Desert Financial Credit Union

Director of Architecture -ST

Desert Financial Credit Union$150K — $180K *
Enterprise Technology
8 - 10 years of experience
Job Overview by Ladders

Qualifications

  • Bachelor's degree in IT, Computer Science, Information Systems, or related field preferred
  • 8+ years in technology or architecture roles across infrastructure, cloud, application, and integration domains
  • 5+ years in leadership roles guiding technical teams
  • Experience leading architecture in complex, multi-platform environments
  • Expertise in enterprise and solution architecture across various domains
  • Strong understanding of resiliency and regulatory requirements in financial services
  • Demonstrated ability in influence and architectural decision-making

Responsibilities

  • Define enterprise and domain architecture aligned to business strategy and regulatory considerations
  • Translate technology strategies into architectural principles and standards
  • Own the Plan and Build lifecycle for new technologies and major initiatives
  • Provide architectural leadership to ensure production-ready solutions
  • Review and approve solution designs and engineering approaches across multiple domains
  • Establish and enforce architectural and engineering standards and guidelines
  • Lead and develop the Architecture & Engineering team through coaching and performance management

Benefits

  • Hybrid work environment requiring in-office presence 2 days per week
  • Opportunity to collaborate with executive leadership
  • Engagement with clients in the financial services sector
  • Focus on continuous improvement and innovation
  • Professional development through mentoring and coaching opportunities
Full Job Description
The Director of Architecture & Engineering provides leadership and direction for technology architecture and engineering across SwitchThink Solutions, ensuring technology platforms and solutions are intentionally designed, engineered, standardized, and delivered in alignment with business objectives and client needs. This role is responsible for establishing architectural direction, guiding solution design, overseeing engineering execution, and ensuring solutions are fully built and aligned with approved architectural and engineering standards prior to transition into operational support models.

Operating within a managed services provider environment serving regulated credit union clients, the Director of Architecture & Engineering partners closely with the Chief Technology Officer and peer technology leaders to balance innovation, risk management, scalability, security, and operational sustainability across shared platforms and client environments.

What you will do here:

Architecture & Engineering Strategy and Direction

  • Define and maintain enterprise and domain architecture and engineering roadmaps aligned to business strategy, client requirements, and regulatory considerations.
  • Translate technology strategy into architectural principles, engineering standards, and target state designs.
  • Provide architectural input into long-term technology planning, platform modernization, and new service offerings.


Plan and Build Delivery Leadership

  • Own the end-to-end Plan and Build lifecycle for new technologies, platforms, and major initiatives.
  • Provide architectural leadership and engineering execution to ensure solutions are designed, built, tested, and production ready.
  • Review and approve solution designs and engineering approaches across infrastructure, cloud, application, data, and integration domains.
  • Partner with delivery teams to address architectural risks, design gaps, implementation challenges, and technical tradeoffs prior to operational transition. Teams to address architectural risks, design gaps, and tradeoffs.


Architecture & Engineering Governance and Standards

  • Establish, maintain, and enforce architectural & engineering standards, patterns, and design guidelines.
  • Provide final approval for solution designs, engineering approaches and platform changes.
  • Partner with security and risk teams to ensure architectural designs align with regulatory, audit, and compliance expectations while supporting secure and resilient service delivery for our clients.
  • Ensure architecture governance enables efficient delivery while managing technical risk and complexity.


Leadership and Team Management

  • Lead and develop the Architecture & Engineering team through coaching, mentoring, and performance management.
  • Set clear priorities and expectations across planning, design, and delivery functions.
  • Foster a culture of collaboration, accountability, and continuous improvement.


Cross-Functional Collaboration and Advisory

  • Partner with Infrastructure, IT Service Operations, Engineering, Security, Product, and Account Management leaders to ensure architectural alignment.
  • Ensure clean handoff of fully aligned engineered solutions into Operations.
  • Serve as a trusted advisor to executive leadership and support client-facing architectural needs as required.


What you will need:

  • Bachelor's degree in Information Technology, Computer Science, Information Systems, or related field (preferred) OR equivalent combination of education and experience required.
  • 8+ years progressive experience in technology or architecture roles across infrastructure, cloud, application, and integration domains required.
  • 5+ years leadership experience guiding senior technical professionals or architecture teams required.
  • Experience leading architecture within complex, multi-platform or multi-client environments required.
  • Enterprise and solution architecture expertise across infrastructure, cloud, platform, application, and integration domains required.
  • Strong understanding of resiliency, security, disaster recovery, and regulatory requirements in financial services required.
  • Demonstrated ability to lead through influence and make sound architectural decisions required.
  • Strong analytical, problem-solving, and decision-making skills required.
  • Excellent written and verbal communication skills, including executive-level communication required.
  • Ability to operate effectively in a fast-paced, client-focused MSP environment required.


Experience in financial services, credit union, or other regulated industries preferred.

For additional information about our organization, careers, and benefits visit: http://www.switchthink.com/careers.

Work Location: Phoenix AZ

Work Type: Hybrid (In office 2 days per week)

Sponsorship: This position is not eligible for visa sponsorship.

#LI-Hybrid

About Desert Financial Credit Union

Desert Financial Credit Union is a credit union that provides financial services to its members. The company was founded in 1939 and is headquartered in Phoenix, Arizona. Desert Financial Credit Union's services include checking and savings accounts, loans, and credit cards. The company serves individuals and businesses in Arizona. Desert Financial Credit Union is committed to giving back to the community and has donated millions of dollars to various charitable organizations.
Learn more about Desert Financial Credit Union
Size
1,000 employees
Industry

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