Engagement Lead / Principal Architect

We are

At Synechron, we believe in the power of digital to transform businesses for the better. Our global consulting firm combines creativity and innovative technology to deliver industry-leading digital solutions. Synechron’s progressive technologies and optimization strategies span end-to-end Artificial Intelligence, Consulting, Digital, Cloud & DevOps, Data, and Software Engineering, servicing an array of noteworthy financial services and technology firms. Through research and development initiatives in our FinLabs we develop solutions for modernization, from Artificial Intelligence and Blockchain to Data Science models, Digital Underwriting, mobile-first applications and more. Over the last 20+ years, our company has been honored with multiple employer awards, recognizing our commitment to our talented teams. With top clients to boast about, Synechron has a global workforce of 17,000+, and has 58 offices in 22 countries within key global markets.

Our challenge

Synechron is seeking a senior Principal Data Architecture Engagement Lead to lead a strategic data-transformation and target-state architecture engagement for a major banking client. This role combines engagement leadership, enterprise data architecture, governance and executive stakeholder management. The successful candidate will be accountable for establishing the delivery framework, managing risks and dependencies, driving ownership decisions and defending the target-state conceptual architecture at the client’s architecture board. Candidate will work closely with business and technology stakeholders, the Data Mesh and Enterprise Architecture teams, domain representatives and delivery leads.

Additional Information*

The base salary for this position will vary based on geography and other factors. In accordance with law, the base salary for this role if filled within New York, NY is $140k - $155k/year & benefits (see below).

The Role

Responsibilities:

• Secure read-only access to SQL Server system metadata and stand up the approved analysis workspace and repository within the first two weeks; this gate governs the whole plan.
• Agree the RACI, standards, templates and working cadence, and lock the fortnightly delivery-leadership review and the escalation path into the architecture board.
• Map stakeholders and secure a single named coordination point per business domain (a stated dependency of the proposal, and the primary schedule risk).
• Own the risk, issue and dependency log; escalate stakeholder-availability slippage early rather than absorbing it into float.
• Chair the DACI forum for contested and multi-domain items. Apply the stated position: exactly one accountable owner plus explicit contracted consumers, never diffuse co-ownership.
• Quality-gate every phase exit against the agreed key exits before deliverables reach.
• Own the target-state conceptual architecture narrative jointly with the Data-Mesh / Enterprise Architect, and defend it at the architecture board.
• Author the executive summary and recommendations (slide deck and Word), sequencing the roadmap against materiality, regulatory exposure and delivery risk.
• Frame the follow-on phase: what should fund next, in what order, and what the cost of deferral is on the highest-materiality core tables.

Requirements:

• 10+ years in data architecture or data transformation consulting, with 3+ years as the accountable owner of engagements at director or principal level.
• Capital markets or Tier-1/Tier-2 banking domain grounding: able to hold a credible conversation about trade, position, collateral, sub-ledger and regulatory reporting data without an SME in the room.
• Demonstrated ownership of a target-state data architecture that was formally accepted by a bank architecture review board — candidates should be able to name the board, the decision and the objections they had to answer.
• Data mesh operating-model fluency: domain ownership, data as a product, self-serve platform, federated computational governance — and a considered view on where mesh fails (over-centralising versus over-fragmenting shared assets).
• Lakehouse and medallion architecture on Azure Databricks; sufficient depth to challenge a pattern, not merely approve it.
• Executive presence with bank stakeholders at head-of and MD level; comfortable running a steering committee and delivering unwelcome findings.
• TOGAF certification, or equivalent evidence of using TOGAF to govern a pattern catalogue.

Preferred, but not required:

• Experience decomposing a SQL Server or Oracle monolith where stored-procedure logic obscured ownership boundaries.
• Regulatory programme exposure: CCAR / FR Y-14, Dodd-Frank, BCBS 239 lineage and CDE evidence.
• Experience running a distributed delivery team across US, Canada and India time zones on a fixed-window engagement.

We offer:

• A highly competitive compensation and benefits package.
• A multinational organization with 58 offices in 22 countries and the possibility to work abroad.
• 10 days of paid annual leave (plus sick leave and national holidays).
• Maternity & paternity leave plans.
• A comprehensive insurance plan including medical, dental, vision, life insurance, and long-/short-term disability (plans vary by region).
• Retirement savings plans.
• A higher education certification policy.
• Commuter benefits (varies by region).
• Extensive training opportunities, focused on skills, substantive knowledge, and personal development.
• On-demand Udemy for Business for all Synechron employees with free access to more than 5000 curated courses.
• Coaching opportunities with experienced colleagues from our Financial Innovation Labs (FinLabs) and Center of Excellences (CoE) groups.
• Cutting edge projects at the world’s leading tier-one banks, financial institutions and insurance firms.
• A flat and approachable organization.
• A truly diverse, fun-loving, and global work culture.

S YNECHRON’S DIVERSITY & INCLUSION STATEMENT

Diversity & Inclusion are fundamental to our culture, and Synechron is proud to be an equal opportunity workplace and is an affirmative action employer. Our Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) initiative ‘Same Difference’ is committed to fostering an inclusive culture – promoting equality, diversity and an environment that is respectful to all. We strongly believe that a diverse workforce helps build stronger, successful businesses as a global company. We encourage applicants from across diverse backgrounds, race, ethnicities, religion, age, marital status, gender, sexual orientations, or disabilities to apply. We empower our global workforce by offering flexible workplace arrangements, mentoring, internal mobility, learning and development programs, and more.

All employment decisions at Synechron are based on business needs, job requirements and individual qualifications, without regard to the applicant’s gender, gender identity, sexual orientation, race, ethnicity, disabled or veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by law.