Role Purpose :

The ServiceNow Platform Development Architect is responsible for the overall technical architecture, governance, and strategic direction of the ServiceNow platform. This role ensures that all platform development activities, whether delivered internally or through implementation partners, adhere to established architectural standards, ServiceNow best practices, and enterprise governance requirements.

The Architect serves as the technical owner of the ServiceNow platform, driving platform scalability, stability, security, and maintainability while maximizing the adoption of out-of-the-box capabilities. The role oversees platform integrations, code quality, upgrade readiness, API governance, and data privacy compliance, while acting as the primary technical liaison with ServiceNow and other key stakeholders.

Key Responsibilities :

Platform Architecture & Governance :

- Define, maintain, and govern the overall ServiceNow platform architecture, ensuring alignment with business objectives and enterprise IT strategy.

- Establish and enforce development standards, design principles, coding guidelines, and technical governance frameworks.

- Review and approve solution designs, customizations, integrations, and enhancements to ensure adherence to ServiceNow best practices.

- Promote the use of out-of-the-box functionality and minimize unnecessary customization to maintain platform sustainability.

Development Oversight & Code Ownership :

- Own and govern the ServiceNow platform codebase across all environments.

- Conduct architecture and code reviews to ensure quality, performance, maintainability, and compliance with established standards.

- Provide technical leadership and guidance to development teams, technical leads, and implementation partners.

- Manage the complete application lifecycle, including development, testing, deployment, and retirement.

Integration & API Management :

- Define and govern enterprise integration patterns, API standards, and connectivity frameworks.

- Oversee integrations with internal and external systems using Integration Hub, REST/SOAP APIs, MID Servers, and other ServiceNow integration capabilities.

- Ensure secure API design and implementation, including authentication and authorization mechanisms such as OAuth and Basic Authentication.

- Monitor and optimize integration performance, reliability, and scalability.

Platform Upgrades & Continuous Improvement :

- Lead platform upgrade planning, impact assessments, testing, and deployment activities.

- Ensure platform readiness for ServiceNow releases through proactive review of deprecated features and compatibility risks.

- Establish and oversee automated testing strategies, including Automated Test Framework (ATF) adoption and governance.

- Identify opportunities for platform optimization, innovation, and capability expansion.

Security, Risk & Compliance :

- Ensure platform compliance with enterprise security policies, regulatory requirements, and data privacy standards.

- Implement and enforce secure development practices and platform security controls.

- Govern access management, data protection, auditability, and privacy requirements, including compliance with regulations such as GDPR.

- Collaborate with cybersecurity and risk teams to address vulnerabilities and maintain platform resilience.

Stakeholder & Vendor Management :

- Serve as the primary technical point of contact for ServiceNow and related technology partners.

- Engage with business stakeholders, product owners, and IT leadership to translate business requirements into scalable technical solutions.

- Communicate architectural decisions, technical risks, and strategic recommendations to both technical and non-technical audiences.

- Support roadmap planning and long-term platform strategy.

Required Qualifications & Experience :

Education :

- Bachelor's degree in Information Technology, Computer Science, Engineering, or a related discipline.

Experience :

- Minimum 8 years of hands-on ServiceNow experience, including platform development, administration, and solution design.

- At least 2 years of experience in a ServiceNow Platform Architect, Solution Architect, or Senior Technical Lead role.

- Proven experience managing enterprise-scale ServiceNow implementations and platform governance.

Technical Expertise :

- Deep understanding of ServiceNow architecture, platform capabilities, data models, upgrade mechanisms, and development frameworks.

Strong expertise in :

1. JavaScript

2. AngularJS

3. PowerShell

4. Glide APIs

5. Flow Designer

6. Integration Hub

7. MID Server Architecture

8. CMDB Design and Governance

- Strong knowledge of integration design patterns, REST/SOAP web services, and API management.

Security & Compliance :

- Strong understanding of enterprise security frameworks and secure application development practices.

- Experience with authentication and authorization technologies, including OAuth and Basic Authentication.

- Knowledge of data privacy and regulatory compliance requirements (e.g., GDPR).

Leadership & Communication :

- Demonstrated ability to lead technical teams and influence architectural decisions across multiple stakeholders.

- Strong analytical, problem-solving, and decision-making capabilities.

- Excellent verbal and written communication skills with the ability to engage both technical and business audiences.

Certifications :

Required :

- ServiceNow Certified System Administrator (CSA)

Preferred :

- ServiceNow Certified Application Developer (CAD)

- ServiceNow Certified Technical Architect (CTA) or equivalent advanced ServiceNow certifications

Preferred Experience :

- Experience leading ServiceNow platform upgrades and release management activities.

- Hands-on experience with Automated Test Framework (ATF).

- Exposure to ITSM, ITOM, ITAM, SecOps, or other ServiceNow product suites in large enterprise environments.

Success Measures :

- Adherence to platform architecture and development standards.

- Platform stability, scalability, and performance.

- Successful delivery of upgrades with minimal business disruption.

- Reduction in technical debt and unnecessary customizations.

- Secure and compliant platform operations.

- High-quality integration and API governance.

- Effective collaboration with stakeholders, development teams, and ServiceNow partners.