IT Architect

SIMON•Little Rock, AR

About The Position

The IT Architect is responsible for aligning business strategy with technology capabilities across the Bank. This role partners directly with leadership and business units to understand banking processes, identify opportunities for transformation, and guide the design of scalable, compliant, and strategic solutions. The IT Architect serves as a trusted advisor to both IT and business leadership, ensuring that technology investments support business outcomes, regulatory requirements, and long-term enterprise architecture goals.

Requirements

Ability to bridge business and technology—translating business needs into architectural direction
Experience advising senior leadership and driving cross-functional alignment
Strong analytical skills for evaluating business processes and identifying transformation opportunities
Excellent communication skills—able to present to executives and business stakeholders in one-on-one, small group, and executive sessions
Ability to read, analyze, and interpret technical and financial reporting and/or legal documents
Ability to lead and advise teams of technical associates regarding projects or strategic initiatives of the organization
Must be able to prioritize assignments while working on multiple projects
Ability to operate independently and provide strategic guidance in a fast-paced and evolving environment
Ability to assess existing and emerging technologies and identify opportunities to leverage for the advantage of the organization
Bachelor's degree in a related field
Experience working within a regulated financial institution environment
Understanding of regulatory and compliance considerations (FFIEC, GLBA, data protection, etc.)
8+ years of experience across enterprise architecture, solution architecture, or senior technology leadership roles
Advanced knowledge of modern cloud and infrastructure technologies (Azure preferred)
Strong knowledge of enterprise architecture frameworks and principles (TOGAF-style thinking, capability modeling, etc.)
Deep understanding of banking systems and processes, including core banking (Jack Henry & Associates experience preferred), lending, payments, and digital channels
Integration patterns (APIs, middleware, event-driven architectures)
Intermediate/Advanced Office Automation experience
Architecture documentation and modeling tools (Microsoft Visio, Lucidchart, and/or other similar tools)
Data architecture concepts, including data flow, governance, and lifecycle management
Strong understanding of security principles, regulatory requirements, and risk considerations within a financial services environment
Experience participating in governance processes such as an Architecture Review Board, change management, and/or vendor risk review processes

Nice To Haves

Enterprise architecture certifications (e.g., TOGAF or equivalent)
Azure Solutions Architect Expert
Banking and financial services certifications

Responsibilities

Partner with business unit leaders (Retail, Commercial, Lending, Treasury, etc.) to understand banking processes, pain points, and strategic goals
Translate business capabilities into technology architecture and solution direction
Establish and maintain enterprise architecture standards, reference models, and banking domain architectures
Provide strategic guidance on core banking systems, digital banking platforms, payments, lending systems, and vendor solutions
Lead architectural discussions for new business initiatives, ensuring alignment with regulatory, risk, and compliance requirements
Evaluate vendor solutions based on business fit, scalability, integration complexity, and risk
Serve as a key contributor to Architecture Review Board (ARB) decisions with a focus on business impact and enterprise alignment
Drive consistency in data flows, customer experience, and cross-channel integration across banking platforms
Provide executive-level briefings translating complex technical topics into business outcomes
Evaluate and remain current with emerging technologies that can be used to benefit the Bank
Design, test, and evaluate various technical solutions, as needed
Prepare proposals, briefings, and other information pertaining to current and emerging operational technologies