Principal Enterprise Architect

Is it surprising to hear that a financial institution of 1.5 million members and over $30 billion in managed assets say that success comes from focusing on people, not profits?
Our “people helping people” philosophy has guided us since 1935, driving our deep commitment to serving our members, communities, and each other. When you join our team, you become part of a purpose-driven organization where your work makes a real difference.
While we’re proud of our history, we’re even more excited about our future. With business and technology transformation on the horizon, there’s never been a better time to be part of BECU.

PAY RANGE

The Target Pay Range for this position is $184,300.00-$225,000.00 annually. The full Pay Range is $143,000.00 - $266,300.00 annually. At BECU, compensation decisions are determined using factors such as relevant job-related skills, experience, and education or training. Should an offer for employment be made, we will consider individual qualifications. In addition to your salary, compensation incentives are available for the hired applicant. Incentives are performance based and targets vary by role.

BENEFITS

Employees and their eligible family members have access to a wide array of employee benefits, such as medical, dental, vision and life insurance coverage.  Employees have access to disability and AD&D insurance.  We also offer health care and dependent care flexible spending accounts, as well as health savings accounts, to eligible employees.  Employees are able to enroll in our company’s 401k plan and employer-funded retirement plan.  Newly hired employees accrue 6.16 hours of paid time off (PTO) on a per pay period basis based on hours worked (up to a maximum of 160 PTO hours per year) and receive ten paid holidays throughout the calendar year. Additional details regarding BECU Benefits can be found here.

IMPACT YOU’LL MAKE:
As Principal Enterprise Architect, you’ll shape the future of BECU’s technology landscape by leading strategic architecture across multiple high-impact initiatives. You’ll guide the modernization of member-facing platforms, drive digital rationalization, and collaborate with senior leaders to align technology with business goals. Your work will directly influence how members experience our products—from credit cards to loan origination—making their financial journeys simpler and more intuitive. This is a highly visible role where your technical leadership will help define the next generation of banking experiences.

To join our dynamic team, we require candidates to be residents of WA, OR, ID, AZ, TX, GA, or SC. If you’re located in Washington state and within a reasonable driving distance from Tukwila, we are requesting that you come into our HQ on Tuesdays & Wednesdays.  For those candidates that live outside the commute distance of TFC and in any of our approved remote work locations, this role will be remote. Remote or onsite, we are committed to ensuring you are fully engaged and included in our collaborative environment. 

WHAT YOU’LL DO:

• Lead Strategic Architecture:  Set the long-term architectural vision across Member digital experiences including loan origination, contact center modernization, and site modernization initiatives
• Drive Modernization:  Champion digital rationalization efforts to consolidate platforms and improve member-facing technologies.
• Collaborate Across Teams:  Partner with application teams, architects, and senior leadership to align architecture with business strategy.
• Guide Roadmap Development:  Shape and socialize technology roadmaps that deliver business value and technical innovation.
• Mentor and Influence:  Provide technical guidance and mentorship across disciplines, elevating architecture practices enterprise-wide.
• Establish Standards:  Define and maintain architecture standards, processes, and constraints that support scalable, secure solutions.
• Support Delivery:  Create blueprints and provide direction during project execution to ensure alignment with strategic goals.
• Evaluate Technologies:  Assess third-party platforms and emerging technologies to inform solution decisions.
• Enable Knowledge Transfer:  Lead transition efforts from previous architect, ensuring continuity and strategic momentum.
• Engage in Governance:  Present solutions to architecture review boards and contribute to risk mitigation and roadmap planning.

This isn’t just about ticking off tasks on a list. It's about making a significant, positive change in BECU’s journey, where your contributions are valued, and your growth is continually fostered.

WHAT YOU’LL GAIN:

• A strategic seat at the table influencing enterprise-wide technology decisions
• Opportunities to modernize and simplify member experiences through impactful architecture
• Deep collaboration with senior leaders and cross-functional teams
• Visibility and ownership of high-profile initiatives like loan origination, contact center modernization, and site modernization
• A culture that values innovation, mentorship, and continuous learning
• The chance to shape the future of digital banking at BECU

QUALIFICATIONS:

Minimum Qualifications:

• Bachelor’s degree in Information Security, Computer Science or related field, or equivalent work experience
• Minimum of ten years of experience designing and implementing enterprise architectures
• Minimum seven years in a project lead role, managing or advising large strategic teams
• 10+ years in enterprise architecture
• 7+ years in project lead or advisory roles

Desired Qualifications:

• Advanced degree preferred
• Cloud certifications (AWS, Azure)
• TOGAF or similar enterprise architecture frameworks
• Experience in banking (loan origination, credit cards, vendor systems)
• Experience building consumer and business banking experiences
• Strong decision-making and documentation skills
• Ability to present solutions to architecture review boards and collaborate cross-functionally
• Certification in LEAN, Agile/Scrum, or ITIL principles
• Experience with Microsoft infrastructure and hybrid hosting environments
• Excellent communication, strategic thinking, and problem-solving skills
• Occasional travel to conferences, training events, and vendor sites

EEO Statement:

BECU is an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, veteran status, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity, or any other protected status.