Principal Architect, Marketing and Retailer Systems (Camden)

Job Summary

The Principal Architect (Marketing and Retailer Systems) is a senior technical leader responsible for defining and advancing Subaru of America's enterprise application architecture strategy. With a focus on application design, integration, scalability, and security, this role plays a critical part in shaping how systems are structured, connected, and evolve across the organization.

Primary Responsibilities

Enterprise-Wide Architectural Leadership (20%)

• Define and evolve the enterprise application architecture across key domains, including application platforms, cloud platforms, integration, security, and operational services, ensuring cohesive and scalable end-to-end solutions across hybrid and multi-cloud environments.
• Act as the lead architect for enterprise initiatives and programs, aligning strategy and investments with SOA's long-term business and operational objectives.
• Drive the integration and accessibility of systems across on-prem and cloud platforms to enable reliable, high-performing, and future-ready application capabilities.

Vision and Strategy Development (15%)

• Shape SOA's enterprise strategy with a 3-5-year horizon, aligning platforms, cloud adoption strategies, integration patterns, and architectural standards with evolving business priorities and emerging trends.
• Identify and champion innovative initiatives that drive transformational value and position SOA to lead in delivering modern, cloud-enabled, scalable solutions.
• Lead the development of application architecture contributions to enterprise strategic planning, ensuring applications are treated as core enablers of business capability and growth.

Innovation and Influence (15%)

• Drive innovative solutions that enhance scalability, performance, and business agility, leveraging cloud-native capabilities and modern architectures to create sustained strategic advantage for SOA.
• Elevate enterprise architecture capabilities by promoting best practices in system design, cloud adoption, integration, reliability, and security, while fostering a culture of continuous improvement and engineering excellence.
• Extend influence beyond the organization by contributing to the broader architecture and technology community through thought leadership, publications, and participation in industry forums.

Solution Design and Problem Solving (20%)

• Independently address complex enterprise architecture and integration challenges, including those involving emerging technologies and evolving architectural patterns.
• Design and implement enterprise-scale solutions that span multiple systems and platforms, ensuring seamless integration and interoperability across the technology landscape.
• Ensure all solution designs prioritize scalability, resilience, performance, and long-term sustainability to support evolving business needs and strategic objectives.

Communication and Leadership (15%)

• Clearly articulate complex enterprise application concepts, architecture, and strategy to a wide range of audiences, including executives, business stakeholders, and technical teams.
• Collaborate closely with peer architects to align on enterprise standards, share insights, and ensure a cohesive, cross-domain architectural approach.
• Develop and deliver architecture documentation, standards, and roadmaps that effectively communicate direction to both technical and non-technical audiences.
• Provide leadership, coaching, and mentorship to teams across SOA IT, promoting best practices in solution design, integrations, and engineering excellence.

External Engagement and Advocacy (15%)

• Represent SOA in architecture, application, and technology conferences, panels, and industry forums to elevate the organization's leadership in enterprise architecture.
• Build and maintain strong relationships with peers, technology partners, and academic institutions to bring emerging architectural patterns, platforms, and innovations into SOA.
• Strengthen SOA's reputation as a leader in enterprise architecture and solution delivery to attract top-tier architecture and engineering talent.

Skills

Enterprise Solution Architecture Expertise

• Demonstrates deep, authoritative knowledge across enterprise application and technology domains with a proven ability to design and integrate complex, cross-functional solutions.
• Strong expertise in cloud platforms (most importantly AWS), including application platforms, integration services, APIs, security, observability, and AI/ML capabilities.
• Deep experience with architectural patterns such as microservices, event-driven architectures, API-first design, domain-driven design, and distributed systems, along with application lifecycle management, service orchestration, and platform engineering.
• Applies a security-first approach by embedding protection, identity, and governance controls into solution designs.
• Ensures emerging technologies such as AI and agentic workflows are security integrated, governed, and aligned with enterprise standards.
• Proven track record in establishing architecture standards, governance frameworks, and reusable patterns that promote consistency, scalability, and effective solution delivery across the enterprise.

Strategic and Conceptual Thinking

• Anticipates emerging trends in enterprise technology, cloud and software engineering, and translates them into actionable enterprise architecture strategies.
• Demonstrates the ability to conceive and lead initiatives that transform how systems are designed, integrated, and delivered to enable business capabilities and modernize technology platforms.

Enterprise Solution Strategy Development

• Demonstrates the ability to design and implement comprehensive solution strategies that support diverse use cases, including digital applications, transactional systems, and integration services.
• Ensures each solution approach is backed by appropriate architecture, technologies, and governance to enable scalable, resilient, and secure system interactions across the enterprise.
• Aligns application capabilities with business priorities to support reliable, high-performing systems that drive operational and customer-facing outcomes.

Security, Risk, and Compliance Proficiency

• Demonstrates knowledge of security and compliance requirements, workflows, and strategies for protecting applications and systems, including identity and access management, encryption, secure coding practices, and threat mitigation.
• Supports and enforces enterprise security policies and risk management practices across solution architectures.

Hands‑On Technical Proficiency

• Maintains the ability to work hands‑on when needed, leveraging modern programming languages, frameworks, and cloud services to support investigation, proof-of-concept (POC) development, and rapid prototyping.
• Capable of diving into code and system configurations to validate architectural decisions, troubleshoot complex system challenges, and accelerate innovation.

Communication and Influence

• Demonstrates mastery in written and verbal communication skills, engaging effectively with both senior leadership and technical teams.
• Skilled in collaborating with a broader community of architects across domains to align on architectural direction, share best practices, and drive cohesive enterprise outcomes.
• Comfortable advocating for architectural change and influencing stakeholders across organizational boundaries.

Leadership Through Networks

• Demonstrates leadership in matrixed environments with the ability to lead through influence rather than direct authority.
• Experience forming and leading communities of practice or cross-functional architecture working groups.

Innovation and Industry Engagement

• Recognized leader in enterprise solution architecture, with external visibility through thought leadership, speaking engagements, and contributions to the broader technology and architecture community.
• Demonstrates a strong passion for advancing modern application architectures and applying them in innovative ways to transform how systems are built and operated.

Business and Competitive Insights

• Demonstrates a deep understanding of business operations and how technology solutions enable competitive advantage.
• Ability to incorporate industry trends, benchmarking, and technology insights into SOA's enterprise architecture, ensuring strategies and solutions that enhance business outcomes and inform strategic decision-making.

Education

• Bachelor's Degree in a related field of study - Required
• H.S. Diploma and equivalent experience in lieu of degree - Required

Work Experience

• At least 12-15 years of relevant and progressive work experience - Required

Benefits

Subaru offers a comprehensive benefits package including:

• Medical, Dental, and Vision coverage
• Pension, Profit Sharing, and 401(k) match
• Paid time off, company holidays, floating holidays, and sick time
• Tuition Reimbursement Program
• Vehicle Discount Programs

Visit our Careers site to learn more about Subaru's total rewards and benefits.

About Subaru

LOVE. It's what makes Subaru, Subaru. As a leading auto brand in the U.S., we strive to be More Than a Car Company. Subaru bel]]> <