Solution Architect

Empower; Bengaluru; On-site; INR 3,500,000 - 7,000,000; Full time

Job summary

Empower is seeking an experienced Architect to partner with business and IT teams, aligning solutions to Empower technology vision. You will influence architecture strategy, reference architectures, and best practices while ensuring security, cost, and performance goals are met.

You will collaboratively design end-to-end solutions, drive architectural decisions, and coach teams across infrastructure, development, and third-party partners in a rapid-paced environment.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science, Information Systems, or related field.
• 10+ years of architecting Enterprise Solutions, Data Integration, and emerging technologies.
• Strong experience with enterprise integration patterns, API-led integration, event-driven architecture, messaging, file/batch exchange, streaming, and data integration.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to explain technical designs, risks, options and trade-offs to executives, engineers, business stakeholders, clients, and vendors.
• Self-motivated individual that thrives in a team environment.
• Demonstrated continuous learning and ability to evaluate new technologies pragmatically.
• Strong development awareness, including CI/CD, automated testing, containerized application, and secure agile delivery practices.
• Experience with messaging and event platforms such as Kafka, Solace, RabbitMQ, IBM MQ, Azure Service Bus, AWS SNS/SQS, Google Pub/Sub.

Responsibilities

• Partner with Sr. Architects, peers, and more junior resources to define and execute on the business aligned IT strategy and vision.
• Develop, document, and provide input into Empower technology roadmap, integration roadmap, architectural standards, and reusable solution patterns.
• Define integration architecture patterns for APIs, events, messaging, batch/file exchange, streaming, ETL/ELT, SaaS integration, and partner integration.
• Create and maintain reference architectures.
• Design and modernize complex systems into cloud compatible or cloud native applications, including migration strategies for legacy apps.
• Lead solution design for secure, scalable, reusable integration services that reduce point-to-point complexity and enable enterprise reuse.
• Collaborate with IT Infrastructure, PMO, Business, and third-party integrators on architecture and design issues.
• Provide thought-leadership, governance, and maintenance of enterprise architecture discipline.

Skills

Enterprise Architecture

API-led integration

Event-driven architecture

CI/CD

Security practices

Leadership

Communication

Data integration

Education

Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science/Information Systems or related field

Tools

Kafka

Solace

RabbitMQ

IBM MQ

Azure Service Bus

AWS SNS/SQS

Google Pub/Sub

Java

Pro-C

Python

JavaScript/TypeScript

Job description

Our vision for the future is based on the idea that transforming financial lives starts by giving our people the freedom to transform their own. We have a flexible work environment, and fluid career paths. We not only encourage but celebrate internal mobility. We also recognize the importance of purpose, well-being, and work-life balance. Within Empower and our communities, we work hard to create a welcoming and inclusive environment, and our associates dedicate thousands of hours to volunteering for causes that matter most to them.

Chart your own path and grow your career while helping more customers achieve financial freedom. Empower Yourself.

At Empower, anArchitect is in an elevated development position and thoughtleadership role.An Architect,partner withbothbusinessandITteams toalign solutions toEmpower technology vision.Thisrolesupports Sr. Architects indeveloping technology strategies, reference architectures, and best practices while ensuring solutions address total cost of ownership, stability, security, performance, and operational efficiency.

In thisrapidpaced environment, the person mustpossessa "can-do" attitude whiledemonstratinga strong work ethic. This person should have a strong aptitude to help drive decisions. He or she will be activelyinvolved ininfluencing the strategic directionof technology at Empower.There will be collaboration across all teams including IT Infrastructure, PMO office, Business, and third-party integrators & others in reviewing, evaluating, designing, and implementing solutions.

The Architect mustbe well-versedinavailabletechnologiesand educate/influence teams toleveragethem whenappropriate.He or shewillidentifyand suggest alternatives, provide recommendations, and explain trade-offs.For key initiatives, the Architect will directly collaborate with development teams on designing and implementing end-to-end solutions.

The ideal candidate willleveragetheir technical leadership/direction-setting skills with the development organization tobe able to prove technical concepts quickly using a variety of tools, methods, & frameworks.

Responsibilities

• Partner with Sr. Architects,peers, and more junior resourcesdefine andexecute onthebusiness alignedIT strategy and vision.
• Develop, document, and provide input into Empower technology roadmap, integration roadmap, architectural standards, and reusable solution patterns.
• Define integration architecture patterns for APIs, events, messaging, batch/file exchange, streaming, ETL/ELT, SaaS integration, and partner integration.
• Createand maintain referencearchitectures.
• Design and modernize complex systems intocloud compatible or cloud native applicationswhere applicable, including strategies for migrating legacy applications and integrations to cloud systems.
• Lead solution design for secure, scalable, reusable integration services that reduce point-to-point complexity and support enterprise reuse.
• Participate in the evaluation of new applications, technical options, challenge the status quo, create solid business cases, and influence direction whileestablishingpartnerships with key constituencies.
• Implement best practices, standards & guidance,thensubsequentlyprovide coaching of technology team members.
• Make leadership recommendationsregardingstrategic architectural considerations related to process design and process orchestration.
• Provide strong leadership and direction in development/engineering practices.
• Collaborate with other business and technology teams on architecture and design issues.
• Respond to evolving and changing security conditions. Implement and recommend security guidelines.
• Provide thought-leadership, advocacy, articulation, assurance, and maintenance of the enterprise architecture discipline.
• Provide solution,guidance,andimplementationassistancewithinfullstack development teams.
• Recommend long termscalable and performant architecture changeskeepingcost in control.

Other Preferred Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science, Information Systems, or related field or have equivalent experience
• 10+ years' experience in architecting Enterprise Solutions, Data Integration, and emerging technologies.
• Strong experience with enterprise integration patterns, API-led integration, event-driven architecture, messaging, file/batch exchange, streaming, and data integration.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to explain technical designs, risks, options and trade-offs to executives, engineers, business stakeholders, clients, and vendors.
• Self-motivated individual that thrives in a team environment.
• Demonstrated continuous learning and ability to evaluate new technologies pragmatically.
• Strong development skills -- knowledge of writing complex code, and tuning.
• Ability to create clear solution architecture documents, integration diagrams, interface specifications, API and event contracts, and architecture decision records.
• Basic understanding of data science principles and data needs.
• Financial Services industry experience.
• Strong development awareness, including CI/CD, automated testing, containerized application, and secure agile delivery practices. Java, Pro-C, Python, JavaScript/Typescript programming experience.
• Experience with messaging and event platforms such as Kafka, Solace, RabbitMQ, IBM MQ, Azure Service Bus, AWS SNS/SQS, Google Pub/Sub, or similar technologies.

Technology skills are not the only skills needed. There are other skills that are highly desirable in the Enterprise Architect, including:

• Communication & Presentation: The ability to communicate technical designs, risks, and benefits clearly to diverse audiences (executives, developers, clients). This includes storytelling and using visual aids to explain complex systems.
• Stakeholder Management & Negotiation: Navigating conflicting interests, managing expectations, and gaining buy-in from various parties, including clients and internal teams.
• Critical Thinking & Problem-Solving: Analyzing complex requirements, identifying root causes, and thinking creatively to find alternative solutions.
• Leadership & Collaboration: Leading projects and cross-functional teams, even when lacking direct hierarchical authority.
• Business Savvy – Essential understanding of the financial industry, to help comprehend how technology can really affect the business.
• Adaptability & Continuous Learning: Being flexible with changing business needs and having a desire to keep learning new technologies and methodologies.

Physical Requirements/Working Conditions

Normal Office Working Conditions

Equal Opportunity Employment

We are an equal opportunity employer with a commitment to diversity. All individuals, regardless of personal characteristics, are encouraged to apply. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to age, race, color, national origin, ancestry, sex, sexual orientation, gender, gender identity, gender expression, marital status, pregnancy, religion, physical or mental disability, military or veteran status, genetic information, or any other status protected by applicable state or local law.