Jira Architect

Berkeley, CA

Contracted

Experienced

About the Organization
A nationally recognized research institution where your work directly supports groundbreaking scientific programs. We build the infrastructure behind some of the most impactful research in the country.

About the Role
We are seeking an experienced Jira Architect Contractor to lead a large-scale transition from a decentralized, "one-space-per-project" Jira footprint to a standardized, multi-tiered enterprise architecture. This role will work embedded with our internal Work Structure team to finalize a global Jira architecture, remediate significant configuration drift (custom fields, screens, and workflows), execute data migrations, and provide organizational change management and leadership enablement.

This is a hands-on, high-visibility engagement for a Jira expert who enjoys solving complex structural problems, standardizing chaotic environments, and enabling both individual teams and executive leadership to work more effectively within Jira.

What You'll Do
Architectural Design & Alignment

Finalize the global issue hierarchy (Initiative → Epic → Story/Task/Bug), ensuring seamless cross-space linking and dependency mapping
Design the structural architecture for long-term Portfolio, Procurement, Programs, and Group/Department spaces
Architect the deployment of Jira's native Goals feature to map strategic objectives to the work delivery layer
Evaluate, refine, and scale the current use of Atlassian Teams across the instance
Refine and improve Advanced Roadmaps plans and architect reporting for status, progress, dates, blockers, and Goal completion metrics

Data Remediation & Technical Standardization

Audit, rationalize, and merge redundant custom fields, workflow statuses, resolutions, notification schemes, and screen layouts
Build a standardized set of reusable workflow schemes for software engineering, operations, and administrative functions
Clean up historical, orphaned, or obsolete components, labels, versions, and permission groups; formulate an archiving strategy for inactive projects

Change Management, Migration & Implementation

Guide teams through transitioning from legacy dedicated spaces into shared Group/Department spaces
Lead technical execution of bulk data mapping, migration, and cleansing without data loss or downtime
Support teams in aligning Team profiles, boards, and plans with the new structure, without disrupting active sprint tracking or cross-project dependencies
Act as a neutral technical advisor to resolve competing requirements between departments regarding field or workflow customization

Training & Governance Enablement

Design and deliver leadership enablement sessions on portfolio visibility, dashboard consumption, and capacity tracking
Provide deep-dive documentation and training for internal Jira administrators and team leads
Author a Jira Governance Playbook detailing change control procedures for new custom fields, projects, and integrations

Required Qualifications

Minimum 3 years of hands-on Jira administration experience, including workflow design, permission schemes, and custom field configuration
Demonstrated experience with Jira Cloud
Experience configuring portfolio-level project structures for organizations of comparable scale (100+ users, multiple departments)
Proficiency with Jira Automation
Ability to create and document dashboards and filters for executive audiences

Preferred Qualifications

Atlassian Certified Professional (ACP), Jira Administrator, or equivalent certification
Prior experience supporting research, government, or higher-education organizations
Familiarity with portfolio or program management frameworks (e.g., PMI, SAFe, or similar)
Experience integrating Jira with Confluence for documentation and governance publishing
Background in change management or organizational rollout of collaboration tooling

Engagement Requirements

Available for remote collaboration
Able to participate in stakeholder interviews and workshops during Pacific Time business hours
Must be eligible to work in the United States

Key Deliverables Over the Engagement

Enterprise Jira Architecture Blueprint
Jira Configuration Assessment & Remediation Plan
Standardized Jira Configuration Library
Goals & Strategic Alignment Implementation
Advanced Roadmaps Portfolio Framework
Data Migration Strategy & Project Migration Execution
Cleanup & Archiving Implementation
Executive & Operational Reporting/Dashboard Suite
Group/Department Guidance Artifacts
Leadership Training Program
Administrator & Power User Training Package
Jira Governance Document
Monthly Status & Executive Reporting
Final Engagement Closeout Package

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How many years of hands-on Jira administration experience do you have, specifically including workflow design, permission schemes, and custom field configuration?*

Do you have experience with Jira Cloud (as opposed to Jira Data Center/Server only)?*

Describe a portfolio-level Jira architecture you've configured for an organization with 100+ users and multiple departments. Include the scale, your specific role, and the outcome.*

Rate your proficiency with Jira Automation.*

Have you built dashboards or filters intended for executive/leadership audiences? Please describe an example.*

Do you hold an Atlassian Certified Professional (ACP) – Jira Administrator certification or equivalent? (Yes/No — if yes, specify)*

Do you have experience integrating Jira with Confluence for documentation or governance publishing?*

Please note that this position is unable to provide visa sponsorship, now or in the future. Are you authorized to work in the U.S. without sponsorship?*

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