Lead System Architect & Technical Program Manager

We are seeking a visionary and execution-oriented **Lead System Architect & Technical Program Manager (TPM)** to lead the execution of our high-priority, large-scale technical initiatives for the CitiDirect Platform Core and Platform Digital Servicing Agile Release Trains (ARTs). This is a unique, hybrid role designed for a senior technical leader who can both design complex, enterprise-grade system architectures and actively drive their execution across both ARTs. In this role, your primary focus will be **System Architecture**—defining the technical vision, designing scalable system architectures, and building the architectural runway. Concurrently, you will leverage **Technical Program Management** competencies to operationalize your designs, manage cross-team technical dependencies, mitigate risks, and ensure the successful delivery of high-priority technical initiatives. You will serve as the ultimate technical authority for the CitiDirect Platform ARTs, bridging the gap between high-level enterprise strategy and hands-on engineering execution. Key Responsibilities ==================== 1\. System Architecture & Technical Strategy (Primary Focus - 70%) ------------------------------------------------------------------ * **Architectural Vision & Design:** Define and communicate the future-state architecture, technical vision, and system design patterns for the platforms within the Platform ARTs. * **Architectural Runway:** Design and champion **Enabler Epics and Features** (covering cloud infrastructure, microservices, security, and data architecture) to ensure the platform supports near-term business features without technical debt. * **Non-Functional Requirements (NFRs):** Define, monitor, and enforce NFRs—including security, scalability, high availability, performance, and maintainability—across the ART  scrum teams. * **Technical Debt & Modernization:** Identify systemic technical debt, prioritize remediation efforts, and lead architectural spikes or prototyping for new technology evaluations. * **Engineering Standards:** Establish and promote modern engineering practices, including DevSecOps, Test-Driven Development (TDD), automated testing, and API-first design patterns. 2\. Technical Program Management & Execution (30%) -------------------------------------------------- * **Program Delivery Coordination:** Partner with the Release Train Engineer (RTE) to facilitate PI (Program Increment) execution, ensuring that engineering teams deliver on technical milestones and architectural enablers. * **Dependency & Risk Management:** Proactively identify, map, and resolve complex technical dependencies across multiple partner ARTs. * **Risk Mitigation:** Lead the identification of program-level technical risks and systematically address them through stakeholder engagement – product, architecture and engineering. * **Backlog Prioritization:** Partner with Product Managers and Product Owners (POs) to refine the Program Backlog to ensure epics/tasks are always available for upcoming PIs. * **Technical Translation:** Translate complex architectural designs, non-functional requirements (NFRs), and security mandates into clear, actionable features and user stories for engineering teams. * **Stakeholder Communication:** Provide transparent, data-driven status updates, technical risk assessments, and delivery metrics to senior leadership and stakeholders. Key SAFe Ceremony Involvements ============================== * **PI Planning:** Present the Architectural Vision and technical context to the ART; facilitate technical breakout sessions to validate team-level designs, map dependencies on the Program Board, and draft technical PI objectives. * **ART Sync / Scrum of Scrums:** Act as the primary technical escalation point to resolve architectural blockers, infrastructure issues, and cross-team dependencies. * **System Demo:** Lead the evaluation of the integrated system demo to ensure architectural integrity, interoperability, and NFR compliance. * **Inspect & Adapt (I&A):** Lead problem-solving workshops to address systemic technical, architectural, or infrastructure bottlenecks identified during the PI. Qualifications & Experience =========================== Required: --------- * **Education:** Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science, Information Technology, Software Engineering, or a related technical field. * **Experience:** * 7+ years of experience in software engineering, system design, and enterprise-scale architecture. * Deep, hands-on experience working within a **Scaled Agile Framework (SAFe)** environment. * **Technical Depth:** * Proven expertise in designing and deploying cloud-native architectures (ECS, AWS), microservices, and event-driven systems. * Strong understanding of DevSecOps, CI/CD pipelines, containerization (Kubernetes/Docker), and modern data architectures. Preferred Certifications: ------------------------- * **Architecture:** SAFe® System Architect (ARCH), AWS Certified Solutions Architect Professional, or Azure Solutions Architect Expert. * **Agile/Program Management:** SAFe® Product Owner/Product Manager (POPM), SAFe® Release Train Engineer (RTE), or Project Management Professional (PMP). Core Competencies ================= * **Architectural/Technical Authority:** Strong technical credibility to guide, mentor, and gain the respect of senior engineers, tech leads, and system architects. * **Strategic Execution:** Exceptional ability to translate abstract architectural concepts into concrete, phased execution plans. * **Influence & Collaboration:** Proven ability to influence cross-functional teams and senior stakeholders without direct authority. **Systemic Problem Solving:** A track record of diagnosing and resolving complex, systemic technical blockers across highly matrixed organizations. \------------------------------------------------------ **Job Family Group:** --------------------- Technology \------------------------------------------------------ **Job Family:** --------------- Applications Development \------------------------------------------------------ **Time Type:** -------------- Full time \------------------------------------------------------ **Most Relevant Skills** ------------------------ Please see the requirements listed above. \------------------------------------------------------ **Other Relevant Skills** ------------------------- For complementary skills, please see above and/or contact the recruiter. \------------------------------------------------------ _Citi is an equal opportunity employer, and qualified candidates will receive consideration without regard to their race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, status as a protected veteran, or any other characteristic protected by law._ _If you are a person with a disability and need a reasonable accommodation to use our search tools and/or apply for a career opportunity review_ _[Accessibility at Citi](https://www.citigroup.com/citi/accessibility/application-accessibility.htm)._ _View Citi’s [EEO Policy Statement](https://www.citigroup.com/global/eeo-aa-policy) and the [Know Your Rights](https://www.eeoc.gov/sites/default/files/2023-06/22-088_EEOC_KnowYourRights6.12ScreenRdr.pdf) poster._