Chief Architect Location: Remote (United States)
The Head of Architecture (Chief Architect) is Thunder's senior technical authority, owning the architecture practice end to end and carrying the architecture leadership seat on the Delivery team. You define and enforce Thunder's architecture standards, govern cross-cloud, data, and AI solution design, provide oversight on technical solutioning through pre-sales, and own the technical bar that defines architectural excellence at Thunder. You set the Thunder's direction on how data and AI show up in client solutions, ensuring they rest on a sound data foundation rather than just sitting on top. You are also the architect Thunder turns to on its most critical engagements, the judgment that protects our delivery reputation when the stakes are highest. This role is equal parts technical authority, executive influence, and stewardship of the Thunder's architectural identity.
Key Accountabilities:Lead, Manage, & Accountability- Own the architecture function. Set direction, run the operating cadence, and hold the architect community accountable to standards and outcomes.
- Serve as the single point of accountability for architecture quality across the portfolio.
Architectural Governance & Standards- Define, publish, and enforce Thunder's architecture standards, including design patterns, documentation templates, integration standards, and DevOps/CI-CD guardrails.
- Run architecture review boards and design gates; own the customization versus configuration line.
- Extend Thunder's standards to cover data architecture and AI/agent design, so emerging solution patterns are held to the same governance bar as established ones.
- Make standards real and operational.
Cross-Cloud Architecture Strategy- Serve as the connective tissue on multi-cloud and multi-system programs, ensuring workstreams align on a coherent data model and platform strategy.
- Govern how Salesforce integrates into the broader technology ecosystem, including ERP, data platform, middleware, and identity, ensuring seamless, scalable interoperability.
Data & AI Architecture Strategy- Own the architecture strategy for data and AI across client solutions, including data platforms, Data 360, Agentforce and agentic patterns, ensuring solutions are grounded in a sound data model and governed data foundation.
- Set the design standards and guardrails for AI and agent solutions, covering data readiness, trust and security, human-in-the-loop design, and responsible-use considerations, so that what we deliver is scalable and defensible.
- Serve as the Thunder's senior authority on when AI genuinely fits a client problem and when it does not, protecting clients and Thunder from AI over-reach.
- Provide technical input to Thunder's internal delivery-transformation efforts, partnering with delivery leadership on how AI strengthens how we architect and deliver.
Pre-Sales Solution Oversight- Set the standards for how Thunder solutions and estimates before it commits, establishing the estimation discipline and design principles that govern technical scoping.
- Vet proposed architectures on strategic and complex pursuits against delivery capacity and skill sets to prevent sales over-reach.
- Provide architectural oversight and review on the highest-stakes pursuits; guide technical discovery and shape the technical narrative that wins executive trust.
Architectural Excellence & Technical Bar- Own the technical bar for the architect community. Define what "good" looks like, the design and code-quality standards architects are held to, and the certification and capability roadmap as a technical artifact.
- Partner with practice and delivery leadership on the architect career ladder, hiring bar, and career development, ensuring the people model is anchored to the technical standard you set.
- Coach and elevate the architect community through review, mentorship, and knowledge-sharing.
Escalations & Account Recovery- Step into escalated or at-risk engagements to diagnose technical root cause, reset the design or direction, and stabilize.
- When a critical engagement requires it, go deep. Lead solution design sessions, review complex integration and data-migration strategies, and make the hard architecture calls directly.
Thought Leadership- Represent Thunder externally through client executive presentations, public speaking, and published thought leadership.
- Stay current on Salesforce product and platform capabilities, emerging patterns, and product updates.
Qualifications:- 12-15+ years within Enterprise and/or Salesforce ecosystem as an architect, solution engineer, or technical consulting leader in customer-facing roles, including complex, multi-cloud programs.
- 4+ years leading architects, whether as a manager, Principal/Enterprise Architect, or architecture practice lead, with a proven track record of setting standards and driving organizational technical strategy, not just delivering projects.
- Executive presence: able to own a room, earn trust with client C-suite and technical teams alike, and turn a technical narrative into a business decision.
- Deep expertise across Salesforce architecture and platform capabilities (Sales, Service, Experience, and custom solutions), plus cross-cloud and cross-system fluency.
- Expert in custom and managed-package API integrations (RESTful + SOAP) and proven implementation using Salesforce Integration Patterns, including MuleSoft and middleware.
- Demonstrated depth in data architecture, including data modeling, data quality, migrations, and integration into governed data platforms (Data 360 and comparable), as the foundation for the platform, analytics and AI.
- Working fluency in AI and agentic solution design on the Salesforce platform (Agentforce and related patterns), with the judgment to separate durable architecture.
- Sound judgment on the profitability line, architecting for scalability and quality.
Certifications:- Strongly Preferred: Salesforce Certified Technical Architect (CTA). If not held you must demonstrate the ability to operate at a CTA level.
- Required: Salesforce Admin, plus a credible depth of architect-track certifications, ideally 5+ across Sharing & Visibility Architect, Data Architect, Application Architect, System Architect, Platform Developer I/II, Platform App Builder, and Integration Architect.
- Valued: Sales/Service/Experience/Revenue Cloud Consultant, MuleSoft Integration Architect, Identity & Access Management Architect, Data 360, Agentforce, Development Lifecycle & Deployment Architect.
- Active certifications with a willingness to achieve additional certifications on emerging technologies as Thunder's roadmap moves.
Applicants must be currently authorized to work in the United States on a full-time basis.
At Thunder, we are committed to pay equity and transparency. The annual salary range for this position is
$210,000 to $250,000 and represents the national base pay targets for this role across all U.S. locations. This disclosed range does not include additional compensation components such as discretionary bonuses, equity, or our standard employee benefits package. Actual individual pay decisions are based on a rigorous assessment of job-related factors, including the candidate's geographic location, relevant certifications, and specific level of professional experience. Please note that it is not typical for an individual to be hired at or near the top of the range, as compensation is tailored to the unique facts and circumstances of each specific case.
Research shows that women and people from underrepresented groups often apply to jobs only if they meet 100% of the qualifications. We recognize that it is highly unlikely that someone meets 100% of the qualifications for a role. If most of this job description describes you, then we encourage you to please apply for this role.
