Introduction
As an IBM Application Architect, you directly help clients transform their business and solve complex problems. You will define the scope and vision for projects that deliver customized solutions using your knowledge of IBM platforms. You are a technical leader, serving as a liaison among business partners, technical resources, and project stakeholders.

Your Role and Responsibilities
This role designs applications required to automate business processes and meet business needs. The resulting design may run on multiple platforms and may be composed of multiple software packages and custom components. This role defines best practices in the critical evaluation and selection and / or development of the software components and hardware requirements of the applications and data, and the development of the application, including evaluation and selection of development methods, development processes, best practices and tools. Applications Architects are responsible for applications-related quality, performance, availability, scalability, and integrity. They are also responsible for the functional interface to applications and for ensuring application usability. Influences Functional Strategy.

Required Technical and Professional Expertise
Skills:

Environment:
Professional knowledge of function, business unit or country operations. Understand organizational resources, priorities, needs and policies.

Communication/Negotiation:
Guide other professionals. Adapt communications and approaches to conclude negotiations with various partners, resulting in common agreements.

Problem Solving:
Analyze complex/new situations, anticipate potential problems and future trends, assess opportunities, impacts, and risks. Develop and implement solutions.

Contribution/Leadership:
Leads multi-functional teams, or conducts special projects, or manages department(s) (national or international). Has vision of functional or unit mission. Influences people and organizations, including executive management, when issues are complex/difficult and require considerable diplomacy. Considerable latitude in responsibilities to define and decide on tools, processes, priorities and resources following general business unit directives. Recognized as an expert in their field. Often no precedent exists.

Impact on Business/Scope:
Accountable for projects or programs involving multi- functional, country-wide or regional teams. Responsible for overall functional program success. Activities are subject to business measurements, impact customer satisfaction, and impact functional, business unit, or country costs or expenses.