ZapThink frequently writes about how organizational, political, and funding issues are typically the greatest challenges facing Service-Oriented Architecture (SOA) initiatives in most organizations. Such roadblocks are large and varied: project-based funding approaches impede cross-departmental initiatives, lack of business buy-in marginalizes architectural efforts, and the absence of a committed executive champion can lead to tactical decisions trumping strategic ones just when strategic initiatives like SOA need the most support. Among the various approaches organizations take to overcome such obstacles, one technique is increasing dramatically in popularity: bringing on board a new executive responsible for the enterprise's SOA initiatives. Finding the right person for this complex, cross-functional role, however, is far from easy. To aid these efforts, therefore, ZapThink presents our take on the job description for your new VP of SOA.
Job Description for the VP of SOA
Visionary, hardworking executive wanted to drive this Fortune 500 or public sector firm's cross-organizational SOA efforts. The ideal candidate will first and foremost be a business process guru who also has broad experience in IT. Must have a background in architecture and ten-plus years in increasingly senior management roles.
