Job Summary

U.S. Bank is seeking a highly experienced technology leader to serve as the Director of Architecture for a critical card processing platform supporting Consumer and Small Business customers in a highly regulated, always-on environment.

This role leads the architecture function, overseeing a team of architects responsible for designing and guiding complex payment solutions across a hybrid technology landscape. The Director will drive architecture strategy, solution design, and feasibility decisions across new product initiatives and business opportunities.

This is a technical leadership role, focused on architecture design and decision-making—not engineering execution—requiring strong expertise across mainframe and modern technology stacks (distributed systems, cloud, APIs, and microservices).

What You’ll Do

Architecture Leadership

• Lead and develop a team of architects responsible for end-to-end architecture across ICS initiatives
• Establish architectural direction across mainframe, API, distributed systems, and cloud environments
• Drive consistency, quality, scalability, and governance in architecture practices

Solution Design & Feasibility

• Oversee high-level solution design, feasibility assessments, and effort sizing for new products and business initiatives
• Partner with business and technology stakeholders to define scalable, viable architecture approaches prior to development

Cross-Platform Architecture & Strategy

• Drive architecture across a hybrid, multi-technology environment, including:
  • Mainframe platforms (core system of record)
  • Distributed systems and application services
  • API and integration architecture
  • Cloud and microservices-based platforms
• Ensure solutions balance modernization, scalability, resiliency, and platform stability

Cross-Functional Partnership

• Collaborate closely with Product, Engineering, and Business leaders to shape solutions
• Translate business needs into clear, scalable architectural designs
• Partner with Enterprise Architecture and platform teams to ensure alignment to broader strategy

Technical Leadership & Decision-Making

• Provide oversight of conceptual architecture design across systems and integrations
• Drive technical tradeoff decisions and long-term architecture strategy
• Influence senior stakeholders through clear, executive-level communication

Basic Qualifications

• 10+ years of experience in software engineering, architecture, or related roles
• Experience leading architecture teams or senior-level architects
• Deep expertise in designing across:
  • Mainframe systems (required)
  • Distributed systems and application architectures
  • APIs and integration patterns
  • Cloud, microservices, and modern architecture patterns (e.g., domain-driven design, event-driven architecture)
• Experience supporting complex, high-availability platforms (e.g., payments, financial services, or similar)
• Ability to lead across legacy and modern technology environments simultaneously
• Experience with solution feasibility, sizing, or pre-development architecture work

Preferred Skills/Experience

• Experience supporting payments or card processing platforms
• Experience in highly regulated, mission-critical environments
• Exposure to cloud transformation and hybrid architecture strategies
• Strong executive communication and stakeholder influence skills

What Sets This Role Apart

• Leads architecture strategy and design, not delivery execution
• Owns architecture across both legacy and modern platforms
• Operates at the intersection of technology, product, and business strategy
• Plays a critical role in modernizing a core, enterprise-scale platform

Location Expectation

This role requires working from a U.S. Bank location three (3) or more days per week.

Benefits: 

Our approach to benefits and total rewards considers our team members’ whole selves and what may be needed to thrive in and outside work. That's why our benefits are designed to help you and your family boost your health, protect your financial security and give you peace of mind. Our benefits include the following:

• Healthcare (medical, dental, vision)

• Basic term and optional term life insurance

• Short-term and long-term disability

• Pregnancy disability and parental leave

• 401(k) and employer-funded retirement plan

• Paid vacation (from two to five weeks depending on salary grade and tenure)

• Up to 11 paid holiday opportunities

• Adoption assistance

• Sick and Safe Leave accruals of one hour for every 30 worked, up to 80 hours per calendar year unless otherwise provided by law

Review our full benefits available by employment status here.