Enterprise Architect - Modernisation

ROLE SUMMARY

This role works closely with engineering, infrastructure, DevOps, security, product, and business stakeholders to define technology roadmaps, modernize legacy applications, and deliver scalable, resilient, and secure enterprise solutions. The role requires strong technical leadership, strategic thinking, and hands-on architectural expertise within a highly regulated banking environment - including the hands-on ability to modernize applications across .NET, Java, and Python stacks and move them off legacy frameworks to realize the true potential of cloud.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES

1. Enterprise Solution Architecture

• Design end-to-end architecture for complex, enterprise-grade, multi-tier applications from requirements gathering through implementation, deployment, and production support.
• Define scalable architecture patterns for cloud-native, distributed, and API-driven applications.
• Develop architecture blueprints, reference architectures, solution diagrams, and technical documentation.
• Ensure solutions align with enterprise architecture standards, security policies, and business objectives.

2. Application Modernization

• Lead modernization initiatives by transforming monolithic applications into loosely coupled, microservices-based architectures.
• Hands-on ability to modernize applications built on .NET, Java, and Python, migrating them off legacy frameworks to realize the true potential of cloud-native platforms.
• Define migration strategies for legacy applications to cloud-native platforms.
• Establish best practices for service decomposition, domain-driven design (DDD), and event-driven architectures.
• Drive adoption of modern software engineering principles and reusable architectural patterns.

3. Cloud Architecture & API Strategy

• Architect cloud-native solutions using AWS, Azure, or Google Cloud Platform (GCP).
• Hands-on experience designing and developing web applications, APIs, microservices, and data integrations for cloud-native applications.
• Design secure, scalable, and resilient RESTful and GraphQL APIs.
• Define cloud architecture patterns supporting high availability, disaster recovery, elasticity, and fault tolerance.
• Collaborate with cloud engineering teams to implement Infrastructure as Code (IaC) and automation.

4. Scalability, Performance & Reliability

• Design highly available, fault-tolerant, and resilient customer-facing applications capable of operating at enterprise banking scale.
• Define strategies for performance optimization, load balancing, auto-scaling, caching, high availability, disaster recovery, and business continuity.
• Identify opportunities for automation and operational efficiency improvements.

5. Architecture Governance

• Participate in architecture governance forums, design reviews, and technology evaluation committees.
• Establish reusable design standards, architecture principles, and governance frameworks.
• Review solution designs to ensure adherence to enterprise architecture and security standards.
• Promote engineering best practices across development teams.

6. Data Architecture

• Design enterprise data solutions leveraging both relational and NoSQL databases.
• Evaluate and recommend appropriate data storage technologies based on business requirements.
• Define data integration, data governance, and data security strategies.
• Work with database teams to optimize performance and scalability.

7. Cross-Functional Collaboration

• Partner with engineering teams, infrastructure teams, security teams, DevOps teams, product owners, and business stakeholders.
• Translate business requirements into scalable technical solutions.
• Clearly communicate architecture decisions, trade-offs, and implementation strategies to both technical and non-technical audiences.

8. Risk, Security & Compliance

• Ensure architecture complies with banking and financial services regulations including PCI-DSS, SOX, GLBA, and enterprise security standards.
• Apply secure-by-design principles across solution architecture.
• Collaborate with cybersecurity teams to address risks and compliance requirements.
• Support audit, governance, and regulatory reviews.

9. Leadership & Mentorship

• Provide technical leadership across multiple engineering teams.
• Mentor software engineers, technical leads, and junior architects.
• Drive architectural excellence and foster innovation across the organization.
• Influence strategic technology decisions and long-term platform roadmaps.

REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS

1. Experience

• 12-15 years of experience in software engineering, application development, or enterprise architecture.
• Extensive experience designing and delivering enterprise-scale, customer-facing applications.
• Proven success in architecting complex, distributed, multi-tier software systems.

2. Architecture Expertise

• Strong understanding of enterprise architecture, solution architecture, microservices architecture, service-oriented architecture (SOA), event-driven architecture, domain-driven design (DDD), API-first design, and cloud-native architecture.
• Knowledge of cloud-native design patterns, including microservices architecture and event-driven systems.

3. Cloud Technologies

• Hands-on experience with one or more cloud platforms: Amazon Web Services (AWS), Microsoft Azure, or Google Cloud Platform (GCP).
• Experience designing cloud-native applications, high availability architectures, disaster recovery solutions, infrastructure as code (IaC), and cloud security architectures.

4. Application Development

• Ability to modernize applications in .NET, Java, and Python, and get them out of legacy frameworks to realize the true potential of cloud.
• Hands-on experience in designing and developing web applications, APIs, microservices, and data integrations for cloud-native applications.
• Experience designing and supporting RESTful APIs, GraphQL APIs, microservices, event-driven systems, containerized applications, and enterprise integration platforms.

5. Database Technologies

• Strong knowledge of relational databases (Oracle, SQL Server, PostgreSQL, MySQL) and NoSQL databases (MongoDB, Cassandra, DynamoDB, Redis, Couchbase).
• Data modeling and database optimization.
• Legacy and modern database technologies.

6. Technical Domains

• Working experience in at least two or more of the following: infrastructure, cloud computing, security, DevOps, application development, or database technologies.

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS

2. Programming Knowledge

• Working knowledge of one or more languages: Java, Python, JavaScript, Golang, C#, C++, or Ruby, with practical exposure to .NET modernization.
• Frontend exposure: Angular, React, or Vue.js.

3. Security

• Secure-by-Design principles, cybersecurity architecture, identity & access management, and application security.

4. Architecture Frameworks

• Experience with TOGAF, enterprise architecture methodologies, and architecture governance frameworks.

5. Cloud Certifications (Preferred)

• AWS Certified Solutions Architect, Microsoft Azure Solutions Architect Expert, or Google Professional Cloud Architect.

6. Additional Skills

• Agile / SAFe delivery methodologies, DevOps and CI/CD pipelines, UI/UX design principles, executive stakeholder management, and business analysis and solution consulting.

CORE COMPETENCIES

• Technical Leadership - Deep expertise in enterprise architecture and modern application design.
• Strategic Thinking - Align technology decisions with business objectives and enterprise strategy.
• Communication - Present complex technical concepts effectively to executives, business leaders, and engineering teams.
• Collaboration - Partner with globally distributed, cross-functional teams to deliver enterprise solutions.
• Innovation - Drive modernization, automation, and continuous improvement initiatives.

Risk & Compliance - Strong understanding of regulatory requirements and secure architecture principles within banking environments