Principal Enterprise Architect

SUMMARY:
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POSITION INFO:

• Develop and evolve the enterprise architecture blueprint, frameworks and target-state architecture, ensuring alignment with long-term business objectives and future-state technology vision.
• Define and maintain architectural principles, domain strategies, and standardized reference models that support scalable, interoperable, and secure technology ecosystems.
• Translate corporate strategy, regulatory mandates, and digital transformation goals into clear architectural initiatives and target-state designs.
• Lead multi-year roadmap development across technology domains including applications, data, integration, infrastructure and security in collaboration with domain architects and delivery teams.
• Continuously assess technology trends and emerging innovations to guide modernization and strategic platform selection.

Governance & Oversight

• Chair Architecture & Design Review Boards (ARBs) to review, guide, and approve solution designs, ensuring consistency with enterprise standards and strategic objectives.

Define governance processes for architectural compliance, exception 

• management, and deviation tracking across business portfolios and technical teams.
• Perform architecture assurance and gap assessments to identify technical risk, misalignment, and opportunities for consolidation or optimization.
• Ensure ongoing enforcement and evolution of architecture policies, design standards, and lifecycle documentation for all enterprise assets.
• Support audit readiness and regulatory compliance by embedding architecture governance in change delivery.

Collaboration & Stakeholder Engagement

• Act as a strategic advisor to Head of Architecture, shaping investment decisions and prioritizing technology initiatives based on architectural insights.
• Work closely with product managers, domain architects, engineers, and business analysts to co-create architectural solutions that meet functional and non-functional requirements.
• Build alignment across multiple delivery streams and business units to ensure architecture decisions enable reusability, resilience, and cost-effectiveness.

Facilitate cross-functional design workshops, architecture forums, and technical deep-dives to enable 

• shared understanding and decision-making.
• Represent the enterprise architecture function in vendor evaluations, technology partnerships, and RFP/RFI processes.

Architecture Delivery

• Lead the design and evolution of enterprise-scale platforms, including cloud-native systems, Payment Systems, API gateways, service orchestration layers, event-driven architectures, and data lakes.
• Guide the definition of architecture enablers and technical epics within agile planning cycles
• Ensure timely delivery of architecture artifacts and technical blueprints to support sprint-level execution and platform runway readiness.
• Monitor implementation of architectural designs to ensure conformance with standards and provide hands-on support in resolving complex design challenges.

Foster DevSecOps and platform engineering practices by integrating architecture with CI/CD pipelines, security automation, and observability frameworks

Technical Experience:

Essential:

· Proven track record in defining and evolving enterprise-wide architecture strategies, reference models, and technology roadmaps.

· Deep understanding of enterprise architecture frameworks such as TOGAF, Zachman, or FEAF, and experience applying them in complex organizations.

· Experience driving architecture transformations aligned to digital business models (e.g., omnichannel, platform as a service, composable architectures).

· Demonstrated hands-on experience architecting across multiple domains, including:

o Applications: Monolith to microservices decomposition, modernization, and lifecycle management.

o Data: Master Data Management (MDM), data lakes, streaming pipelines (e.g., Kafka), and analytics platforms.

o Integration: API-led design (REST, GraphQL), event-driven architecture, service mesh, and ESB replacement strategies.

o Infrastructure & Cloud: Hybrid/multi-cloud architectures (AWS, Azure, GCP), container orchestration (Kubernetes), IaaS/PaaS adoption models.

· Deep understanding of architectural implications for regulatory compliance frameworks (e.g., PCI-DSS, GDPR, ISO 27001).

· Experience integrating Zero Trust Architecture, identity management (OAuth2, OpenID, SAML), and encryption protocols into enterprise design.

· Familiarity with architecture risk assessments, threat modelling, and secure-by-design principles.

· Experience of various software engineering playbook frameworks (Agile development, Automated testing, Code reviews, Continuous delivery, Continuous integration, Machine learning. Observability, Privacy, Reliability, Security)

· Strong experience in designing high traffic, scalable, reliable, and secure software systems.

· Knowledge of architectural styles and patterns (e.g., Microservices, SOA, MVC, Event-driven architecture).

· Understanding of cloud architecture and services (e.g., serverless computing, containerization, orchestration).

· Experience with data modelling, data warehousing, and data integration.

· Experience in Mobile App Development and Mini-app Frameworks

· Experience with architectural modeling tools (e.g., ArchiMate, Sparx EA)

· Experience leading or supporting large-scale modernization or transformation programs (e.g., core banking revamp, mobile money overhaul, ERP replacement).

Desirable

· Experience of continuous delivery and release automation processes.

· Experience in Blockchain Software Architecture, AI/ML-driven decision systems, edge computing, etc

· Experience in Orchestration Architectural Patterns

· Knowledge and interest in market leading Payments technologies, suppliers and innovations

· Understanding of technical and architectural policies and ability to transform that policy into detailed technical design.

· Experience in Vendor assessment and technical due diligence for major platform selections.

Must have technical / professional qualifications:

Educational Qualifications:

· Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Computer Science, Information Systems, Engineering, or related field, or equivalent work experience.

· TOGAF, Zachman, or similar EA certification preferred.

· 8 years technical background inclusive of software architecture, software design, software development in a large enterprise environment

· Domain experience in Financial Services and Financial technologies will be an added advantage

· Has demonstrable knowledge and experience in both Agile and Waterfall methodologies