Principal Architect

Cognizant; Pune District; Hybrid; INR 1,500,000 - 1,900,000; Full time

Job summary

Cognizant is seeking a Principal Architect to shape long-term architecture strategy in a global enterprise environment. The role focuses on guiding complex transformation programs, using Enterprise Architect tooling, in a hybrid day-shift setup with distributed teams to design scalable solutions for core banking operations.

You will collaborate with stakeholders to ensure regulatory alignment, improve customer and employee experiences, and drive modernization across legacy platforms.

Qualifications

• Extensive experience modeling enterprise landscapes across business processes, applications, data and technology layers.
• Deep background in enterprise architecture frameworks such as TOGAF to guide transformation roadmaps.
• Experience in branch banking domain including account setup, maintenance and compliance.
• Able to present architecture decisions clearly to business and technical audiences.

Responsibilities

• Drive enterprise architecture blueprints aligning technology with long-term business objectives.
• Define target state architectures for core banking and branch operations with detailed models.
• Guide solution architects to translate standards into practical implementation patterns.
• Coordinate architecture governance forums applying standardized principles and promoting asset reuse.
• Evaluate proposed designs for alignment with roadmaps and data integrity.

Skills

Enterprise Architecture

TOGAF

Enterprise Architect tools

Tools

Enterprise Architect

Job description

Job Summary

Principal Architect role in a global enterprise environment responsible for shaping long term architecture strategy and guiding complex transformation programs using Enterprise Architect tooling and practices. The role involves hybrid work in a day shift collaborating with distributed teams to design scalable solutions that support core banking branch operations and improve customer and employee experiences across the organization.

Responsibilities

• Drive holistic enterprise architecture blueprints that align technology capabilities with long term business objectives ensuring that systems remain scalable secure and adaptable to evolving market demands.
• Define target state architectures for core banking and branch operations creating detailed models with Enterprise Architect tools that reduce complexity and improve operational efficiency across business units.
• Guide solution architects and engineering teams in translating enterprise architecture standards into practical implementation patterns enabling consistent delivery quality across hybrid work locations.
• Coordinate architecture governance forums that review critical initiatives applying standardized principles and patterns to mitigate risk and promote reuse of proven design assets.
• Evaluate proposed application and integration designs for alignment with enterprise roadmaps recommending improvements that enhance data integrity resilience and maintainability for day shift operations.
• Collaborate closely with business stakeholders in branch banking and account setup maintenance and closure processes to ensure that technology solutions directly support regulatory needs and customer service goals.
• Champion modernization initiatives that simplify legacy platforms rationalize application portfolios and introduce modular architectures that reduce long term cost of ownership.
• Develop architecture guidelines and reference models that help project teams make informed design decisions improving time to market for new features in a hybrid work model.
• Assess emerging technologies and industry trends relevant to financial services preparing evidence based recommendations that strengthen competitive advantage and societal trust in digital banking.
• Facilitate architecture reviews and design workshops that foster shared understanding of dependencies performance considerations and security controls across multidisciplinary teams.
• Monitor architecture compliance throughout project lifecycles using Enterprise Architect repositories and diagrams to track deviations and drive corrective action.
• Document end to end solution landscapes for key programs in core banking and branch operations providing clear traceability from business capabilities to applications and infrastructure components.
• Optimize collaboration patterns between architecture development and operations teams to support reliable day shift delivery without requiring travel while still enabling effective stakeholder engagement.

Qualifications

• Demonstrate extensive experience using Enterprise Architect to model complex enterprise landscapes including business processes applications data and technology layers in large multinational environments.
• Bring deep background in enterprise architecture frameworks such as TOGAF or similar structured methods applying them pragmatically to guide long term transformation roadmaps.
• Show practical exposure to branch banking domain areas including account setup maintenance and closure with clear understanding of compliance risk and customer journey considerations.
• Possess strong skills in documenting architecture decisions creating clear diagrams and presenting technical concepts to business and technology audiences in concise and accessible language.
• Exhibit ability to work effectively in hybrid models and distributed teams using collaborative tools and disciplined communication practices to maintain shared architectural understanding.
• Apply robust knowledge of integration patterns data management practices and security controls that are critical for reliable and trustworthy financial services platforms.