Sr. Solution Architect

Location: Chennai only

About Us: At Ford Credit, we are at the forefront of innovation within the financial services industry, driving significant advancements across Fintech, and Lending. Our commitment to digital transformation and technological excellence positions us as a leader in creating future-ready financial solutions. We are seeking a highly skilled and visionary Enterprise Architect to join our team and play a critical role in shaping our strategic technology landscape. This is a unique opportunity to lead transformative initiatives, modernize core systems, and establish robust architectural practices that will define our future success.

Role Summary: The Enterprise Architect will be a pivotal leader, responsible for bridging the gap between business strategy and technology execution within our dynamic organization. You will be responsible for managing a team of architects across US and India. You will define and drive the solution architecture and decisions ensuring that our IT infrastructure and solutions are scalable, secure, resilient, and aligned with our ambitious business objectives in the Fintech, Banking, and Lending sectors. This role demands a seasoned architect with a proven track record of leading large-scale transformation programs, deep technical expertise, exceptional leadership capabilities, and strong communication skills to influence stakeholders across all levels. You will act as a strategic guide, translating business goals into a coherent technological context and ensuring that our digital blueprint supports sustainable growth and innovation.

Required Qualifications:

• Experience:
• 15+ years of progressive experience in IT, with at least 8+ years specifically in an Enterprise Architecture role within the Fintech, Banking, or Lending industries.
• Proven experience in participating and managing an Enterprise Architecture Office and implementing robust EA governance.
• Demonstrated experience in leading and mentoring a team of architects.
• Strong knowledge of solution designing based on industry standard modeling languages.
• Extensive experience leading architectural efforts for large-scale digital transformation programs.
• Strong track record in legacy modernization and designing hybrid cloud architectures.
• Deep expertise in integration architecture, including REST APIs, event-driven designs, and microservice architectures.
• Hands-on experience with Java-based backend systems and familiarity with various frontend technologies.
• Good understanding of security, resiliency, monitoring and DevSecOps best practices.
• Proficiency with cloud platforms (e.g., Google Cloud Platform (GCP), AWS, Azure) and cloud-native architectural patterns.
• Strong understanding of architectural principles and artefacts.
• Expertise in conducting cost-benefit analysis and developing enterprise-level technology roadmaps.
• Soft Skills:
• Exceptional consulting, negotiation, and stakeholder management skills, with the ability to influence and drive consensus across diverse groups.
• Outstanding communication and presentation skills, capable of articulating complex technical topics to both technical and non-technical audiences.
• Certifications:
• TOGAF Certification is a must-have.
• Education:
• Bachelor's or Master's degree in Computer Science, Engineering, or a related field.

Nice-to-Have Skills & Certifications:

• Knowledge of Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Machine Learning (ML) concepts and their application in enterprise architectures.

• Certifications in Java (e.g., Oracle Certified Professional) or cloud platforms (e.g., GCP Professional Cloud Architect, AWS Certified Solutions Architect).

• Architectural Leadership: Define architectural solutions aligned to the enterprise architectural vision and strategy, ensuring alignment with business objectives and growth initiatives across Fintech, Banking, and Lending domains.

• EA Office & Governance: Participate in the Enterprise Architecture (EA) Office, including supporting and aligning with architectural principles, standards, and processes. Define architecture decision documents and draw consensus in the ARB and take technology initiatives forward.
• Team Leadership & Mentorship: Lead, mentor, and develop a team of architects, fostering a culture of innovation, collaboration, and technical excellence. Provide guidance and thought leadership on complex architectural challenges.
• Large-Scale Transformation Programs: Spearhead and provide architectural leadership for large-scale digital transformation initiatives, ensuring successful delivery and adoption of new technologies and methodologies.
• Legacy Modernization & Hybrid Cloud: Develop comprehensive strategies and roadmaps for modernizing legacy systems and applications, leveraging 4R principles and cloud migration techniques. Architect and implement effective hybrid cloud solutions that seamlessly integrate on-premises and public cloud environments (GCP or equivalent) while ensuring scalability, security, and flexibility.
• Integration Architecture Expertise: Design and oversee the implementation of complex integration architectures, with strong expertise in REST APIs and event-driven designs. Champion microservice architectures to create decoupled, scalable, and resilient systems.
• Technology Stack & Best Practices: Provide architectural guidance and deep technical knowledge across backend (Java) and frontend technologies. Ensure optimal design for performance, scalability, and maintainability. Ability to prove out theories through executing POC and template codes in sandbox environments.
• Resiliency, Security & DevOps: Champion architectural patterns and practices that enhance system resiliency, security, and operational efficiency, integrating DevOps principles throughout the development lifecycle.
• Cost-Benefit Analysis & Enterprise Roadmaps: Conduct thorough cost-benefit analyses and derive tangible value propositions for architectural decisions and technology investments. Develop comprehensive enterprise roadmaps that articulate the strategic evolution of our technology landscape.
• Consulting & Stakeholder Negotiation: Act as a trusted advisor and consultant to senior leadership and business stakeholders, effectively negotiating architectural trade-offs, managing expectations, and communicating complex technical concepts.
• Onshore Collaboration: Collaborate effectively with onshore stakeholders, including business leaders, product managers, and development teams, to ensure architectural solutions meet business requirements and are aligned with global strategies.