Chief Enterprise Architect

BrainWorks; Charlotte (NC); On-site; USD 180,000 - 270,000; Full time

Job summary

BrainWorks represents a Fortune 400 client seeking a Principle Enterprise Architect to drive a modern, product-centric enterprise architecture with a hands-on approach.

The role leads the Enterprise Analytics practice, embedding architectural thinking into delivery teams and enabling cross-platform integration, AI, and data acceleration across the organization.

Qualifications

• 15+ years of experience in Enterprise Architecture or related technical leadership
• Proven leadership in federated, product-aligned architectural models
• Strong background in data and AI/ML within large enterprises
• Experience with governance, security, and compliance in complex environments
• Ability to influence across business, product, and technology leadership without direct authority
• Experience building enterprise patterns, guardrails, and reference architectures

Responsibilities

• Evolve the Enterprise Architecture vision, principles, and operating model to a product model
• Lead enablement efforts to mature architecture capabilities and communities of practice
• Establish EA as a scalable, enterprise-wide practice across domains
• Leverage AI and data to accelerate capabilities and cross-platform integration
• Define patterns, guardrails, and golden paths for cross-product/platform data and AI
• Mentor and lead the Architecture community across solutions, data, and platform teams
• Translate business strategy and emerging tech trends into architectural guidance

Skills

Enterprise Architecture

Leadership

Governance

AI/ML Architecture

Cloud Architecture

Cross-functional Collaboration

Education

Bachelor's degree in Computer Science/IT/Engineering

Enterprise Architecture certification (TOGAF/Zachman)

Tools

AWS

Azure

GCP

Job description

Our client, a well-known Fortune 400 global entity, is adding a Principle Enterprise Architect to help evolve towards a modern, product‑centric enterprise architecture model. This hands on role will establish Enterprise Architecture as an enabling capability and help evolve the architecture capability focused on accelerating delivery, enabling AI and data at scale, and aligning platforms, products, and teams through shared context.

The Principle Enterprise Architect will shape and lead the Enterprise Analytics practice to support its transition to product operating model, embedding architectural thinking into delivery teams, and providing the conceptual and architectural foundations required for cross‑platform integration, AI and data acceleration, governance, security, and sustainable scale.

• This role will require assisted relocation to Corning, New York or Charlotte, North Carolina.
• Sorry, no sponsorship is available at this time

What you will be doing:

• Evolve Enterprise Architectures vision, principles, and operating model aligned to a product model as part of overall strategy.
• Lead an enablement-focused approach that includes evolution of architecture capabilities
• Establish Enterprise Architecture as a practice and mindset, scaling impact through communities of practice.
• Leverage AI and data as part of EA to accelerate capabilities and enable implementation of EA practices
• Establish modern Enterprise Architecture success measures focused on speed, flow efficiency, and value enablement.

Product, Platform, and Cross-Domain Alignment

• Partner with Product, Platform, and Data leaders to facilitate the product model transition, including a coherent approach to product and platform definitions and taxonomy.
• Define enterprise-level patterns, guardrails, and golden paths to enable cross-product and cross-platform integration, data accessibility for system transformation, AI products, etc.

AI and Data Acceleration

• Support the AI Platform and Enterprise Data teams in developing scalable enterprise data and AI architecture, including clarity of systems of record, data flows, and cross-platform standardization, as needed.
• Promote the use of data products and AI/data platform services that are treated as enterprise capabilities, well connected to other enterprise platforms.

Delivery Acceleration & Value Focus

• Encourage architectural engagement early in strategic initiatives and product roadmaps to anticipate opportunities for acceleration and identify architectural risks.
• Reduce friction, dependencies, and rework through improved shared enterprise architectural context.
• Provide high-level, strategic conceptual and reference architectures that connect business capabilities, products, platforms, and data.

Leadership, Collaboration, and Culture

• Lead and mentor the Architecture community across solutions, data, and platform architects.
• Partner with leadership, strategic programs, and Enterprise Architecture Council, and the federated architecture community to provide a coherent approach to architecture.
• Act as a thought leader in translating business strategy and emerging technology trends into architectural guidance.

What you bring to the table:

• 15+ years of experience in Enterprise Architecture, or related technical leadership disciplines across several architecture domains (e.g. data architecture, solution architecture, business architecture, etc.)
• 5+ years in a senior leadership role with responsibility for architecture strategy, governance, or practice development
• Proven experience transitioning Enterprise Architecture organizations from traditional, centralized models to federated, product-aligned approaches
• Strong background in modern enterprise data architecture and AI/ML architecture within complex, enterprise environments, including working knowledge of Gen AI, Agentic AI, and LLMs.
• Strong background in evolving enterprise-wide technology governance and compliance, collaborating with InfoSec, Legal, and other stakeholders.
• Demonstrated ability to influence and collaborate across business, product, and technology leadership without direct authority
• Experience developing and implementing enterprise-level patterns, reference architectures, and architectural guardrails
• Proven ability to effectively lead in a federated, global enterprise with distributed operations across multiple regions.
• Bachelor's degree in Computer Science, Information Technology, Engineering, or related field (or equivalent professional experience)
• Experience in R&D, manufacturing, industrial, or materials science environments
• Enterprise Architecture and relevant technical certification or equivalent (TOGAF, Zachman, or equivalent)
• Experience with modern cloud platforms (AWS, Azure, GCP) and cloud-native architecture patterns
• Background in leading large-scale digital transformation initiatives