Principal Solution Architect

Core Responsibilities

• Define and evolve solution architecture strategies that support enterprise objectives across multiple domains and technology ecosystems.
• Develop and maintain reusable architecture blueprints, design standards, and implementation frameworks for product and platform teams.
• Establish architecture principles and decision guidelines that promote consistency, scalability, and maintainability.
• Drive adoption of standardized architectural practices across business and technology organizations.
• Ensure solution architecture approaches align with broader enterprise architecture direction and technology strategies.
• Lead architectural planning and design for complex initiatives spanning multiple business functions, platforms, or value streams.
• Provide architectural guidance throughout the lifecycle of strategic programs and technology investments.
• Translate business goals and technology strategies into practical solution architectures and implementation approaches.
• Identify dependencies, architectural risks, integration challenges, and scalability considerations early in program planning.
• Establish architecture guardrails, design controls, and review processes that encourage both innovation and compliance.
• Partner with Enterprise Architecture teams to align solution patterns with enterprise standards and target-state architectures.
• Evaluate technology alternatives and provide recommendations regarding platform selection, integration strategies, and build-versus-buy decisions.
• Review solution proposals to ensure adherence to architectural principles, security requirements, and operational standards.
• Escalate non-standard technology approaches, enterprise-level risks, and exception requests when appropriate.
• Collaborate with business leaders, engineering teams, product management, platform organizations, security teams, and architects to drive solution alignment.
• Influence technology direction across multiple teams and organizational boundaries without formal authority.
• Facilitate architecture discussions and decision-making processes among diverse stakeholder groups.
• Serve as a trusted advisor on complex technical and business challenges.
• Represent solution architecture within governance forums, leadership discussions, and technology review boards.

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Computer Science, Information Technology, Engineering, or a related field, or equivalent practical experience.
• Significant experience designing and leading enterprise-scale solution architectures across diverse technology environments.
• Demonstrated success defining, implementing, and governing architecture frameworks, standards, and reusable design patterns.
• Strong expertise in modern technology domains, including cloud platforms, application architectures, APIs, integration services, data platforms, artificial intelligence, and distributed systems.
• Experience evaluating complex business requirements and translating them into effective technical solutions.
• Proven ability to influence strategic technology decisions across matrixed organizations.
• Strong understanding of Agile, product-centric, and iterative delivery methodologies.
• Excellent communication and stakeholder management skills with the ability to engage both technical and executive audiences.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience operating within large-scale enterprise environments with federated technology organizations.
• Background working in highly regulated industries such as insurance, financial services, healthcare, or similar sectors.
• Experience with cloud transformation initiatives, digital modernization programs, and platform engineering practices.
• Familiarity with enterprise integration strategies, event-driven architectures, API ecosystems, and AI-enabled solutions.
• Experience supporting governance frameworks, risk management processes, and compliance-driven technology environments.
• Relevant industry certifications or advanced education in architecture, cloud computing, or technology leadership.

Key Competencies

• Enterprise-scale solution architecture and systems design expertise.
• Strong understanding of architecture governance, standards management, and technology strategy.
• Ability to develop reusable frameworks, architectural patterns, and implementation guidance.
• Skilled at balancing business priorities, technical debt, risk, cost, and delivery timelines.
• Strong analytical thinking and problem-solving capabilities.
• Excellent facilitation, negotiation, and consensus-building skills.
• Able to simplify complex technical concepts for diverse audiences.
• Experience leading through influence in highly collaborative and matrixed organizations.
• Commitment to building scalable, secure, resilient, and maintainable technology solutions.
• Passion for mentoring others and advancing architectural maturity across the enterprise.