Principal Business Architect (Architecture Governance)

Principal Business Architect (Architecture Governance) Immediate hiring || Hybrid in Lincolnshire, IL || Contract About the job: Title – Principal Business Architect (Architecture Governance) Start date: Immediate Position Type: Full Time/ Contract Location: Hybrid in Lincolnshire, IL Job Summary The Principal Business Architect (Architecture Governance) leads the governance, portfolio management, and business-architecture alignment functions within the Enterprise Architecture (EA) program. This role ensures that architectural decisions, business process models, capability maps, and technology investments are consistent with enterprise standards and aligned with ’s strategic objectives. You will manage the operational and analytical components of Architecture Governance, maintain enterprise capability and process models, lead the cadence for key governance bodies, and own the application and technology portfolio frameworks (Application Portfolio Management, APM, and Technology Portfolio Management, TPM). You will ensure enterprise-wide visibility into technology decisions, architectural risks, lifecycle states, and investment priorities. This is a senior individual contributor role. It requires deep business architecture knowledge, strong command of governance mechanisms, and the ability to translate architectural insights into clear, actionable business outcomes. Key Responsibilities Architecture Governance Leadership Lead the operational management of all EA governance bodies, including the Architecture Review Board (ARB), Software Governance Committee (SGC), Technology Strategy Panel (TSP), Technology Strategy Council (TSC), Communities of Practice (CoP), Centers for Enablement (C4E), and Centers of Excellence (CoE). Maintain established governance processes, measure their performance, and recommend improvements that strengthen accountability, transparency, and compliance across all EA forums. Own the execution of the Technology Decision Record (TDR) framework and ensure decisions are captured, communicated, and enforced across delivery teams. Track architectural risks, technology obsolescence, integration issues, and compliance concerns surfaced through governance activities. Business Architecture and Process Modeling Create and maintain enterprise business capability maps, value streams, and Level 0–4 business process models. Maintain the enterprise taxonomy and the business-to-technology capability mapping that informs solution architecture and investment decisions. Align business processes with application capabilities, technology strategy, and enterprise standards. Facilitate process modeling sessions with business leaders, product owners, and technical teams to clarify requirements and validate architectural assumptions. Application and Technology Portfolio Management (APM/TPM) Lead Application Portfolio Management (APM) and Technology Portfolio Management (TPM), including lifecycle tracking, ownership clarity, health assessment, and rationalization analysis. Maintain portfolio data that accurately reflects integrations, dependencies, risks, lifecycle stages, and technology obsolescence. Deliver analysis and recommendations that inform investment prioritization, modernization efforts, and cost optimization. Produce enterprise-grade data flow diagrams, integration maps, and dependency models using tools such as Figma, Lucidchart, and Confluence. Cross-Functional Alignment and Facilitation Drive alignment across business, product, engineering, cybersecurity, and IT operations to ensure governance processes, standards, and portfolio practices are consistently followed. Facilitate workshops, portfolio reviews, and decision forums that accelerate architectural clarity and promote enterprise-wide reuse of processes and capabilities. Track actions and outcomes from governance meetings and ensure commitments move through the EA pipeline successfully. Risk, Compliance, and Audit Readiness Maintain audit-ready documentation for governance decisions, APM/TPM data, architectural standards, and process models. Identify and track risks related to technology obsolescence, integration gaps, compliance issues, or inconsistencies in architectural practices. Provide visibility into technology and process-related risks for executive leadership, internal audit teams, and governance bodies. Reporting, Metrics, and Executive Insights Create dashboards, scorecards, and heatmaps that show portfolio health, governance throughput, architectural risk posture, and standards adoption. Deliver executive insights that connect architectural decisions to business outcomes, operational efficiency, cost structure, customer experience, and technology strategy. Provide leaders with clear visibility into modernization opportunities, rationalization targets, and areas requiring strategic intervention. Knowledge Management and Architecture Enablement Maintain a centralized repository of business process models, capability maps, architectural standards, decision frameworks, and reusable templates. Ensure consistent use of EA documentation standards, taxonomies, and tools across architecture teams. Lead enablement activities such as office hours, workshops, training sessions, and documentation improvements to strengthen the federated architecture community. Required Qualifications and Experience 10+ years of experience in Information Technology (IT), including at least five years in business architecture, enterprise architecture, or architecture governance roles. Strong understanding of Enterprise Architecture (EA) principles, governance frameworks, business capability modeling, and process architecture. Demonstrated leadership in governance bodies such as the Architecture Review Board (ARB), Software Governance Committee (SGC), Technology Strategy Panel (TSP), or Technology Strategy Council (TSC). Hands-on experience leading Application Portfolio Management (APM) and Technology Portfolio Management (TPM), including lifecycle management, rationalization, and integration mapping. Proficiency in business modeling techniques, including business capability mapping, value-stream mapping, and Level 0–4 process modeling. Ability to produce high-quality diagrams and documentation using Figma, Lucidchart, Confluence, or similar tools. Strong analytical, organizational, and program management skills capable of coordinating complex workflows across multiple stakeholders. Excellent communication and facilitation skills, with the ability to translate architectural data into meaningful business insights. Working knowledge of multi-cloud platforms such as Amazon Web Services (AWS), Microsoft Azure, and Google Cloud Platform (GCP), along with modern application architectures and integration patterns. Experience with frameworks such as the Scaled Agile Framework (SAFe), Information Technology Infrastructure Library (ITIL), Control Objectives for Information and Related Technologies (COBIT), Lean, and Agile-at-scale practices. Bachelor’s degree in Business, Information Systems, Computer Science, or equivalent experience. #J-18808-Ljbffr