Senior Solutions Architect II - Enterprise Architecture

About Enterprise Architecture:

Enterprise Architecture is an organization within the Chief Technology Officer at American Express and it is a key enabler of the company's technology strategy. The four pillars of Enterprise Architecture include:

• Architecture as Code: this pillar owns and operates foundational technologies that are leveraged by engineering teams across the enterprise.

• Architecture as Design: this pillar includes the solution and technical design for transformation programs and business critical projects which need architectural guidance and support.

• Governance: this pillar is responsible for defining technical standards, and developing innovative tools that automate controls to ensure compliance.

• Colleague Enablement: this pillar is focused on colleague development, recognition, training, and enterprise outreach.

• Ensures Technology Platform solutions are aligned with the corresponding Platform Blueprint and Company Platform roadmaps; may be called on to be the Technology Platform Single Point of Contact (SPOC)
• Focuses on cross-platform integration to use and optimize platform capabilities
• Ensures the engineered environment meets the specification in terms of business requirements, application design and infrastructure requirements, i.e. accountable for the platform integration performance and efficiency
• Performs hands-on solution architecture design work and actively participates in design and code reviews to ensure both delivery of desired business outcomes and alignment to enterprise standards
• Provides input and functional direction to the Technology Platforms API strategy and implementation roadmap
• Works with Business and Data Architects to align and incorporate their input into platform solutions
• Responsible for coaching and mentoring engineering resources on solution architecture, providing advice, mentorship and assistance to less experienced colleagues as required
• Identifies technical solutions and business process improvements in support of the business and IT strategic direction
• Finds opportunities to embrace innovative technologies
• Interacts with business partners and product engineering teams to share and direct architecture practices that may affect business solution delivery
• Provides architectural governance, reviewing projects to ensure alignment to architectural and technical strategy by driving Technology Platform to Platform Architecture Review (PAR) approval level
• Advises product delivery resources on the best time to engage dependent teams (for example, database engineering teams)
• Ensures accurate asset information is documented and recorded in the appropriate repositories for the assigned portfolio

• 4-5 years of hands-on programming experience meaningful to the assigned Technology Platform in a professional environment and/or comparable experience such as:
  • Advanced hands-on experience with application solution architecture design and end-toend software development of complex distributed (multi-tiered) systems
  • Prior experience in multiple IT disciplines with a confirmed understanding of architectural concepts (business, data, technical and solution) and track record of implementation
  • Extensive experience using a systems analysis and design methodology that is applicable to an agile product environment
  • Bachelors Degree in computer science, engineering, information systems or related field required; advanced degree preferred
• Prior hands-on experience with one or more core technology stack components within the assigned portfolio, such as relevant frameworks and/or programming languages
• Advanced to authoritative level knowledge and understanding of solution architecture, complex application systems design and platform integration via modern approaches (i.e. RESTful APIs)
• Proven understanding of relevant supporting architecture domains required to align and deliver solutions (business, information, application, technical, etc.)
• Ability to perform system design reviews to ensure selection of appropriate technology, efficient use of resources, and alignment to strategic platform roadmaps
• Channel-specific solution architecture skills as required by the assigned platform, such as web, mobile, voice or interactive media
• Domain Expertise in Bill Payment and Money Movement platforms and APIs, including but not limited to: Open Banking, ACH, Nacha, Bill Pay, Remittance, wire payments, RTP, P2P, credit/debit, and crypto
• Successful solution architecture implementations that impact significant Mobile and Web Engineering initiatives
• Advanced skills with Open Source components, frameworks and complex systems integration
• Full understanding of Service Oriented Architecture design principles, execution patterns and performance optimization techniques
• Able to participate in the prevention, diagnosis, and resolution of system outages as a leader in the underlying architecture
• Experienced level understanding of relevant SDLC methodologies, practices and compliance policies/procedures
• Deep business capability domain knowledge relative to the assigned portfolio
• Able to acquire results with an emphasis on reducing cycle time and growing the speed to market of new products
• Excellent interpersonal skills (verbal and written), as well as effective consultative and influential leadership skills
• Well versed in current industry best practices regarding solution delivery disciplines
• Strong business insight with the ability to identify key issues and their impact in a broad business context