One step down, from the Enterprise Architect, in terms of visibility, is the Program Architect (PA).
The main responsibility of the PA is the strategy of the entire program within Salesforce. A program is usually composed of one or more projects. Programs can also start before the design phase, and extend beyond the roll-out phase.
So this position has a significant impact on the success of all Salesforce projects.
To be a PA, one needs to possess
- Wide-ranging Salesforce technical knowledge
- Some project management skills
- Communication skills
As you may have guessed, the PA is a natural progression of the Solution Architect. That is, once a Solution Architect becomes sufficiently advanced, they can move into a PA position.
It’s interesting to note that PAs tend to work at agencies, rather than be self-employed. This is because agencies generally have more large-scale projects that need a PA. Also, since it requires so much input, it’s normal for a PA to only work on one or two programs at a time. Anything further would spread their attention too thin.
In terms of certifications, the more the PA has, the better. They tend to have at least the Application Architect and/or System Architect certs.
The takeaway
The impressive PA is like the head coach in a football game. They know the strategies, guide the quarterback, and inspire the team.