Principal Financial Ecosystem Architect

Systematix group; Ottawa; On-site; CAD 180,000 - 260,000; Full time

Job summary

Systematix group seeks a Principal Financial Ecosystem Architect to lead strategic architecture initiatives for public sector clients. The role requires an active Government of Canada Secret clearance and a December 2026 start for a 1-year contract with extension potential.

You will advise on banking ecosystems, API governance, security, and interoperability, engaging with regulators and stakeholders to define governance and operating models.

Qualifications

• 10+ years of enterprise architecture experience in complex tech/finance ecosystems.
• Experience shaping financial ecosystem architectures, operating models, and governance frameworks.

Responsibilities

• Provide strategic advisory on Consumer-Driven Banking and financial ecosystem initiatives.
• Design and evolve architectures, operating models, and governance for financial ecosystems.
• Evaluate financial API architectures and interoperability approaches for secure, scalable participation.

Skills

Enterprise arch

FAPI

API governance

OAuth 2.0

OpenID Connect

mTLS

PKI

Azure cloud

Security architecture

Regulatory engagement

Education

Degree in CS/IT/Engineering/Finance

Job description

We are Systematix and we are currently seeking a Principal Financial Ecosystem Architect for an opportunity with a public sector client. The ideal candidate must hold an active Government of Canada Secret (Level II) security clearance. This is a 1-year contract with possibility for extension, expected to start in December 2026.

About the Responsibilities

• Provide strategic advisory services for Consumer-Driven Banking (CDB), Stablecoin, and other financial ecosystem initiatives.
• Provide expert guidance on the design and evolution of financial ecosystem architectures, operating models, and governance frameworks.
• Evaluate financial Application Programming Interface (API) architectures and interoperability approaches to support secure and scalable ecosystem participation.
• Assess trust frameworks, digital identity models, authentication mechanisms, and accreditation approaches.
• Review and provide recommendations on accreditation models, ecosystem registries, and participant onboarding frameworks to support secure ecosystem operations.
• Challenge and validate architectural assumptions, proposed solutions, and strategic approaches to identify risks, gaps, and opportunities for improvement.
• Assess alignment of architectural approaches with relevant international standards, emerging industry practices, and financial ecosystem frameworks.
• Provide recommendations on ecosystem security, resilience, compliance, and long-term operational sustainability.
• Engage with senior Bank stakeholders, regulators, industry participants, and delivery teams to support strategic decision-making.
• Develop architectural assessments, briefing materials, and recommendations to support strategic architecture decisions and financial ecosystem initiatives.
• Related activities and deliverables, as required.

About the Qualifications

• University degree or college diploma in Computer Science, Information Technology, Engineering, Business Administration, Finance, or a related discipline focused on technology or financial systems.
• A minimum of 10 years of recent experience providing enterprise architecture services for complex technology, financial services, or digital ecosystem initiatives.
• Experience designing, assessing, or providing guidance on financial ecosystem architectures, operating models, and governance frameworks within the banking, payments, fintech, or financial market infrastructure sectors.
• Experience evaluating financial API architectures, interoperability frameworks, or ecosystem integration approaches supporting secure information exchange between multiple participants.
• Experience assessing or implementing trust frameworks, digital identity ecosystems, and authentication mechanisms supporting secure participant access and information exchange.
• Experience with accreditation frameworks, participant onboarding processes, ecosystem registries, or trust registries supporting secure ecosystem participation.
• Experience providing architectural guidance within regulatory, compliance-driven, or highly governed technology environments.
• Experience engaging with senior executives, regulators, industry participants, or multi-stakeholder governance bodies to support strategic decision-making.
• Experience with Financial-grade APIs (FAPI), API governance, API security, and developer portal frameworks.
• Experience with OAuth 2.0, OpenID Connect, mutual TLS (mTLS), Public Key Infrastructure (PKI), and certificate management.
• Experience designing and implementing security architectures and Microsoft Azure cloud platform architectures.

Candidates must outline in detail how they meet the above requirements.

Pay Disclosure

The average hourly pay range for this field is as follows:

• Junior: 0–5 years of experience – $40-75/hr
• Intermediate: 6–9 years of experience – $60-100/hr
• Senior: 10+ years of experience – $90-150/hr

Compensation is commensurate with these standards; exceptions may apply based on experience, skills, and market conditions.

AI Disclosure

We may use artificial intelligence (AI) or other automated tools to support parts of our recruitment process. No automated tools make hiring decisions.

At Systematix, our core values—excellence, collaboration, respect, and knowledge as a pursuit—underpin our commitment to fostering an inclusive and equitable environment. We encourage everyone to be their authentic selves, and we are committed to ensuring that our employment decisions are entirely based on job requirements and individual qualifications. We welcome applications from qualified candidates of all backgrounds, including but not limited to race, ethnicity, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, disability, age, and religious beliefs. If our values and the position advertised resonate with you, we encourage you to apply.