Principal Architect - Compliance Risk Technology
About This Role
Wells Fargo, one of the world's leading financial institutions, is seeking a Principal Architect to lead the next generation of Compliance Risk Technology architecture across the enterprise. In this role, you will provide architectural leadership and technical direction for modernization initiatives across Employee Compliance, Regulatory Compliance, Surveillance, and the broader Compliance Risk landscape. These platforms are central to the firm's regulatory commitments and operational integrity, and the architectural decisions made in this role will have impact across the enterprise.
You will partner closely with senior leaders across business, risk, and technology, serving as a trusted advisor on architectural direction and long term strategy. You will translate complex regulatory and business requirements into clear, defensible technology approaches, while guiding how data, analytics, artificial intelligence, and intelligent automation are thoughtfully and responsibly integrated into Compliance Risk operations at scale. This role is well suited for a seasoned architect with deep experience in regulated environments, a demonstrated ability to modernize complex technology ecosystems, and the judgment to balance immediate regulatory needs with long range platform evolution that delivers lasting value to the organization.
Required Qualifications
- 7+ years of architecture experience, or equivalent demonstrated through one or a combination of the following: work experience, training, military experience, education
- 7+ years of experience as a Principal, Lead, or Enterprise Architect (or equivalent senior engineering leadership role)
- 7+ years of experience in Compliance, Regulatory, Surveillance, Employee Compliance, or Risk Management Technology architecture
- 5+ years of experience with microservices and domain-driven architecture approaches
- 5+ years of experience architecting modern data platforms, including object storage and open technologies
- 5+ years of experience designing API-first and event-driven integration patterns
- 3+ years of experience designing and delivering AI/ML and NLP-based solutions in regulated compliance, risk, or financial environments
Desired Qualifications
- Ability to operate with executive presence while remaining hands-on where it matters
- Bias toward simplification, reuse, and platform-based thinking
- Willingness to challenge legacy patterns to drive durable, compliant, long-term outcomes
- Proven ability to synthesize complex ecosystems into rationalized, target-state architectures
- Demonstrated success modernizing large, fragmented technology estates into integrated platforms
- Experience supporting regulatory remediation programs, consent orders, or sustained examination cycles
- Experience architecting platforms across first-line, second-line, and audit use cases
- Strong understanding of enterprise data governance and model risk management frameworks
- Strong communication skills with the ability to influence engineers, risk partners, and executive stakeholders
Pay Range
$159,000.00 - $305,000.00
Benefits
Health benefits
401(k) Plan
Paid time off
Disability benefits
Life insurance, critical illness insurance, and accident insurance
Parental leave
Critical caregiving leave
Discounts and savings
Commuter benefits
Tuition reimbursement
Scholarships for dependent children
Adoption reimbursement
Job Expectations
- Ability to work onsite at one of the posted locations
- Willingness to travel up to 10% of the time
- Partner with senior technical and business leaders to drive modernization, simplification, and target-state strategies, including detailed, hands-on architectures and prototypes