Director Enterprise Architecture

Director Enterprise Architecture

We are seeking a highly experienced and strategic Director of Enterprise Architecture to lead our Enterprise Architecture function based in India. This senior leadership role is critical in shaping the technology future for Ford Credit's global operations. You will be responsible for leading and mentoring a talented team of architects in India, while collaborating closely with Enterprise Architecture Directors and teams located in North America and Europe.

The successful candidate will possess a strong blend of deep technical expertise, strategic vision, and exceptional relationship management skills. You will drive the development and evolution of architectural strategies, standards, and roadmaps that support our global business needs across a wide range of domains, including digital platforms (web, mobile), enterprise integrations, data management, risk systems, AI/ML capabilities, lending/banking platforms, and customer service solutions. This role requires someone who can not only define the 'what' and 'how' from an architectural perspective but also effectively communicate the 'why' to stakeholders at various levels across the organization.

• Architectural Leadership & Strategy:
  • Lead the development, communication, and governance of enterprise architectural strategies, principles, standards, and roadmaps for Ford Credit globally, with a focus on alignment across regions (India, NA, Europe).
  • Provide strategic guidance and oversight for the architectural design and implementation of complex, large-scale solutions supporting global business needs across diverse domains (Digital, Data, AI, Lending, Banking, Risk, Customer Service, Integrations).
  • Ensure architectural decisions support business objectives, foster innovation, improve efficiency, and manage technical debt.
  • Champion architectural best practices, patterns, and methodologies within the team and across the broader IT organization.
• Team Leadership & Development:
  • Lead, mentor, and develop a high-performing team of Enterprise Architects in India.
  • Foster a collaborative and innovative team environment, promoting continuous learning and growth.
  • Manage team priorities, resources, and performance to deliver high-quality architectural outcomes.
• Global Collaboration & Stakeholder Management:
  • Collaborate closely with Enterprise Architecture Directors and teams in North America and Europe to ensure global consistency, leverage shared capabilities, and contribute to a unified global EA function.
  • Build and maintain strong relationships with senior business leaders, IT executives, product managers, engineering teams, and other key stakeholders globally.
  • Effectively communicate complex architectural concepts and strategies to both technical and non-technical audiences.
  • Influence decision-making and drive consensus on architectural direction across organizational boundaries.
• Architectural Governance & Quality:
  • Establish and refine architectural governance processes to ensure solutions adhere to defined standards and strategies.
  • Provide architectural reviews and guidance for major projects and initiatives.
  • Identify and mitigate architectural risks.

Technology & Market Awareness:

• Stay abreast of industry trends, emerging technologies, and competitive landscapes relevant to financial services, automotive finance, and the specific technology domains (Cloud, AI, Data, Digital, etc.).
• Evaluate new technologies and assess their potential impact and applicability to Ford Credit's global architecture.

Required:

• Bachelor's degree in Computer Science, Engineering, Information Technology, or a related technical field, or equivalent practical experience.
• Significant experience (typically 10 years) in Enterprise Architecture or senior-level Solution Architecture roles within large, complex organizations.
• Proven experience leading and managing technical teams, preferably architecture teams (typically 5 years of management experience).
• Demonstrated ability to define and implement enterprise-level architectural strategies, standards, and roadmaps.
• Deep understanding of various architectural patterns (e.g., Microservices, Event-Driven Architecture, Service-Oriented Architecture) and design principles.
• Experience with designing and overseeing the implementation of large-scale, distributed, and global enterprise systems.
• Strong working knowledge across several relevant technology domains such as: cloud platforms (GCP, Azure, AWS), data architecture (data lakes, data warehousing, data governance), integration patterns (APIs, messaging, ETL), digital platforms (web, mobile), AI/ML architecture, and security architecture principles.
• Excellent verbal and written communication, presentation, and interpersonal skills, with the ability to influence and build consensus among diverse stakeholders.
• Ability to operate effectively in a global, matrixed organization.

Preferred:

• Master's degree in a relevant field.
• Experience in the Financial Services or Automotive Finance industry.
• Experience working with teams and stakeholders located in different geographic regions (e.g., North America, Europe).
• Familiarity with architectural frameworks (e.g., TOGAF, Zachman).
• Experience with agile development methodologies.

Skills

• Exceptional strategic thinking and the ability to translate business strategy into technical architecture.
• Strong leadership and team-building capabilities.
• Superior stakeholder management, negotiation, and influencing skills.
• Deep technical acumen across a broad range of technologies and architectural domains.
• Excellent analytical and problem-solving skills.
• Ability to manage multiple priorities and navigate ambiguity in a dynamic environment.
• A passion for technology, innovation, and continuous improvement.