The Enterprise Software Architect is accountable for defining, evolving, and communicating the enterprise’s target-state architecture and technology strategy. This role ensures that software systems, data, platforms, and integration patterns are designed to scale, remain secure, and enable long-term business agility. The Enterprise Architect connects business strategy to technical execution, balancing near-term delivery with long-term architectural health.This role operates at the intersection of strategy, execution, and influence. Success requires deep technical credibility, strong business acumen, and the ability to guide senior technical leaders and executives toward sound, pragmatic technology decisions. This architecture role is a hands-on and strategic leadership position, accountable for defining the enterprise future state, ensuring positive business outcomes enabled by that future state, and holding accountability for ensuring implementation aligns with target-state architecture. In doing so, the Enterprise Software Architect demonstrates a clear preference to buy and integrate commercially available or partner-provided solutions over building bespoke systems, making build decisions intentionally and only where they create differentiated business value.This position is open across the United States with a preference for those in Seattle or the East Coast time zone. Seattle candidates will have a hybrid remote/in-office schedule where you will work from our casual, pet-friendly office at least 3 days a week. Key Outcomes & ImpactThe Enterprise Software Architect will:Establish and maintain a cohesive enterprise architecture vision aligned with business objectivesReduce complexity and technical debt through intentional simplification and modernizationEnable faster, safer delivery by providing clear standards, patterns, and guardrailsImprove technology investment decisions through roadmaps, governance, and metricsElevate architectural maturity across teams via mentorship, influence, and exampleResponsibilitiesEnterprise Architecture StrategyDefine and continuously evolve enterprise target-state architectures across application, data, integration, infrastructure, and security domainsDevelop and maintain multi-year architecture roadmaps that balance innovation, cost, risk, and delivery velocityTranslate business strategy into actionable architectural direction for product and platform teamsEnsure architectural decisions prioritize simplicity, scalability, resilience, and securityLeads the selection of new application, data, and infrastructure technologies and validates that selection aligns to target architecture and overall technology directionArchitecture Governance & StandardsEstablish, own, and evolve enterprise architecture standards, principles, patterns, and reference architecturesLead architecture reviews to ensure alignment with target-state direction while avoiding unnecessary bureaucracyPartner with engineering leadership to ensure governance is enabling rather than blocking deliveryPromote consistent adoption of standards while allowing for pragmatic, data-driven exceptionsDocument and evangelize utilization of AI technologies such as Codex, Claude, or other AI to to support Architectural practicesEnsure usage of AI in support of architectural deliverables meets governance and compliance considerationsSolution Alignment & Delivery EnablementCollaborate closely with Solution Architects, Principal Engineers, and Engineering Teams to align designs with enterprise strategyProvide architectural guidance during initiative inception, major design decisions, and complex trade-off discussionsSupport teams in designing cloud-native, event-driven, and API-first solutions where appropriateEnsure architectural decisions consider operational excellence, observability, and supportabilityModernization & Technical Debt ReductionAssess legacy systems and define clear modernization and migration strategiesIdentify and prioritize opportunities to reduce architectural risk, duplication, and long-term costGuide incremental modernization efforts that minimize disruption while advancing target-state goalsTechnology Evaluation & InnovationResearch and evaluate emerging technologies, platforms, and industry trendsProvides oversight to ensure Enterprise Architecture practices are maintained and continuously improvedProduce clear architecture decision records, whitepapers, and recommendations to support executive decision-makingEnsure new technology adoption aligns with enterprise standards, skills, and long-term strategyCommunication & InfluenceClearly communicate architectural intent, trade-offs, and decisions to technical and non-technical audiences, including executive leadershipChampion the value of enterprise architecture as a business enabler, not just a technical functionFacilitate alignment across teams, departments, and portfolios in a complex, fast-moving organizationCommunicates technology decisions and standards to the organization, driving understanding and appreciation for the value of architecture governance and standardsMetrics, Reporting & Continuous ImprovementDefine and track architecture health metrics (e.g., technical debt, standard adoption, system fitness)Measure and communicate the impact and value of enterprise architecture initiativesContinuously improve architecture practices, tooling, and ways of workingLeadership & MentorshipMentor and coach Solution Architects and senior engineersHelp grow architectural thinking across engineering teamsLead by example, modeling strong technical judgment, collaboration, and accountabilityDirectly manage and develop a small team of architects (1–3 direct reports), setting clear expectations, providing feedback, and supporting career growthBusiness Partnership & Strategic SupportPartner with business and technology leaders to ensure architecture enables current and future needsProvide architectural insight for M&A, vendor selection, and major investment decisionsContribute to budgeting, forecasting, and cost optimization discussions for technology initiativesWhat Success Looks LikeTeams deliver faster and with greater confidence because architectural direction is clearTechnology decisions align consistently with long-term enterprise goalsComplexity and technical debt decrease over timeArchitecture is viewed as a strategic partner and trusted advisor across the organization
