Solutions Architect (AEM)
*Local to Harrisburg, PA preferred
*This position may be eligible for part-time telework
Description:
- The client is seeking an experienced AEM Solutions Architect to assess the Commonwealth’s majority vendor-built Adobe Experience Manager as a Cloud Service implementation and define a sustainable long-term support model for the implementation of pa.gov.
- PA.gov is one of the Commonwealth’s most visible digital platforms.
- Its current AEM environment is highly customized and largely opaque to internal teams.
- This role exists to change that – to bring clarity to the architecture identify what is sound versus what introduces risk and recommend the staffing governance and support approach needed for the platform’s next phases.
- The selected candidate will lead an upfront assessment in the first several months then continue as a strategic technical advisor through the remainder of the engagement supporting transition execution governance and platform decisions as they arise.
- The AEM Solutions Architect partners with the client, leadership, engineering operations, procurement and the current technical vendor to evaluate the platform’s current state and shape its future. The work begins as a diagnostic engagement and evolves into ongoing architectural advisory as transition activities get underway. Lead architecture and solution design for relevant AEM tools including: AEM Sites Assets Forms and others.
- This role requires deep AEM expertise the judgment to distinguish standard practice from over-customization and the communication skills to make complex technical realities legible to executive and non-technical audiences.
- The candidate will be responsible for guiding internal and external development teams on security and performance best practices as well as code review enforcement and creation of standards and support deployment/governance strategies.
- Over the course of the engagement the architect will produce written assessments recommendations and supporting documentation that give the client a clear understanding of the PA.gov AEM platform and a credible path forward for its support.
- Specific artifacts will be defined collaboratively based on assessment findings and organizational needs.
Responsibilities:
- Platform assessment and architecture review: Evaluate the current AEM as a Cloud Service implementation.
- Distinguish standard platform practice from over-customization or unnecessary complexity.
- Assess long-term maintainability and recommend simplification stabilization or remediation where warranted.
- Support model and transition planning: Define what support work can reasonably be performed internally by contractors or by a vendor.
- Develop a credible transition approach. Identify the skills and roles required for the future-state team.
- Documentation and knowledge transfer: Identify gaps in existing platform documentation.
- Establish documentation standards.
- Guide knowledge transfer between the current vendor and future support resources so that critical knowledge lives in the organization rather than in individuals.
- Cross-functional collaboration: Work with stakeholders across product UX and engineering teams.
- Architecture support: Evaluate and define component template and experience architecture.
- Translate business requirements into technical architecture workflows and content models.
- Governance and supportability: Recommend guardrails to ensure future enhancements align with sound AEM practice.
- Advise leadership on architectural tradeoffs technical debt and the long-term implications of platform decisions.
- Stakeholder communication: Serve as a trusted technical advisor to the clients leadership.
- Translate architectural complexity into clear actionable guidance for executive procurement and operational audiences.
- Risk and decision support: Surface platform risks and operational dependencies with clear analysis and decision points.
- Help leadership weigh the cost of maintaining the current model against alternatives.
- Vendor and contractor oversight: Evaluate current vendor responsibilities and provide technical input into future contractor or vendor scopes labor categories and accountability expectations.
Preferred Skills/Knowledge/Experience:
- Experience supporting transitions from vendor-led to internal or hybrid support models.
- Experience establishing or maturing enterprise platform governance including customization standards change management and support ownership models.
- Experience contributing to technical procurement SOWs or contractor role definition.
- Experience supporting large public-facing or government digital platforms.
- Familiarity with AEM as a Cloud Service operational constraints including Cloud Manager pipelines deployment strategies and DevOps practices branching automated testing environment management.
- Understanding of AEM security models and familiarity with accessibility requirements.
- Relevant Adobe or architecture certifications.
Additional Requirements:
- Familiarity with enterprise platform governance vendor management and support model design.
- Exposure to technology procurement or participation in RFP/RFI processes preferred.
- Ability to perform the essential functions of the position.
Required Skills/Knowledge/Experience:
- Experience in Enterprise Content Management, Digital Platform Architecture, or closely related roles, Required 10 Years
- *Deep* hands-on Adobe Experience Manager expertise across architecture, implementation and support, Required
- Deep knowledge of Java, Sling, dispatcher, and front-end integration., Required
- Experience assessing complex, highly customized enterprise platform environments and identifying supportability risks., Required
- Experience working with vendor-built systems and evaluating transition readiness., Required
- Demonstrated ability to develop technical assessments, support models, and documentation strategies., Required
- Experience with collaboration and delivery tools such as Confluence, SharePoint, or Azure DevOps., Required
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