experience working in a complex environment with significant numbers of stakeholders across infrastructure, applications, databased and technology toolset with ambiguous or unclear requirements
Minimum 10 years of experience working in public service industry especially state and local government
Strong verbal communication skills, including the ability to present verbally to high-level stakeholders.
Proven ability to provide excellent customer service and maintain client/professional relationships/partnerships.
Capacity for quickly understanding new and different concepts/approaches, workflows, and systems.
Works in a highly organized manner, independently or within a team, in a fast-paced, innovative, and continuously changing environment with minimal supervision.
Strong leadership and strategic planning skills, with the ability to drive cross-functional projects and initiatives.
Knowledge of ITIL and IT Service Management is desirable.
Excellent negotiating skills and demonstrated skills in managing shared services team
Demonstrated ability to constructively influence other people and organizations to drive and achieve objectives, goals and balance competing needs
Minimum 5 years of experience in large, cross-functional teams influencing senior-level management and key stakeholders effectively across the organization and within complex contexts
Experience in various backup technologies and experience in deploying large enterprise scale backup and DR solutions


Education: Bachelor Degree


Certifications: Project Management Professional (PMP)
Formal Architecture Training
Information Technology Infrastructure Library ITIL


Our benefits package includes: Comprehensive medical benefits
Competitive pay, 401(k)
Retirement plan
…and much more


About INSPYR Solutions:
Technology is our focus and quality is our commitment. As a national expert in delivering flexible technology and talent solutions, we strategically align industry and technical expertise with our clients’ business objectives and cultural needs. Our solutions are tailored to each client and include a wide variety of professional services, project, and talent solutions. By always striving for excellence and focusing on the human aspect of our business, we work seamlessly with our talent and clients to match the right solutions to the right opportunities. Learn more about us at inspyrsolutions.com.

INSPYR Solutions provides Equal Employment Opportunities (EEO) to all employees and applicants for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, disability, or genetics. In addition to federal law requirements, INSPYR Solutions complies with applicable state and local laws governing nondiscrimination in employment in every location in which the company has facilities.