Senior Data Architect

First Citizens Bank • Raleigh, NC

6d • Hybrid

About The Position

The Senior Data Architect is a senior technical leader within Enterprise Data & Analytics (ED&A), responsible for defining, designing, and implementing enterprise-scale data architectures that provide trusted, governed, business-ready data across the organization. The role spans strategy through implementation and partners with engineering teams on scalable solutions, architecture reviews, complex data modeling, performance optimization, data product design, and platform modernization.

The position calls for hands-on experience across transactional (OLTP) and analytical (OLAP) systems, modern cloud data platforms, data integration, and enterprise data modeling. The architect will help establish enterprise data strategies and standards, advance cloud-native data solutions, support governance and compliance, evaluate emerging technologies, and mentor data professionals. The role emphasizes modern ecosystems involving AWS, Snowflake, Data Vault 2.0, DBT, API-based integration, event-driven architectures, metadata management, and AI-ready data foundations.

This is a hybrid role with work regularly taking place inside and outside a company office. The listed locations are NC and AZ.

Requirements

• Bachelor's degree and 6 years of experience in enterprise data architecture, advanced data solutions, or cloud platforms; alternatively, a high school diploma or GED and 10 years of experience in those areas.
• 12+ years of experience in data engineering, data architecture, information management, or analytics engineering.
• 5+ years serving as a lead architect for enterprise-scale data platforms.
• Proven experience designing and implementing modern cloud data platforms.
• Demonstrated experience leading large-scale data modernization programs.
• Experience working directly with engineering teams on implementation, optimization, and troubleshooting.
• Skills in enterprise data architecture design, advanced data integration and analytics platforms, cloud-native data solutions, data governance and compliance, and emerging data technologies and methodologies.
• Experience with modern data platforms and technologies, including Snowflake, AWS data services, Amazon S3, data lake and lakehouse architectures, and cloud-native data ecosystems.
• Experience with data engineering concepts and technologies, including ELT/ETL architectures, data integration patterns, change data capture (CDC), event-driven architectures, API-based integration, and data orchestration frameworks.
• Experience with data modeling, including conceptual, logical, and physical modeling, Data Vault 2.0, dimensional modeling, canonical modeling, master data management, and reference data management.
• Knowledge of data management disciplines including data governance, data quality, data lineage, metadata management, data cataloging, and data contracts.
• Experience with the listed Nexus Core Technologies: Snowflake, DBT, Qlik Replicate, Astronomer / Apache Airflow, AWS, Data Vault 2.0, Collibra, and BigID.

Nice To Haves

• Financial Services or Banking industry experience.
• Experience modernizing legacy data warehouse environments.
• Experience architecting large-scale Customer 360 solutions.
• Experience supporting regulatory and risk reporting ecosystems.
• Knowledge of Data Mesh and Data Product operating models.
• TOGAF, CDMP, SnowPro, AWS, or equivalent certifications.

Responsibilities

• Develop and drive implementation of enterprise-wide data architecture strategies.
• Lead design of complex, cross-functional data solutions and align architecture with business goals and technology roadmaps.
• Provide thought leadership on emerging concepts such as data mesh and data fabric.
• Architect data solutions for big data, real-time analytics, and machine learning.
• Design and implement data lakes, data warehouses, and hybrid architectures.
• Lead adoption of cloud-native data platforms and services.
• Develop strategies for data integration across diverse systems and platforms.
• Evaluate and recommend emerging data technologies and methodologies.
• Lead proof-of-concept initiatives for new data architecture approaches.
• Collaborate with vendors and partners to influence product roadmaps and drive adoption of advanced data solutions.
• Establish and enforce data architecture standards and best practices.
• Contribute to data governance initiatives and policies, and ensure compliance with data regulations and industry standards.
• Develop strategies to maintain enterprise-wide data quality and consistency.
• Mentor data architects and other data professionals and lead advanced training sessions and workshops.
• Represent the organization at industry conferences and forums, and contribute to the data architecture community through publications or speaking engagements.
• Partner with engineering teams on implementation, optimization, and troubleshooting of data platforms and solutions.

Benefits

• First Citizens Bank describes its benefits program as competitive, thoughtfully designed, and intended to meet associates’ needs; further information is available at the provided benefits website.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Senior