Principal Architect, Enterprise Architecture

Hybrid in London·Added 2 days ago (last checked 27 Oct)

American Express

33 open roles

Apply

Our summary

Work mode: Hybrid, London
Experience: 15+ years

Skills

Requirements

What we're looking for

15+ years of progressive experience in technology architecture, software engineering, or a comparable discipline within a large-scale, complex environment such as:
Demonstrated experience designing and delivering enterprise-grade platforms, products, or technology capabilities.
Deep knowledge of large-scale system architecture, including distributed systems, APIs, cloud-native platforms, data-intensive applications, and hybrid technology environments.
Experience defining or implementing enterprise AI architecture, including generative AI, machine learning, intelligent automation, or agentic systems.
Deep understanding of production-grade and scalable AI system considerations, including scalability, latency, reliability, security, observability, evaluation, lifecycle management, and cost optimization.
Experience creating reference architectures, reusable patterns, technical standards, architecture decision records, and engineering guardrails.
Experience in creating OKRs, ROIs, and Architectural assessments.
Experience with development and governance of architecture standards, guidelines and Architecture Decision Records (ADRs).
Experience from leading technology or AI-forward organizations, with the ability to bring external perspectives and translate emerging innovations into enterprise-scale solutions.
Proven ability to influence senior leaders, architects, engineers, product teams, and governance functions across a complex, matrixed organization.
Demonstrated ability to operate as a horizontal technical leader and complex platform and technical product manager, influencing multiple teams and domains without direct ownership, and driving alignment across matrixed organizations.
Demonstrated ability for outcome-oriented leadership, including managing large and complex programs driving time and budget constraints.

Education & certifications

Bachelor's degree in computer science, computer science engineering, or related field required; advanced degree preferred.

Pay & benefits

Visa & relocation

Employment eligibility to work with American Express in the UK is required as the company will not pursue visa sponsorship for these positions.

The role

Define and advance the AI and agentic platform architecture strategy, including a focus on Agentic security, MCP ecosystem enablement, and flexibility of expansion to SaaS providers, while also allowing for maturing home-grown AI capabilities.
Support architecture needs across Global Servicing & Corporate Technology, International Consumer Services Technology as well as other Lines of Business, with relevance to Financial Services and Payments industry.
Provide hands-on architectural thought-leadership and expertise for complex or novel AI use cases, from early exploration through production deployment and scale.
Establish reference architectures, reusable patterns, standards, and guardrails for generative AI, agentic systems, intelligent automation, and related emerging technologies.
Ensure AI architectures align with enterprise standards and applicable security, privacy, risk, compliance, regulatory, and model-governance requirements.
Shape the technical direction for AI-enabled platforms and capabilities, aligning near-term delivery with long-term business and enterprise architecture objectives.
Identify and prioritize high-impact AI opportunities that improve automation, customer and colleague experiences, operational efficiency, resilience, and system performance.
Influence enterprise architecture standards and contribute to the continued evolution of the Enterprise Architecture Playbook.
Lead architecture reviews and provide clear, actionable guidance that improves design quality, reduces risk, and accelerates responsible adoption.
Define measurable architecture outcomes and use appropriate metrics, assessments, and OKRs to demonstrate adoption, architectural health, risk reduction, and business impact.
Demonstrate builder capabilities to lead efforts that are prototypes as well as production implementations for mission critical systems.

What you'll do

Have experience with modernization and program management of complex platforms and ecosystems.
Communicate complex AI and architecture concepts in clear, actionable terms for both technical and executive audiences.
Mentor architects and senior engineers, strengthening AI architecture capabilities and engineering practices across the organization.