Sr Dir Information Technology - Chief Architect

Job Description

Job Summary

The Chief Architect is a strategic leadership role responsible for defining and leading Synovus' technology architecture strategy, ensuring it aligns with Synovus' business goals and objectives. This role oversees the development and implementation of enterprise-wide architecture and technology solutions, driving innovation and optimizing the technology landscape to support scalability, security, and efficiency. The Chief Architect will work closely with the CIO, IT leadership, and business stakeholders to transform and modernize Synovus' technology environment.

Key Responsibilities

• Strategy Leadership
  • Define and lead Synovus' technology architecture strategy in alignment with business goals. Act as a visionary, anticipating and preparing for future technology needs and market trends.

• Architecture Design Governance
  • Develop and maintain enterprise architecture models to ensure that the IT infrastructure supports Synovus' business objectives. Establish governance processes to ensure compliance with architectural standards and principles.

• Innovation Transformatio
  • Drive innovation within the technology space, identifying opportunities for technological advancements that can enhance business operations, customer experience, and competitive advantage.

• Stakeholder Collaboration
  • Collaborate with business leaders, IT teams, and external partners to ensure technology solutions are aligned with business needs and deliver maximum value.

• Risk Management Compliance
  • Ensure architectural solutions adhere to regulatory requirements and risk management frameworks. Promote security-by-design principles across all technology projects.

• Vendor Technology Selection
  • Lead the evaluation and selection of technology solutions and vendors, ensuring they meet Synovus' strategic objectives and architectural standards.

• Team Leadership
  • Lead and mentor the architecture team, fostering a culture of innovation, collaboration, and continuous improvement.

• This role requires a combination of strategic planning, technical expertise, and leadership skills.
• The Chief Architect will stay abreast of industry trends and technological innovations to keep Synovus' IT architecture agile and responsive to changing business needs.
• Occasional travel may be required for vendor meetings, conferences, and professional development.

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor's or Master's degree in Computer Science, Information Technology, or related field.
• 10+ years of experience in IT, with a minimum of 5 years in an architectural leadership role within a banking or financial services environment.
• Proven track record of leading large-scale IT transformation and modernization initiatives.
• Strong understanding of banking operations, regulatory requirements, and the financial services technology landscape.
• Expertise in enterprise architecture frameworks (e.g., TOGAF), methodologies, and best practices.
• Experience with cloud architectures, SaaS, PaaS, and IaaS environments, and modern development practices (e.g., DevOps, Agile).
• Excellent leadership, communication, and interpersonal skills, with the ability to influence and collaborate at all levels of the organization.

The information on this description has been designed to indicate the general nature and level of work performed by employees within this classification. It is not designed to contain or be interpreted as a comprehensive inventory of all duties, responsibilities, and qualifications required of employees assigned to this job.

Synovus is an Equal Opportunity Employer supporting diversity in the workplace.

Minimum Requirements

Required Education: Bachelor's Degree in Computer Science, Information Systems, Business Administration or related field. Master's Degree is preferred.

Required Experience: Fifteen (15) years of IT and business/industry work experience to include the development, implementation, and maintenance of integrated Database Management Systems and Applications across multiple hardware and software platforms. Five (5) years of experience in managing multiple, medium to large cross-functional teams or projects.

Required Knowledge, Skills, Abilities:

• Knowledge of the industry's standard business practices, products, and services.
• Knowledge of information system development strategies.
• Exceptional project management skills and the ability to organize, plan, execute large-scale projects.
• Exceptional verbal and written communication skills.
• Exceptional analytical, problem-solving, and conceptual skills
• Strong teamwork and interpersonal skills, and the ability to communicate and persuade business unit leaders.
• Ability to analyze project and business needs and determine resources needed to meet objectives.
• Ability to lead dynamically and energize multidiscipline work teams to learn and apply new skills/techniques to respond to business needs.

Additional Information

Desired Skills

• Strategic thinker with strong analytical and problem-solving skills.
• Ability to navigate complex organizational structures and build consensus across diverse stakeholder groups.
• Experience in cybersecurity and risk management practices.
• Knowledge of emerging technologies (AI, blockchain, IoT) and their application in banking and financial services.