Enterprise Software Architect

Cambridge Investment Research, Inc.; West Des Moines (IA); On-site; USD 140,000 - 210,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical, vision, dental, life & long‑‑

Vacation/Sick time

401k with company match

Eleven paid holidays

Job summary

Cambridge Investment Research, Inc. is seeking a senior Enterprise Architect to set target-state architecture and guide major platform, data, and application decisions within a FINRA/SEC-regulated framework.

You will translate business strategy into multi-year roadmaps, lead governance, and drive cloud, API, data, and AI initiatives while ensuring security, resilience, and regulatory compliance across the technology estate.

Qualifications

• 10+ years of technology experience including enterprise or senior solution architecture roles.
• Proven success defining target-state architecture and multi-year roadmaps at enterprise scale.
• Deep hands-on experience with at least one major public cloud; Azure preferred with hybrid environments.
• Strong command of integration architecture, including APIs, event streaming, identity management, and legacy systems.

Responsibilities

• Define and maintain enterprise target-state architecture across business, application, data, integration, and technology domains.
• Translate business strategy into multi-year capability and technology roadmaps.
• Lead portfolio rationalization by identifying redundancy and technical debt and modernizing as needed.
• Evaluate build, buy, and partner options including third-party platforms and fintech vendors.
• Chair Architecture Review Board and establish standards, references, and patterns for delivery teams.
• Maintain Architecture Decision Records for traceability and auditability.
• Review high-impact designs for alignment with standards, security, and regulatory requirements.
• Drive cloud, data, integration, and AI initiatives with guardrails and risk management.

Skills

Enterprise architecture

Target-state architecture

Roadmapping

Cloud platforms (Azure)

API integration

Security architecture

Governance

Leadership communication

Hybrid environments

Architecture governance

Education

Bachelor’s degree in computer science, information systems, engineering

Tools

TOGAF

CISSP

Cloud architecture credentials

Zachman

Job description

Key Deliverables and Responsibilities

Cambridge’s Enterprise Platform, Architecture & Data organization owns the foundations the rest of the firm builds on: cloud and infrastructure platforms, integration and API layers, enterprise data, and the architecture standards that connect them. In a FINRA- and SEC-regulated environment, security, resilience, data governance, and auditability are design requirements from day one.

Job Summary

Key Deliverables and Responsibilities

Cambridge’s Enterprise Platform, Architecture & Data organization owns the foundations the rest of the firm builds on: cloud and infrastructure platforms, integration and API layers, enterprise data, and the architecture standards that connect them. In a FINRA- and SEC-regulated environment, security, resilience, data governance, and auditability are design requirements from day one.

The Enterprise Architect sets the target-state architecture for Cambridge’s technology estate and ensures major platform, data, and application decisions move the firm toward it. This senior individual-contributor role blends strategy, hands‑on design authority, and trusted partnership with business leaders across the organization.

Architecture Strategy and Roadmap

• Define and maintain enterprise target-state architecture across business, application, data, integration, and technology domains.
• Translate business strategy, including Financial Professional experience, client onboarding, trading, operations, and compliance, into multi-year capability and technology roadmaps.
• Lead application portfolio rationalization by identifying redundancy, technical debt, and end-of-life risk and building the case for consolidation or modernization.
• Evaluate build, buy, and partner options, including third-party platforms, custodial integrations, and fintech vendors.

Design Authority and Governance

• Chair or lead the Architecture Review Board and establish standards, reference architectures, and patterns for delivery teams.
• Maintain Architecture Decision Records so major decisions are traceable and auditable.
• Review high‑impact solution designs for alignment with standards, security, resilience, cost, and regulatory requirements.
• Create paved roads and guardrails that balance governance with delivery speed.

Platform, Cloud, Integration, Data, and AI

• Shape cloud and hybrid infrastructure strategy with Platform Engineering, including landing zones, identity, networking, and observability.
• Drive an API‑first and event‑driven integration strategy that reduces point‑to‑point coupling between core systems.
• Guide modernization of legacy applications through re-platforming, re‑architecture, or retirement with clear sequencing and risk management.
• Partner on data platforms, master and reference data, lineage, data products, and embedded governance, classification, retention, and privacy controls.
• Define reference architectures and guardrails for responsible AI and generative AI, including model access, data boundaries, and human review.

Security, Resilience, and Leadership

• Embed security‑by‑design, zero‑trust, business continuity, disaster recovery, and operational resilience into reference architectures.
• Partner with Compliance, Risk, and Internal Audit so record‑keeping, supervision, surveillance, and third‑party risk requirements are reflected in system designs.
• Mentor architects and senior engineers, communicate technical trade‑offs clearly, and represent architecture in vendor negotiations, due diligence, and strategic planning.

What We Are Looking For

• 10+ years of experience in technology, including 5+ years in enterprise or senior solution architecture roles.
• Proven success defining and executing target‑state architecture and multi‑year roadmaps at enterprise scale.
• Deep hands‑on experience with at least one major public cloud. Azure experience is preferred, along with experience in hybrid environments.
• Strong command of integration architecture, including APIs, event streaming, messaging, identity management, and legacy system integration.
• Solid grounding in modern enterprise architecture, security architecture, identity and access management, and resilience and disaster recovery design.
• Experience leading architecture governance, including review boards, standards, and Architecture Decision Records that teams adopt.
• Exceptional written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to brief executives and challenge engineers with equal credibility.
• Bachelor’s degree in computer science, information systems, engineering, or equivalent experience.

Preferred Qualifications

• Financial services experience, ideally in broker‑dealer, registered investment adviser, wealth management, or custody environments.
• Familiarity with wealth‑management technology such as Salesforce, portfolio management and rebalancing, trading and order management, account opening, and clearing or custodial integrations.
• Exposure to books‑and‑records retention, supervision, surveillance, and vendor risk management requirements.
• Experience designing AI, machine learning, and generative AI platforms and guardrails in a regulated setting.
• Practical fluency with TOGAF, Zachman, or a similar architecture framework.
• Relevant certifications such as TOGAF, professional‑level cloud architect credentials, or CISSP.
• Experience leading large‑scale modernization, merger and acquisition technology integration, or platform consolidation.

Why Cambridge?

Cambridge has competitive benefits and promotes a work/life balance to encourage individual success.

• Premium benefit package including medical, vision, dental, life and long‑term disability insurance
• Vacation/sick time
• 401k retirement plan with company matching program
• Eleven paid holidays

You can find more details about our comprehensive benefits packagehere.

Cambridge Overview

Cambridge is a financial solutions firm that provides business support services to thousands of independent financial advisors. These advisors offer personalized investment services including wealth management, financial planning, and retirement services to individuals and families across the country. Cambridge provides significant compliance, technology, and transaction processing support to these financial advisors and their offices.