Introduction
At IBM, work is more than a job – it’s a calling: To build. To design. To code. To consult. To think along with clients and sell. To make markets. To invent. To collaborate. Not just to do something better, but to attempt things you’ve never thought possible. Are you ready to lead in this new era of technology and solve some of the world’s most challenging problems? If so, lets talk.

Your Role and Responsibilities
An Enterprise Architect (EA) specializing in implementing Salesforce within a highly secure client engagement assumes a pivotal role in designing, leading, and overseeing the delivery of complex, scalable, and secure Salesforce solutions that align with the client’s business objectives and stringent security requirements. The role demands a blend of technical expertise, strategic foresight, and leadership acumen, coupled with a deep understanding of Salesforce’s capabilities, enterprise architecture principles, and security best practices. The EA acts as a bridge between business stakeholders, technical teams, and external partners, ensuring that the Salesforce implementation not only addresses current needs but also provides a foundation for future scalability, flexibility, and innovation. The following delineates the core responsibilities and expectations for this role:

Architectural Design and Governance

• Solution Architecture: Design end-to-end Salesforce solutions that include Sales Cloud, Service Cloud, Marketing Cloud, Experience Cloud, or other Salesforce products, ensuring scalability, security, and compliance with industry standards.
• Integration Strategy: Develop robust integration frameworks for connecting Salesforce with other enterprise systems (e.g., ERP, CRM, data warehouses) using APIs, middleware, and Salesforce integration tools like MuleSoft.
• Data Architecture: Define data models, governance frameworks, and migration strategies, ensuring data quality, consistency, and adherence to security policies.
• Compliance and Security: Embed security at the core of the architecture, addressing compliance requirements such as GDPR, HIPAA, CCPA, FedRAMP, or FISMA, and implementing Salesforce Shield, encryption, and secure access controls.
• Governance Model: Establish a governance structure to standardize processes, enforce development best practices, and ensure alignment with enterprise architecture principles.

Technical Leadership and Development Oversight

• Platform Optimization: Leverage Salesforce best practices to optimize performance, including declarative tools, Apex programming, Lightning Web Components (LWCs), and Flow Builder.
• Customization vs. Configuration: Evaluate and recommend the appropriate balance between Salesforce configuration and custom development to meet client-specific requirements efficiently.
• Technical Guidance: Provide hands-on technical leadership and mentorship to development teams, reviewing code, design documents, and deployment plans to maintain quality and alignment with architectural standards.
• Release Management: Define and oversee a robust release management strategy, leveraging tools like Salesforce DevOps Center, Git, and CI/CD pipelines to streamline development and deployment.

Security and Risk Management

• Secure Design Principles: Implement least privilege access, secure session management, and role-based access controls, ensuring alignment with enterprise security policies.
• Identity and Access Management (IAM): Design and implement secure authentication mechanisms, including Single Sign-On (SSO), Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA), and integration with identity providers (IdPs) like Okta or Azure AD.
• Audit and Monitoring: Set up and monitor Salesforce Shield, Event Monitoring, and logging frameworks to detect and mitigate security threats proactively.
• Incident Response: Collaborate with security teams to define incident response protocols specific to Salesforce, addressing breaches, vulnerabilities, or compliance violations swiftly.

Innovation and Continuous Improvement

• Emerging Technologies: Stay abreast of Salesforce innovations, AI capabilities (e.g., Einstein), and industry trends to recommend enhancements and new use cases.
• Performance Tuning: Continuously monitor and optimize Salesforce applications to ensure high availability, reliability, and responsiveness.
• Feedback Loop: Establish feedback mechanisms to capture lessons learned, user feedback, and evolving requirements, refining the architecture and implementation approach over time.

Key Deliverables and Metrics of Success

• Architectural Blueprints: Detailed documentation of the Salesforce solution, including process flows, data models, integration diagrams, and security frameworks.
• Compliance Assurance: Validation that the Salesforce implementation complies with all applicable regulatory and contractual security requirements.
• Operational Metrics: Achievement of performance benchmarks such as reduced downtime, faster deployment cycles, and improved user satisfaction scores.
• Business Outcomes: Measurable improvements in key business metrics, such as increased sales productivity, enhanced customer satisfaction, and streamlined operations.

Required Technical and Professional Expertise

• TS/SCI + Full Scope Polygraph clearance is required
• Extensive experience in Salesforce architecture and implementation, with expertise in Sales Cloud, Service Cloud, Experience Cloud, and integrations, with a deep understanding of enterprise architecture principles, secure system design, and compliance with regulations like GDPR, HIPAA, or FedRAMP.
• Proven track record of designing and delivering Salesforce solutions in enterprise environments, with experience in highly regulated or secure industries (e.g., finance, DoD, Fed Civ).
• Proficiency in Salesforce technologies, including Apex, Lightning Web Components, and declarative tools, is essential.
• Hands-on knowledge of integration frameworks, APIs, and middleware (e.g., MuleSoft) is critical.
• The candidate should demonstrate strong leadership, stakeholder communication, and problem-solving skills, along with experience managing secure, large-scale implementations.
• Expertise in security protocols, SSO, MFA, and monitoring tools like Salesforce Shield is crucial.

Preferred Technical and Professional Expertise

• A background in highly regulated industries and a commitment to innovation, scalability, and compliance
• Salesforce Certified Technical Architect (CTA) or equivalent certifications such as Salesforce Certified Application Architect, System Architect, or Platform Developer.
• Proficiency in Salesforce tools and technologies, as well as complementary platforms and programming languages like Java, JavaScript, and SQL.”
• Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Computer Science, Information Technology, or a related field