What You'll DoThe First Vice President (FVP), Enterprise Strategy & Architecture is responsible for defining and advancing the Credit Union's enterprise technology architecture, strategic technology roadmap, and innovation agenda. This executive leader establishes architecture principles, standards, and governance across all technology delivery teams to ensure the organization's systems, platforms, data, and technology investments support business growth, operational efficiency, digital transformation, and member experience objectives.
The role serves as a critical bridge between business and technology organizations, aligning business priorities, product roadmaps, and technology investments to drive long-term value. This role leads architecture decisions, evaluates build-versus-buy strategies, guides integration approaches, and supports the transition of capabilities from outsourced providers to internally managed technology solutions.
Core Contributions- Enterprise Architecture Leadership
- Define, implement, and maintain the Credit Union's enterprise architecture framework, principles, standards, and governance processes.
- Establish target-state architectures that align technology capabilities with business objectives and strategic priorities.
- Enforce enterprise architecture standards, design principles, and technology guidelines across all development, infrastructure, and delivery teams.
- Ensure consistency, scalability, security, maintainability, and interoperability across the technology landscape.
- Lead architecture review boards and governance forums to evaluate technology solutions and architecture decisions.
- IT Strategy & Technology Planning
- Develop and maintain the Credit Union's multi-year technology strategy and enterprise technology roadmap.
- Align technology priorities with corporate strategy, business goals, member experience objectives, and operational requirements.
- Partner with executive leadership to identify emerging technologies and innovation opportunities that support long-term growth.
- Evaluate technology investments and initiatives to ensure business value, risk mitigation, and operational effectiveness.
- Establish strategic planning processes that connect business priorities, product roadmaps, and technology execution plans.
- Application, Platform, and Integration Architecture
- Define architecture standards and integration strategies across applications, platforms, data, cloud services, and infrastructure environments.
- Guide enterprise integration decisions to ensure seamless interoperability across internal systems, third-party solutions, digital channels, and member-facing platforms.
- Establish reusable architecture patterns that accelerate technology delivery and improve operational efficiency.
- Support modernization initiatives that simplify and rationalize the application portfolio.
- Promote API-first, service-oriented, and cloud-enabled architecture approaches where appropriate.
- Build vs. Buy Governance
- Promote API-first, service-oriented, and cloud-enabled architecture approaches where appropriate.
- Assess technology capabilities, business requirements, total cost of ownership, operational complexity, risks, and strategic alignment.
- Provide recommendations regarding custom development, platform selection, software procurement, and vendor solutions.
- Ensure technology selection decisions are aligned with enterprise architecture standards and long-term business objectives.
- Support capability insourcing initiatives through architecture planning, technology design, and transition strategies.
- Technology Modernization & Capability Insourcing
- Provide architectural leadership for the transition of key technology capabilities from outsourced or vendor-managed environments to internally managed solutions.
- Develop architecture roadmaps that support organizational capability building and operational ownership.
- Identify opportunities to simplify technology ecosystems, reduce technical debt, and improve platform sustainability.
- Guide implementation of modern technology platforms that improve flexibility, speed to market, and operational resilience.
- Ensure architecture decisions support future scalability, security, and business agility.
- Governance, Risk & Compliance
- Collaborate with Information Security, Risk Management, Compliance, and Audit teams to ensure architecture standards support regulatory and security requirements.
- Incorporate cybersecurity, resilience, privacy, and risk management considerations into technology architecture decisions.
- Participate in regulatory examinations, audits, and technology governance reviews as required.
- Establish technology lifecycle management and architecture compliance processes.
- Leadership & Collaboration
- Serve as a trusted advisor to executive leadership on technology strategy, architecture, innovation, and investment priorities.
- Partner closely with Information Technology, Information Security, Digital Banking, Operations, Enterprise Risk, Finance, and business leaders.
- Facilitate alignment among business stakeholders, product teams, and technology organizations.
- Lead and mentor architecture, strategy, and technology planning teams.
- Foster a culture of innovation, accountability, collaboration, and continuous improvement.
Assets You Will Bring- Bachelor's Degree required in Computer Science, Information Technology, Information Systems, Engineering, or related field; Master's degree preferred.
- 10+ years of progressive experience in enterprise architecture, technology strategy, systems design, or technology leadership.
- 5+ years in a senior leadership role with responsibility for enterprise-wide technology architecture and strategic planning.
- Demonstrated experience defining enterprise architecture frameworks and governing technology standards across large, complex organizations.
- Proven experience evaluating build-versus-buy decisions, enterprise platforms, cloud solutions, integration architectures, and technology modernization initiatives.
- Experience aligning business strategy, product roadmaps, and technology investments to achieve organizational objectives.
- Certifications: TOGAF (The Open Group Architecture Framework), Certified Enterprise Architect, AWS Certified Solutions Architect, Microsoft Certified: Azure Solutions Architect Expert, Certified Information Systems Security Professional (CISSP), Project Management Professional (PMP), SAFe Architect or equivalent Agile architecture certification are all preferred.
- Computer Skills: Microsoft Office (Excel, Word, PowerPoint, Outlook, Teams), Microsoft Azure, Amazon Web Services (AWS), Enterprise Architecture Tools, Application Programming Interfaces (APIs), Enterprise Integration Platforms, Agile Project Management Tools.
The estimated salary for this role is $224,000-$254,000 annually. (FourLeaf Federal Credit Union offers a comprehensive benefits package, including medical, dental, and vision coverage; life and disability insurance; voluntary benefit programs; a 401(k) plan with employer match; reimbursement and wellness programs; and an annual performance-based bonus.) In addition to the salary or hourly rate listed above there may be other compensation & benefits available.
What Sets Us Apart?In addition to our comprehensive benefits, we invest in employee connection and well-being through:
- Competitive 401(k)
- Tuition and fitness reimbursement programs
- Flexible work options
- Volunteer opportunities
- Executive "Water Cooler Chats"
- Clubs, sports, and social events
- Food truck days
....and more!
