Application&Domain Architect | Operations, Johannesburg

Application&Domain Architect Location: Johannesburg

Business Unit: Information Technology

Reports To: Enterprise / Solution Architect Lead

Role Overview Lesaka, a fintech company focused on digitising commerce in Africa, seeks an Application&Domain Architect to design and govern scalable, modular, and well‑governed systems. The role sits at the centre of our technology evolution, shaping the application architecture that connects ERP, CRM, payments, data, and core merchant platforms into a unified ecosystem.

Key Responsibilities

Define and maintain application architecture standards, patterns, and reference models aligned to enterprise architecture principles.

Review and approve application solution designs before implementation.

Develop domain capability models linking business processes to technology services.

Identify technical debt and define remediation roadmaps.

Standardise architecture patterns including APIs, microservices, and modular design principles.

Define canonical data models and domain boundaries across platforms.

Design reusable integration and API interaction patterns across systems.

Review and approve integration designs between ERP, CRM, core systems, and data platforms.

Reduce point‑to‑point integrations through API‑led and middleware‑driven architecture approaches.

Partner with Integration and Engineering teams to ensure consistent architecture standards across domains.

Participate in Architecture Review Boards and governance forums.

Maintain architecture risk registers covering scalability, security, resilience, and maintainability.

Ensure architecture decisions are documented with clear rationale and traceability.

Monitor adherence to architecture standards across delivery lifecycles and escalate risks.

Evaluate platforms, tools, and technologies against architecture standards and business objectives.

Conduct build‑vs‑buy‑vs‑integrate assessments for new capabilities.

Maintain application lifecycle roadmaps covering modernisation, rationalisation, and retirement decisions.

Identify overlapping or redundant applications and recommend optimisation opportunities.

Contribute to technology budgeting and roadmap planning aligned to enterprise priorities.

Engage business stakeholders to translate requirements into scalable architecture solutions.

Facilitate workshops aligning business capabilities to application and domain architecture.

Support delivery teams to ensure architectural intent is implemented correctly.

Communicate architectural decisions, trade‑offs, and constraints clearly across technical and non‑technical audiences.

Resolve conflicts between business priorities and architecture standards where required.

What You'll Bring

Strong experience in enterprise, application, or domain architecture environments.

Deep understanding of application integration, APIs, and domain‑driven design principles.

Experience with ERP, CRM, payments, and enterprise platform ecosystems.

Exposure to cloud‑native architecture and integration platforms.

Strong understanding of architecture governance, standards, and risk management practices.

Ability to communicate complex technical concepts clearly to business stakeholders.

Experience&Qualifications

5+ years in IT, with at least 3 years in an architecture‑focused role.

Experience in complex, multi‑product or multi‑business‑unit environments preferred.

Financial services, fintech, or payments industry experience advantageous.

Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science, Information Systems, Engineering, or equivalent.

TOGAF 9/10 certification essential.

AWS, Azure, or GCP Solutions Architect certification advantageous.

Core Competencies

Strategic insight: Understanding how today’s architecture decisions shape future scalability and operational agility.

Analytical thinking: Breaking down complex system landscapes into practical, governed solutions.

Innovation focus: Identifying architecture patterns and technologies that create long‑term business value.

Collaboration: Partnering effectively across Product, Engineering, Data, Infrastructure, and business teams.

Accountability: Owning architecture quality, standards, and governance outcomes.

Resilience under pressure: Operating effectively in fast‑moving, high‑complexity environments.

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