Senior Architect

Empower Retirement, LLC; Overland Park (KS); On-site; USD 138,000 - 200,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical insurance

Retirement plan with company match

Tuition reimbursement

Business-casual environment

Generous PTO and holidays

Volunteer time off

Job summary

Empower Retirement, LLC seeks a Senior Architect to lead technology strategy and reference architectures across the IT landscape. You will partner with enterprise, IT, and business teams to align solutions with the organization's vision, address cost, security, and performance, and guide the adoption of cloud-native approaches.

You will evaluate emerging technologies, including Generative AI, and help teams prove concepts using diverse tools and frameworks while shaping Empower's technology

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in computer science, information systems, or related field.
• 5+ years delivering software systems and 3+ years creating solution architectures.
• Experience with financial services domain preferred.
• Strong understanding of design thinking and omnichannel strategies.
• Experience with cloud, microservices, and security/compliance.

Responsibilities

• Define and drive technology strategy for digital experiences across touchpoints.
• Design architectures for web portals, mobile apps, and digital channels.
• Integrate financial data sources and APIs for unified dashboards.
• Lead PoCs to evaluate new tech and AI solutions.
• Collaborate with architects and teams to align IT strategy with business goals.

Skills

Technology strategy

Architectural leadership

Communication

Design thinking

Java/Spring

AWS

REST APIs

Node.js/Python

React/Angular

CI/CD

Education

Bachelor's degree in Computer Science or related field

Tools

AWS

RESTful APIs

Node.js

Python

React/Angular

Jenkins

CI/CD

GitHub/GitLab/Bitbucket

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.

***Applicants must be authorized to work for any employer in the U.S. We are unable to sponsor or take over sponsorship of an employment visa at this time, including CPT/OPT.***

The Senior Architect will provide technical leadership and thought leadership across Empower, partnering with enterprise architects, business teams, IT teams, and the Empower Innovation Lab to align technology solutions with the organization’s technology vision. This role will help develop technology strategies, reference architectures, solutions, best practices, and guidance across the IT development organization while addressing total cost of ownership, stability, performance, security, and efficiency. The Senior Architect will also evaluate emerging technologies, including Generative AI and advanced analytics, and help development teams quickly prove technical concepts using a variety of tools, methods, and frameworks.

What you will do:

• Define and drive technology strategy for digital experiences across customer and employee touchpoints.
• Design architectures for web portals, mobile applications, and other digital touchpoints.
• Integrate financial data sources and APIs to support unified dashboards and digital experiences.
• Use data analytics, research, personas, journey maps, and design thinking practices to support personalized, intuitive, accessible, and value‑driven experiences.
• Collaborate with diverse stakeholder groups to gather requirements and develop tailored technology solutions.
• Influence and guide teams responsible for digital experiences to ensure alignment with technology strategy.
• Conduct proof of concepts to evaluate and recommend technology solutions.
• Partner with enterprise architects and peers to define and execute business‑aligned IT strategy and vision and contribute to Empower’s technology roadmap.
• Create reference architectures, standards, guidance, and best practices, and provide coaching to technology team members.
• Apply best practices for microservices, RESTful APIs, application deployment, and workload architectures, including SaaS, PaaS, and IaaS.
• Design and modernize complex systems into cloud‑compatible or cloud‑native applications and develop strategies for cloud migration.
• Evaluate new applications and technical options, develop business cases, challenge existing approaches, and influence technology direction.
• Make leadership recommendations on architectural considerations, including process design, process orchestration, development, and engineering practices.
• Collaborate with business and technology teams on architecture, design, security, and compliance, including responding to evolving security conditions and recommending security guidelines.
• Provide thought leadership, advocacy, and ongoing support for the Enterprise Architecture discipline while considering total cost of ownership, stability, performance, and efficiency.

What you will bring:

• Technical bachelor’s degree, such as computer science, information systems, engineering, mathematics, or a related field.
• Proven experience defining and driving technology strategy for large enterprises.
• Strong understanding of customer journey mapping, design thinking, and omnichannel experience strategy.
• Experience working within the Financial Services industry, including Asset Management, Brokerage, Retirement Services, or Banking.
• Strong skills integrating financial data and APIs.
• Knowledge of data analytics and machine learning to support personalized experiences.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills with the ability to influence at multiple levels.
• Experience applying design thinking methodologies to develop user‑centric solutions.
• Demonstrated ability to conduct proof of concepts and recommend technology solutions.
• Understanding of security protocols and compliance standards.

What will set you apart:

• 5+ years of experience developing and delivering software systems and 3+ years creating solution architectures and strategies across business, application, data, integration, infrastructure, and security domains.
• 3+ years of development experience with technologies such as Java, Spring, Spring Boot, JSON/XML web services, RESTful architectures, AWS API Gateway, Lambda, Node.js, and Python.
• Experience with SOA and microservices design, AWS or multi‑cloud architectures, advanced programming, modern integration methods, messaging, RESTful architectures, or NoSQL.
• Client‑side development experience with web or mobile technologies, including familiarity with React or Angular and their integration with APIs and backend services.
• Experience with modern deployment and DevOps practices, including Jenkins, CI/CD pipelines, and source control platforms such as GitHub, GitLab, or Bitbucket.
• Working knowledge of architectural cross‑cutting concerns and trade‑offs, including caching, monitoring, operational support, high availability, and security.
• Experience applying architecture frameworks and development methods, with strong knowledge of data modeling, security patterns, and integration methods.
• Understanding of business process analysis and business process management.
• Additional financial industry expertise, including Investments or Asset Management.
• Knowledge of GenAI capabilities, including designing and implementing large‑scale AI and machine learning systems in production environments.
• Expertise in advanced AI techniques, including generative models, reinforcement learning, and natural language processing.
• Ability to balance ethical considerations with business objectives in AI strategy and implementation, including experience with responsible AI policies and best practices.
• Strong interpersonal, motivational, negotiation, and influencing skills with the ability to advocate for technology principles across the enterprise.
• Strong problem‑solving skills and the ability to evaluate complex issues from multiple perspectives.
• Demonstrated continuous learning, self‑motivation, ability to thrive in a team environment, and general understanding of how technology affects the financial services business.

This job operates in a professional office environment.

This job description is not intended to be an exhaustive list of all duties, responsibilities and qualifications of the job. The employer has the right to revise this job description at any time. You will be evaluated in part based on your performance of the responsibilities and/or tasks listed in this job description. You may be required to perform other duties that are not included on this job description. The job description is not a contract for employment, and either you or the employer may terminate employment at any time, for any reason, as per terms and conditions of your employment contract.

What we offer you

• Medical, dental, vision and life insurance
• Retirement savings – 401(k) plan with generous company matching contributions (up to 6%), financial advisory services, potential company discretionary contribution, and a broad investment lineup
• Tuition reimbursement up to $5,250/year
• Business‑casual environment that includes the option to wear jeans
• Generous paid time off upon hire – including a paid time off program plus ten paid company holidays and three floating holidays each calendar year
• Paid volunteer time — 16 hours per calendar year
• Leave of absence programs – including paid parental leave, paid short‑and‑long‑term disability, and Family and Medical Leave (FMLA)
• Business Resource Groups (BRGs) – BRGs facilitate inclusion and collaboration across our business internally and throughout the communities where we live, work and play. BRGs are open to all.

Base Salary Range $138,000.00 - $200,100.00 The salary range above shows the typical minimum to maximum base salary range for this position in the location listed.

Non-sales positions have the opportunity to participate in a bonus program. Sales positions are eligible for sales incentives, and in some instances a bonus plan, whereby total compensation may far exceed base salary depending on individual performance.

Actual compensation offered may vary from posted hiring range based upon geographic location, work experience, education, licensure requirements and/or skill level and will be finalized at the time of offer.

Equal opportunity employer Drug-free workplace

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 (40 and over), 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.

For remote and hybrid positions you will be required to provide reliable high‑speed internet with a wired connection as well as a place in your home to work with limited disruption. You must have reliable connectivity from an internet service provider that is fiber, cable or DSL internet. Other necessary computer equipment, will be provided. You may be required to work in the office if you do not have an adequate home work environment and the required internet connection.