Senior Data Architect

Overview

This is a hybrid role, with the expectation that time working will regularly take place inside and outside of a company office. NC, AZ

The Senior Data Architect is a senior technical leader within Enterprise Data & Analytics (ED&A) responsible for defining, designing, and implementing enterprise-scale data architectures that enable trusted, governed, and business-ready data across the organization.

This role requires deep hands-on expertise across transactional systems (OLTP), analytical platforms (OLAP), modern cloud data platforms, data integration, and enterprise data modeling. The Senior Data Architect is expected to operate from strategy through implementation, partnering with engineering teams to design scalable solutions while actively participating in architecture reviews, complex data modeling, performance optimization, data product design, and platform modernization initiatives.

The ideal candidate brings extensive experience designing and implementing modern data ecosystems leveraging AWS, Snowflake, Data Vault 2.0, DBT, API-based integration patterns, event-driven architectures, metadata management, and AI-ready data foundations.

Responsibilities & Qualifications

Duties & Responsibilities:
Enterprise Data Strategy - Develop and drive the implementation of enterprise-wide data architecture strategies. Lead the design of complex, cross-functional data solutions. Align data architecture with business goals and technology roadmaps. Provide thought leadership in emerging data architecture concepts (e.g., data mesh, data fabric)
Advanced Data Solutions - Architect sophisticated data solutions for big data, real-time analytics, and machine learning. Design and implement data lakes, data warehouses, and hybrid architectures. Lead the adoption of cloud-native data platforms and services. Develop strategies for data integration across diverse systems and platforms
Innovation and Thought Leadership - Evaluate and recommend emerging data technologies and methodologies. Lead proof-of-concept initiatives for new data architecture approaches. Collaborate with vendors and partners to influence product roadmaps. Drive the adoption of cutting-edge data solutions within the organization
Governance and Best Practices - Establish and enforce data architecture standards and best practices. Contribute to data governance initiatives and policies. Ensure compliance with data regulations and industry standards. Develop strategies for maintaining data quality and consistency across the enterprise
Mentorship and Knowledge Leadership - Mentor data architects and other data professionals. Lead advanced training sessions and workshops on data architecture. Represent the organization at industry conferences and forums. Contribute to the data architecture community through publications or speaking engagements

Position Specific Skills:
Enterprise data architecture design
Advanced data integration and analytics platforms
Cloud-native data solutions
Data governance and compliance
Emerging data technologies and methodologies

Qualifications:

Bachelor's Degree and 6 years of experience in Enterprise data architecture, advanced data solutions, cloud platforms OR High School Diploma or GED and 10 years of experience in Enterprise data architecture, advanced data solutions, cloud platforms

Preferred Qualifications

• Financial Services or Banking industry experience.
• Experience modernizing legacy data warehouse environments.
• Experience architecting large-scale Customer 360 solutions.
• Experience supporting regulatory and risk reporting ecosystems.
• Knowledge of Data Mesh and Data Product operating models.
• TOGAF, CDMP, SnowPro, AWS, or equivalent certifications.

Experience

• 12+ years of experience in Data Engineering, Data Architecture, Information Management, or Analytics Engineering.
• 5+ years serving as a lead architect for enterprise-scale data platforms.
• Proven experience designing and implementing modern cloud data platforms.
• Demonstrated experience leading large-scale data modernization programs.
• Experience working directly with engineering teams on implementation, optimization, and troubleshooting.

Modern Data Platforms

• Snowflake
• AWS Data Services
• Amazon S3
• Data Lake and Lakehouse architectures
• Cloud-native data ecosystems

Data Engineering

• ELT/ETL architectures
• Data integration patterns
• Change Data Capture (CDC)
• Event-driven architectures
• API-based integration
• Data orchestration frameworks

Nexus Core Technologies

• Snowflake
• DBT
• Qlik Replicate
• Astronomer / Apache Airflow
• AWS
• Data Vault 2.0
• Collibra
• BigID

Data Modeling

• Conceptual, Logical and Physical Data Modeling
• Data Vault 2.0
• Dimensional Modeling
• Canonical Modeling
• Master Data Management
• Reference Data Management

Data Management

• Data Governance
• Data Quality
• Data Lineage
• Metadata Management
• Data Cataloging
• Data Contracts

#LI-XG1

Additional Information

Benefits are an integral part of total rewards and First Citizens Bank is committed to providing a competitive, thoughtfully designed and quality benefits program to meet the needs of our associates. More information can be found at https://jobs.firstcitizens.com/benefits.