The customer is currently operating with a very lean IT organisation and operates in a complex and historically grown application landscape, combining modern platforms in SAAS, with aging, business-critical systems, accessible via RDP. The whole application landscape is tightly coupled, based on fast, short-term robust delivery and not always on sound architectural principles. Applications are interconnected through numerous point-to-point integrations, making the landscape brittle, hard to understand, and difficult to change.
An outdated and fragmented IT and data landscape, with some business critical systems build on legacy technologies.
Many applications are directly coupled to each other and connected through undocumented or poorly governed integrations.
The IT organization is lean, with no internal architecture capacity. Application team is decimated to a single programmer, working in VB.net.
No internal capacity to structurally assess, redesign, or modernize the application landscape.
IT roadmap is put in place to modernize the whole IT landscape. Applications is one of the tracks in this roadmap, where the decision is made to introduce a central integration layer, that needs to enable us to decouple the different applications from each other.
The Architect will bring clarity, structure, a pragmatic direction and measurable value to the customers historical application landscape during a 6 month senior consultancy engagement. Starting from a strategic decision to 'buy before build', you will create deep architectural understanding of current applications and integrations, define a realistic target application and integration architecture, and produce a phased roadmap that enables modernization while minimizing disruption and deliver early value. Document the current application estate into a detailed, actionable "as-is" application landscape for technical and executive audiences.
Analyse existing integrations (point-to-point, batch, APIs), quantify consequences, and identify structural weaknesses and risk concentrations.
Define a target application and integration architecture that prioritises decoupling, modularity, and mediated integration via a central integration layer.
Support architectural decision-making and investment prioritization with clear executive summaries and trade-off analyses.
IT manager, Data Architect, Program manager, business stakeholders to ensure alignment across application, data, and integration perspectives; Enable governance by helping establish processes (architecture review, standards enforcement) that prevent a return to unmanaged point-to-point complexity.
IT Manager, IT Program Manager, business leaders, and Data Architect; 7+ years of experience as an Enterprise Architect, Lead Solution Architect, or equivalent in complex, heterogeneous application landscapes.
~ Deep understanding of integration patterns (ESB, event-driven, API-based) and application architecture principles.
~ Proven track record operating independently in interim, advisory, or senior consultant positions, delivering clarity in low-maturity IT organisations.
~ Strong knowledge of data architecture and integration patterns, BI and analytics platforms, and data governance fundamentals.
~ Practical familiarity with cloud-native integration concepts and Microsoft Azure and Microsoft 365 ecosystems.
~ Degree in Computer Science, Information Systems, Engineering, Business, or a related field (or equivalent practical experience).
Certifications or training in enterprise architecture frameworks or cloud architecture (e.g. Ability to assess application criticality, lifecycle status, and technical debt.
Solution design that balances technology neutrality with actionable guidance or cloud (Azure) adoption.
Familiarity with cloud platforms (Microsoft Azure), enterprise applications & architecture, modern integration patterns (APIs, microservices, middleware), and interfacing standards, as relevant to the employer.
Practical knowledge of risk, compliance, and information security principles and how they apply to data programs.
Strategic and critical thinking: able to connect IT activities to broader business goals and prioritize accordingly.
Collaborates closely with business stakeholders across operations and support functions, data architect, Program Manager, external vendors or partners as required.
Delivery of a complete application landscape inventory and "as-is" documentation within agreed timeframe.
Acceptance of the proposed target application and integration architecture by Sr. IT Manager and key stakeholders.
Adoption or formal approval of a pragmatic architecture governance framework and assigned application ownership/stewardship.
IT manager and key stakeholders.
Identification and mitigation plan for critical single points of failure and high-risk data dependencies. Work in close partnership with IT, business, and vendor teams to foster a highly collaborative and respectful environment.
Operate with transparency, proactively sharing information, risks, and progress to enable informed, data-driven decisions.
Encourage continuous learning, experimentation, and professional growth for yourself and the teams you work with.
Senior
CONTRACT: Freelance
LANGUAGES: Fluent Dutch, French and English
1 stage