Overview:The Enterprise Principal Architect is a highly visible, hands-on technical leader who owns the architectural design and integrity of the organization's core systems. As the technical authority and go-to resource for engineering teams, this leader partners with the CIO and senior technology leaders to set technical direction across .NET, Azure, Angular, and SQL Server.
The role leads the evaluation of new technologies, tools, and standards. It also steps in on the most complex production issues to find root causes and put lasting fixes in place. The scope of this role is expected to grow, with a clear path toward VP of Architecture.
Key Responsibilities:Technical Leadership & Design:- Design and guide the architecture of complex, high-scale systems built on .NET/C#, Azure, Angular, and SQL Server.
- Serve as the escalation point for complex production and performance issues, leading root cause analysis and defining preventive measures.
- Conduct architecture and code reviews to ensure scalability, security, and maintainability.
- Define and evolve architectural standards, patterns, and reusable frameworks across development teams.
- Lead modernization efforts, including cloud migration, legacy re-architecture, and microservices adoption.
Strategy & Risk:- Partner with the CIO and IT leadership to shape multi-year technology roadmaps.
- Evaluate emerging technologies, tools, and industry trends, including AI, and recommend adoption where they drive business value.
- Assess enterprise-level risks related to platform stability, vendor dependencies, and technical debt.
Collaboration & Mentorship:- Mentor senior engineers and architects across teams.
- Explain technical tradeoffs clearly to both engineering teams and executive audiences.
- Build alignment across teams to drive adoption of architectural standards.
Required Qualifications:- 10+ years in software engineering and architecture, with deep, current expertise in .NET/C#, Angular, and SQL Server.
- Strong hands-on experience with Microsoft Azure, including App Service, Azure Functions (including Durable Functions), Azure Container Apps, and Azure Service Bus.
- Deep SQL Server expertise in schema design, performance tuning, and query optimization.
- Strong application security knowledge, including OWASP, Microsoft Entra ID, OAuth 2.0, and JWT.
- Solid understanding of DevOps practices and CI/CD pipelines.
- Proven track record designing and troubleshooting complex, distributed, high-availability systems.
- Ability to go deep technically (debugging, code review, architecture diagrams) and communicate effectively at the executive level.
- Experience mentoring engineers and serving as a trusted technical authority across teams.
Preferred Qualifications:- Experience with microservices and containers, including Kubernetes and AKS.
- Strong command of distributed system design patterns, such as Saga, CQRS, Circuit Breaker, and Faade.
- Experience with AI tools, agentic workflows, and workflow automation.
- Experience in a regulated or compliance-heavy environment.
- Certifications such as Microsoft Certified: Azure Solutions Architect Expert or TOGAF.
Why This Role:This is a high-visibility position with direct influence over the organization's technology direction. Reporting to the VP of Architecture with a dotted line to the CIO, you will shape how our core platforms are built and evolve. The role offers a clear growth path toward VP of Architecture.
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QUALIFIED CANDIDATE WILL BE LOCAL TO KANSAS CITY MO, OR WILLING TO RELOCATE.*#IPFSUS