Principal Enterprise Architect

Description

The company is setting up an Enterprise Architecture function and is hiring a Principal Enterprise Architect. You will report to the CIO of a $1B+ public software company.

The company makes an AI-powered platform that brings finance, risk and sustainability data together for large organizations, and its software is used by executives, boards and regulators.

You will start as an individual contributor with cross-functional support, with a planned roadmap to recruit and lead a dedicated EA team as the function grows.

This is a building role rather than a maintenance role. You will define what does not exist yet and connect business strategy, systems, data and AI initiatives.

Working with business technology, data and security leaders, you will set architecture standards and build the base architecture for enterprise AI work.

Responsibilities

• Create the EA operating model, principles, governance cadence and a practical framework sized to the company and its pace.
• Write and keep current the core technology standards, reference architectures and multi-year roadmaps for business systems and data platforms, bringing in consultants for quick current-state reviews when needed.
• Run formal architecture reviews for major technology spending, checking alignment with standards, security, scalability and cost.
• Set the enterprise AI architecture direction, covering model integration, LLM and agent frameworks, build versus buy decisions, cloud AI services and internal AI platform work.
• With security, legal and data governance teams, write responsible AI policies, data privacy standards and architectural guardrails for copilots, agents and automation in core systems.
• Advise executives on emerging AI architecture trends, risks and their strategic effects.
• Define data architecture standards covering governance, data flows and master data management, plus API integration frameworks, working with data and engineering teams.
• Review the application portfolio to find consolidation options, reduce technical debt and remove duplicate systems.
• Build consensus on complex technology decisions across business, engineering and security without direct authority over them.
• Make the case for expanding EA, then hire, mentor and manage future architects as the function grows.

Requirements

• 10+ years in progressively senior IT or technology roles with a degree, or 8+ years with an advanced degree.
• 5+ years in enterprise architecture, solutions architecture or architecture leadership.
• A track record of building or substantially maturing an EA function, ideally at a mid-size company ($500M, $5B revenue) or a high-growth company.
• Deep knowledge of business systems architecture (ERP, CRM, financial systems) and data architecture principles.
• Hands-on experience designing or overseeing AI/ML integration into enterprise systems, including LLM tools, AI copilots or data platforms that support AI use cases.
• A working understanding of AI security, data privacy and governance.
• A strong grasp of cloud architecture on AWS, Azure or GCP, integration patterns and modern data platforms.
• Experience working with or managing outside consultants or implementation partners.
• Strong communication skills, able to explain complex architecture to both technical teams and executives.
• Comfort working largely on your own as a 'team of one' while building toward a larger function.
• Preferred: experience at a publicly traded company, with awareness of how SOX, audit and compliance affect architecture decisions.
• Preferred: familiarity with EA frameworks such as TOGAF and Zachman. Certification is a plus.
• Preferred: direct experience setting up formal AI governance frameworks or responsible AI policies.
• Preferred: advanced experience with agentic AI frameworks, MCP (Model Context Protocol) or enterprise AI platforms such as Microsoft Copilot Studio, Anthropic Claude or OpenAI enterprise tools.
• Preferred: background in software or SaaS, understanding both internal enterprise systems and product-side architecture.

Conditions

Up to 20% travel.

Reliable internet access is needed for any remote work done outside a company office, for any length of time.

Employees must complete security and privacy training suited to their role, in line with company policy and regulatory standards.

The company supports working from an office or remotely from any location within your country of employment.

The salary range shown is the low and high end for this job in the US. Minimums and maximums may vary by location, and the final offer depends on skills, qualifications, experience and other relevant factors.

Hiring decisions do not consider age, race, creed, color, religion, sex, national origin, ancestry, disability status, veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, genetic information, marital status, citizenship status or any other protected characteristic.

Benefits

• A discretionary bonus, typically paid annually.
• Restricted Stock Units granted at the time of hire.
• A 401(k) match and a comprehensive employee benefits package.