Enterprise 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
The Principal Architect will serve as the technical cornerstone of Synechron's Canada Financial Services practice, driving architectural excellence, technical innovation, and hands-on delivery quality across consulting engagements. This non-billable role is accountable for ensuring that every architecture design—and every line of code—meets world-class standards for performance, compliance, security, and operational resilience. The Principal Architect will design complex systems, mentor delivery architects on technical depth, contribute to Synechron's IP and frameworks, and maintain a hands-on involvement in critical design and implementation decisions. Ensure technical excellence and innovation across all FS consulting engagements by providing deep architectural guidance, hands-on technical leadership, code-level review, and thought partnership with clients and Synechron teams. Own the elevation of Synechron's technical reputation as the gold standard for FS architecture consulting.
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 Mississauga, ON is CAD $180k – CAD $210k/year & benefits (see below).
The Role
Responsibilities
- 1. Technical Leadership & Architecture Excellence (25%)
- Lead architecture design excellence across all Canada FS engagements; establish and enforce architectural standards, patterns, and decision-making rigor.
- Conduct design validation & review:
- Review architecture designs from delivery architects and consultants; ensure alignment with FS regulatory requirements (OSFI, PIPEDA, AML/KYC).
- Validate technical trade-offs (performance vs. compliance, innovation vs. stability, cost vs. architecture purity).
- Challenge assumptions; provide independent technical PoV on architectural decisions.
- Escalate architectural risks early; protect against over-engineered or under-engineered solutions.
- Own technical decision-making:
- Lead architecture decision boards (ADBs) for complex technology choices (cloud platform selection, AI/ML frameworks, integration patterns).
- Develop Architecture Decision Records (ADRs) that document rationale, trade-offs, and compliance implications.
- Ensure every architectural decision is defensible to clients, Synechron leadership, and (critically) OSFI examiners.
- Design-Level Engagement:
- Participate in high-stakes architecture design activities (not delegating all design to junior architects).
- Lead design workshops with client stakeholders; shape architectural direction through technical dialogue.
- Conduct deep dives into emerging technology choices (cloud vendor comparison, AI/ML framework evaluation, integration middleware assessment).
- Establish Technical Standards:
- Define architectural patterns and standards for Synechron's FS engagements (microservices, event-driven, API governance, data governance, security patterns).
- Create architecture templates and reusable components that accelerate delivery and reduce rework.
- Document decision criteria for common architectural choices (when to use event-driven vs. request-response, when to build vs. buy, when to privatize vs. public cloud).
- Regulatory Architecture Expertise:
- Develop deep technical mastery of FS regulatory requirements and translate into architectural patterns.
- Design compliance-first architectures that embed OSFI Cloud Computing Guidelines, AI Governance Expectations, fair lending controls, and AML transaction monitoring.
- Create regulatory compliance architecture frameworks that are reusable across Synechron engagements.
- 2. Hands-On Technical Delivery & Code-Level Engagement (20%)
- Participate directly in critical technical workstreams:
- Engage in detailed architecture design; don't just review—lead design workshops and contribute design thinking.
- Participate in technology selection and evaluation (cloud platform comparison, database technology assessment, integration middleware assessment).
- Lead proof-of-concept (PoC) design and validation; ensure PoCs test critical architectural assumptions.
- Conduct vendor technical deep dives; evaluate vendor solutions against architectural requirements.
- Code-Level Review & Validation:
- Review architecture-critical code paths; ensure implementation matches architectural intent.
- Conduct design review during detailed design phase (before build); validate architecture can be implemented as designed.
- Review infrastructure-as-code (Terraform, CloudFormation, Helm charts); ensure cloud infrastructure aligns with architectural patterns.
- Provide feedback on API design, schema design, and data model choices.
- Validate compliance-critical implementation (audit logging, encryption, access control, fair lending bias detection).
- Hands-On Technical Mentoring:
- Work side-by-side with delivery architects and engineers on complex technical challenges.
- Pair-program on critical design decisions; teach junior architects through direct collaboration.
- Review pull requests on architecture-critical code; provide technical mentorship through code feedback.
- Conduct technical deep dives with delivery teams on emerging technology challenges.
- Lead technical problem-solving sessions when delivery teams encounter architectural issues.
- Implementation Validation:
- Validate implementation aligns with architecture during build and testing phases.
- Conduct architecture compliance reviews (pre-deployment validation); ensure all regulatory requirements embedded.
- Manage architectural changes during delivery; evaluate scope creep and design modifications against original architecture.
- Support go-live activities; validate implementation meets design intent; identify post-go-live optimization opportunities.
- Technology Stack Expertise:
- Maintain hands-on expertise in technologies Synechron uses on engagements (cloud platforms, databases, integration middleware, AI/ML frameworks).
- Conduct technology assessments for new engagements; recommend technology stack based on architectural requirements and project constraints.
- Prototype emerging technologies; evaluate viability for FS use cases (generative AI, blockchain, advanced analytics).
- Stay current with technology evolution (new cloud services, framework releases, security best practices).
- 3. Innovation & Emerging Technology Leadership (20%)
- Drive Innovation Roadmap:
- Stay at the forefront of emerging technologies relevant to FS (AI/GenAI, cloud evolution, real-time data platforms, blockchain, quantum computing).
- Evaluate new technologies for applicability to Synechron's FS engagements; build business cases for technology investment.
- Conduct research and proof-of-concept work on emerging technologies; assess FS regulatory implications.
- Contribute to Synechron's thought leadership on future FS technology landscapes.
- Develop Synechron IP & Frameworks:
- Own or co-develop proprietary Synechron frameworks (e.g., "FS Responsible AI Governance Framework," "OSFI-Compliant Cloud Architecture Pattern," "Fair Lending Validation Framework").
- Create reusable architecture components, reference implementations, and accelerators that improve delivery efficiency.
- Document best practices and lessons learned from engagements; contribute to Synechron's FS architecture knowledge base.
- Develop technical reference architectures for common FS scenarios (cloud migration, Transaction Banking, AI governance, real-time data).
- Hands-On Prototyping & PoC Development:
- Conduct hands-on prototyping of emerging technologies; validate technical feasibility before recommending to clients.
- Develop proof-of-concepts demonstrating architectural approaches (new cloud patterns, AI governance frameworks, real-time data pipelines).
- Contribute code to Synechron's internal tools and frameworks; lead development of architecture validation tools.
- Build demonstrations for client presentations; showcase emerging technology capabilities in realistic FS scenarios.
- Internal Technology Community:
- Lead technical communities of practice (cloud architecture, AI governance, real-time data, API management).
- Facilitate knowledge sharing within Synechron; organize technical forums, workshops, and learning sessions.
- Contribute to Synechron's architecture blog, technical articles, and internal documentation.
- 4. Technical Mentoring & Team Development (10%)
- Mentor Delivery Architects & Consultants:
- Guide 5–8 delivery architects on architectural thinking, technical depth, and FS regulatory knowledge.
- Conduct one-on-one technical mentoring sessions; help architects develop architectural problem-solving skills.
- Review architecture designs from delivery architects; provide constructive feedback that elevates technical quality.
- Pair-program on complex technical challenges; teach through hands-on collaboration.
- Challenge junior architects to think deeply about architectural trade-offs; develop critical...