Enterprise Architect

Nelnet, Inc.; Lincoln (NE); Hybrid; USD 160,000 - 178,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical insurance

Dental insurance

Vision insurance

HSA & FSA

Paid time off

401K/Student loan repayment

Life insurance & AD&D

Employee assistance program

Employee stock purchase program

Tuition reimbursement

Incentive pay

Short-term disability

Long-term disability

Wellness program

Job summary

Nelnet, Inc. is seeking a senior Enterprise Architect to drive architecture strategy for major initiatives, including Horizon and AI governance across NCC products.

You will translate business goals into secure, scalable architectures and guide major transformations while collaborating with product, sales, engineering, and client teams. The role demands 10+ years in enterprise or systems architecture, with a proven ability to lead through influence rather than formal authority.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in computer science, information systems, engineering, or related field or equivalent experience.
• Advanced degree or relevant enterprise architecture, cloud, infrastructure, security certs preferred.
• 10+ years of enterprise architecture, infrastructure or software engineering experience.
• Experience defining tech vision, strategy, and roadmaps for complex initiatives.
• Experience designing secure, scalable solutions across infra, apps, data, networks, and cloud.

Responsibilities

• Define and evolve the technical vision, architecture strategy, and roadmap for major initiatives.
• Lead the engineering and architecture direction for large-scale projects as an hands-on contributor.
• Design secure, resilient, scalable enterprise solutions across infrastructure, applications, data, networks, and cloud platforms.
• Translate business needs into architecture options, specs, and implementation guidance.
• Communicate complex concepts to product, sales, leadership, executives, clients, and teams.

Skills

Enterprise architecture

Strategic thinking

Influence without authority

Communication skills

Cloud, data, security

Education

Bachelor’s degree in CS/IS/Engineering

Advanced degree or relevant cert

Job description

Nelnet Business Services (NBS), a division of Nelnet, Inc., provides payment technology and education services to more than 1,200 higher education institutions, nearly 12,000 K-12 schools, and millions of individual students, families, and supporters across the globe. Our culture of service enables us to form long-lasting and trusted partnerships, while our focus on creativity and innovative solutions empowers our customer communities to thrive.

The Enterprise Architect is a senior individual contributor and the primary technical driver for engineering and architecture related to major initiatives. In the near term, this includes serving as the primary technical driver for Horizon, NCC's strategic platform initiative, and establishing architecture standards and patterns for the responsible use of AI across NCC products. This role defines the technical vision, strategy, and roadmap needed to advance program(s), translating complex business and system requirements into secure, scalable, and integrated architecture. Working with significant autonomy, the architect aligns product, sales, engineering, executives, and clients by communicating technical concepts in clear, audience-appropriate language. This role influences outcomes through deep expertise, strategic judgment, and cross-functional leadership rather than direct people management.

JOB RESPONSIBILITIES

• Define and evolve the technical vision, architecture strategy, and roadmap for major initiatives in alignment with business objectives.
• Lead the engineering and architecture direction for large-scale projects as a hands-on individual contributor, making and documenting high-impact technical decisions.
• Design secure, resilient, scalable, and integrated enterprise solutions across infrastructure, applications, data, networks, and cloud platforms.
• Translate business goals, client needs, and product requirements into understandable architecture options, technical specifications, and implementation guidance.
• Communicate complex technical concepts to product, sales, leadership, executives, clients, and engineering teams using language appropriate to each audience.
• Partner across functions to build alignment on architecture priorities, tradeoffs, sequencing, risks, and investment decisions.
• Evaluate current-state capabilities, emerging technologies, and solution alternatives to identify gaps and recommend sustainable future-state approaches.
• Establish architecture standards and patterns for the responsible integration of AI capabilities across NCC products.
• Establish and promote architecture principles, standards, patterns, documentation, and governance that support consistent delivery and long-term maintainability.
• Guide complex integrations and major solution rollouts to ensure compatibility, security, performance, scalability, and alignment with the target architecture.
• Provide technical mentorship and thought leadership to engineers and partners while influencing without formal authority or direct reports.

Annual compensation range for this role is $160,000-$177,796 depending on experience.

This position offers a hybrid work option. Nelnet values flexibility and understands the importance of work-life integration. Our hybrid work environment allows associates living within 30 miles of an office location to work remotely for part of the week, while also fostering collaboration and team connection through in-office presence three days per week.

Please note that we are unable to provide visa sponsorship for this position. To be considered, candidates must already be authorized to work in the United States without the need for current or future sponsorship.

EDUCATION

Required Bachelor’s degree in computer science, information systems, engineering, or a related field, or equivalent relevant experience.

Preferred Advanced degree or relevant enterprise architecture, cloud, infrastructure, security, or technology certification.

EXPERIENCE

Required 10+ years of related experience in enterprise architecture, infrastructure architecture, systems architecture, software engineering, or a comparable technical discipline.

Demonstrated experience defining technical vision, strategy, and roadmaps for complex, cross-functional or enterprise-scale initiatives.

Deep experience designing and integrating secure, scalable solutions across infrastructure, applications, data, networking, and cloud environments.

Experience influencing technical and business decisions with executives, product, sales, engineering, and client-facing stakeholders.

Experience operating autonomously on advanced, ambiguous, and high-risk technical challenges without relying on formal people-management authority.

Preferred Experience leading the architecture and engineering direction for a major transformation, platform modernization, or multi-year strategic program.

COMPETENCIES/SKILLS

• Enterprise Architecture and System Implementation / Integration
• Strategic Thinking and Strategic Planning & Execution
• Influence Without Authority and Stakeholder Management
• Communication, Storytelling & Presentation Skills
• Cloud Platforms, Data Fluency, Cybersecurity, and Technical Writing & Documentation

Our benefits package includes medical, dental, vision, HSA and FSA, generous earned time off, 401K/student loan repayment, life insurance & AD&D insurance, employee assistance program, employee stock purchase program, tuition reimbursement, performance-based incentive pay, short- and long-term disability, and a robust wellness program.

Nelnet is committed to providing a welcoming and respectful workplace where all associates have the opportunity to succeed.

As an Equal Opportunity Employer, we ensure that all qualified applicants are considered for employment.

Employment decisions are made without regard to race, color, religion/creed, national origin, gender, sex, marital status, age, disability, use of a guide dog or service animal, sexual orientation, military/veteran status, or any other status protected by federal, state, or local law.

We value the unique contributions of every team member and believe that a positive work environment benefits everyone.

Qualified individuals with disabilities who require reasonable accommodations in order to apply or compete for positions at Nelnet may request such accommodations by contacting Corporate Recruiting at 402-486-5725 or [e-mail].

Nelnet is a Drug Free and Tobacco Free Workplace.

Use of Artificial Intelligence in Hiring: We may use automated or artificial intelligence enabled tools to assist with the initial review of applications, such as identifying relevant skills or experience. These tools are used to support human review and do not make hiring decisions. A recruiter reviews applications and determines which candidates move forward in the hiring process.

For more information, see our Privacy Policy and Pre-Use Notice: Automated Tools in Hiring.

You may know Nelnet as the nation's largest student loan servicer – but we do more than that. A lot more. We're also a professional services company, consumer loan originator and servicer, payment processor, renewable energy innovator, and K-12 and higher education expert (and that’s just a shortlist). For over 40 years, we've been serving our customers, associates, and communities to make dreams possible.

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