Principal Enterprise Architect (Disney Experiences)

What You Will Do

• Contribute to and influence the enterprise strategy: Prioritizing initiatives by business impact and mapping investments into capability maps for Disney US Parks based roadmaps and initiatives (Attractions Access, Retail F&B and Merchandise, etc.)
• Strategic Partner: Serve as strategic partner and orchestrator for technology strategy and long-term technology roadmap
• Lead Through Influence: Operate as a senior advisor and strategic influencer to executives and domain leaders, helping align technology investments with business outcomes
• Advance Repository Practices: Ensure architectural metadata and taxonomy integrity within the BlueDolphin repository, enabling enterprise transparency and decision support
• Foster Collaboration: Build partnerships with Product, Engineering, Operations, and Security teams to co-own outcomes, not dictate them
• Communication and Influence: Translate architectural strategy into compelling business narratives that resonate with executive audiences and technical teams alike
• Champion Modernization and Platform Thinking: Lead initiatives that simplify, modernize, and integrate platforms across Disney US Parks
• Balance Short-Term Delivery with Long-Term Strategy: Facilitate informed trade-offs, track technical debt decisions, and ensure alignment with enterprise objectives.

What We’re Looking For

• Required Qualifications & Skills
  • Bachelor’s degree in computer science, Information Technology, or related field required
  • Expertise with enterprise architecture repository tools (e.g., tools similar to BlueDolphin or LeanIX)
  • Strong leadership experience mentoring architecture teams
  • Prowess in influencing without authority across technical and business domains
  • Experience defining and applying metadata models, taxonomy relationships, and governance
  • Demonstrated ability to lead cross-domain architectural initiatives and guide decision processes
  • Understanding of both front-end and back-end technologies
  • Excellent communication skills with the ability to explain technical decisions to business stakeholders
  • 10+ years of experience as a Solution or Enterprise Architect for roadmaps and initiatives similar to the following domains (Attractions Access, Retail F&B and Merchandise, etc.) (Preferably an Enterprise Architect)
  • 10+ years Engineering experience across multiple languages, both front-end and back-end
  • Expertise in modern programming languages and technologies
  • Experience with testing and debugging applications to deliver scalable enterprise solutions
  • Core Leadership Capabilities
    • Demonstrate executive presence: can influence VP and SVP level leaders without authority
    • Proven collaboration leader who mobilizes teams across organizational boundaries
    • Skilled storyteller who can articulate the “why” behind architectural direction in simple, business-relevant terms
    • Diplomatic and pragmatic — a trusted advisor who aligns people as effectively as systems
  • Enterprise Architecture Expertise
    • Deep understanding of governance frameworks and ARB operations
    • Experience developing and managing architecture taxonomies, patterns, and standards
    • Proven ability to align architecture with strategic objectives, OKRs, and scorecards
    • Hands-on familiarity with cloud platforms (AWS, Azure, GCP), API-led integration, security-by-design, and data architecture principles
    • Experience integrating emerging platforms or modernizing legacy systems at scale
  • Business and Cultural Alignment Experience
    • Supporting roadmaps and initiatives in domains similar to Attractions Access, Retail F&B and Merchandise, etc.
    • Thrives in a federated, creative, and high-visibility environment, where technology enables storytelling and guest experience
    • Comfortable operating in matrixed organizations and partnering with multiple business units
    • Exceptional written and verbal communication skills — clear, concise, and outcome-oriented
  • Preferred Qualifications
    • Advanced degree (MBA, MS) preferred
    • Experience delivering architecture in platform-oriented and product-led organizations
    • Background in API design and messaging standards
    • Knowledge of security-by-design principles and secure architecture practices
    • Experience integrating SaaS solutions and working with cloud platforms (AWS, Azure, GCP)
    • Familiarity with architecture maturity models and scorecards
    • Certifications such as TOGAF, ArchiMate, or equivalent enterprise architecture frameworks are desirable
    • 10+ years of experience working with cloud vendors
    • 10+ years of experience with databases (relational and non-relational)
    • Experience with SaaS vendor implementations
    • Familiarity with messaging patterns and API design best practices
    • Experience implementing security best practices and security-by-design

  The Ideal Candidate

  • Principal Enterprise Architect (US Parks) at Disney Experiences: Thinks strategically like an executive and acts pragmatically like a builder
  • Is as comfortable on stage presenting to VPs as in workshops with engineers
  • Believes architecture is a team sport — driven by collaboration, context, and clarity
  • Mesures success not by control, but by influence and adoption.

  Pay and Benefits

  • The hiring range for this position in Orlando, Florida is $175,000-$215,000 per year.
  • The base pay actually offered will take into account internal equity and also may vary depending on the candidate’s geographic region, job-related knowledge, skills, and experience among other factors.
  • A bonus and/or long-term incentive units may be provided as part of the compensation package, in addition to the full range of medical, financial, and/or other benefits, dependent on the level and position offered.