Director of Architecture

Director of Architecture & EngineeringPhoenix, AZ (Onsite) | Private Cloud and Managed Services | Financial Services Technology

You can get further details about the nature of this opening, and what is expected from applicants, by reading the below.
CornerStone Technology Talent Services is partnering with a leading organization to identify a Director of Architecture and Engineering to lead a high-impact team responsible for designing, building, and evolving a privately managed cloud and enterprise technology stack.This role is ideal for a technically credible leader who can guide senior architects and engineers, influence architectural direction, and drive execution across complex, regulated environments.This organization owns and operates its full infrastructure stack, including on-prem infrastructure, compute, hosting, and platform layers. This requires a leader who understands how systems are built, integrated, and scaled from the ground up.
Role OverviewThis leader will own both strategy and execution across architecture and engineering, managing a team of 10 consisting of 3 engineers and 7 architects. The role is highly engaged in strategic planning, major releases, and platform upgrades, while also overseeing project intake and delivery execution.
A key focus of this position is helping define and execute a three-year technology vision while ensuring strong alignment between architecture, engineering, and operations.
Key ResponsibilitiesArchitecture Strategy and Technical LeadershipDefine and drive enterprise architecture across on-prem infrastructure, compute, hosting, cloud, applications, and integration layersLead architectural decisions for major initiatives, upgrades, and platform evolutionPartner with executive leadership to build and execute a three-year strategic roadmapFacilitate constructive technical debate and influence outcomes toward scalable and maintainable solutions
Plan and Build OwnershipOwn the end-to-end Plan and Build lifecycle, including project intake, prioritization, and executionEnsure solutions are engineered, tested, and production-ready prior to transition to operationsOversee both project-based work and ongoing intake-driven initiativesDrive successful transition of solutions into operational support modelsTeam Leadership and DevelopmentLead, mentor, and align a team of senior architects and engineersEstablish clear priorities, accountability, and execution disciplineHelp the team align around goals and deliver effectivelyFoster a culture of collaboration, ownership, and long-term retentionGovernance, Risk, and ComplianceEnsure alignment with regulatory frameworks such as NIST and PCIDrive standards for security, resiliency, and disaster recoveryMaintain architectural governance while enabling delivery agilityCross-Functional and Executive PartnershipPartner with Infrastructure, Operations, Security, and Product teamsAct as a trusted advisor to the CTO and executive leadershipSupport internal and client-facing architectural discussions as neededRequired Qualifications8+ years of progressive experience in enterprise technology architecture across infrastructure, cloud, application, and integration domains5+ years of leadership experience guiding senior technical professionals or architecture teamsProven experience leading architecture and engineering teams at the Director level or higherStrong background in on-prem infrastructure, compute, hosting, and private cloud environmentsAbility to balance technical depth with strong leadership capabilityExperience owning delivery, including project intake and Plan and Build lifecycleDemonstrated ability to influence architectural direction and lead through technical discussionsExperience working within regulated environments, including NIST and PCIStrong executive communication and stakeholder management skillsStable career progression with demonstrated tenure and long-term impactPreferred ExperienceManaged services or MSP environment experienceExperience supporting multi-client or shared services environmentsFinancial services or other regulated industry backgroundWork Environment and Interview ProcessOnsite role in Phoenix, AZ, including data center exposureInterview process includes CTO interview, panel interview, and final interview with COOAdditional ContextThis is a critical leadership hire where leadership capability and culture fit are prioritized over purely hands-on technical depth. The organization has strong retention and is seeking someone who will build long-term impact. xzbcwsv They are specifically looking for a leader who can step in, align the team, take ownership of goals, and help drive execution of a three-year vision while guiding architectural decisions in a collaborative but decisive manner.