Lead software Architect

Title: Lead software Architect
Location: Columbia, SC
Duration: 12 months
Job Description

We are seeking an experienced Lead Software Architect to provide technical and functional architecture leadership for enterprise applications supporting child support services. The ideal candidate will have strong experience with child support systems, functional requirements, system architecture, SDLC oversight, requirements management, and collaboration with development teams and business stakeholders. This role will lead a team of business analysts, testers, and subject matter experts across multiple integrated applications.

Key Responsibilities

• Develop a comprehensive understanding of the functional and technical requirements of enterprise child support systems and their integrated functional areas.
• Analyze and understand how various applications and functional components integrate with one another.
• Lead a team of business analysts, testers, and subject matter experts supporting multiple applications.
• Provide regular written and verbal status updates to project leadership regarding architecture, requirements, development, and testing activities.
• Develop a thorough understanding of technical requirements and assess their impact on functional system design.
• Plan and coordinate project activities related to requirements validation, detailed design, general design, and system testing.
• Oversee development, design, requirements validation, and system testing activities throughout the Software Development Life Cycle (SDLC).
• Collaborate with system development teams to identify and resolve technical and functional concerns.
• Review technical and project deliverables to ensure compliance with established project plans, processes, and contractual requirements.
• Oversee the Requirements Management Process, ensuring requirements are properly controlled and traced throughout the SDLC.
• Maintain and manage Requirements Traceability Matrices (RTMs) to ensure complete requirements coverage.
• Analyze requirements and develop user stories, use cases, workflow charts, process diagrams, and functional specifications.
• Work closely with business users, developers, and stakeholders to identify and document functional requirements.
• Review and assist with the development of test cases and support system testing activities.
• Process change requests and manage project scope through effective requirements management.
• Prepare technical reports by collecting, analyzing, and summarizing project information and trends.
• Collaborate with business stakeholders to understand application issues and their impact on program operations.
• Provide technical leadership and contribute to successful delivery of enterprise application initiatives.

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Computer Science, Information Systems, Engineering, or a related field.
• 5+ years of experience with PACSS or comparable child support enforcement systems.
• Strong experience working with Child Support systems.
• Experience with Federal Child Support regulations and IV-D requirements.
• Experience working directly with developers and end users to define, validate, and document functional requirements.
• Experience with New Hire applications or similar enterprise applications.
• Strong understanding of system engineering concepts, modeling techniques, and methodologies.
• Demonstrated leadership ability with experience leading cross-functional technical and business teams.
• Ability to take initiative and work independently with minimal guidance.
• Strong technical writing, documentation, verbal communication, and presentation skills.
• Ability to communicate effectively with technical and non-technical stakeholders.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience with SharePoint.
• Experience with Team Foundation Server (TFS).
• Experience with Microsoft SQL Server.
• Experience with Microsoft Visio.
• Experience overseeing large-scale enterprise application development and testing.
• Experience working with government or public-sector technology programs.
• Experience with requirements traceability, workflow modeling, and system integration initiatives.