Senior Architect of Technology Modernization

This position is onsite 3-5 days a week at one of our largest enterprise customers in Seattle, WA 98108

Position Overview
We are seeking a dynamic and experienced Senior Architect of Technology Modernization to join our organization. In this pivotal role, you will spearhead the transformation of our development team.

You will be responsible for leading multiple modernization initiatives, focusing on transitioning from big bang replacements to agile, incremental approaches that enhance our capacity for growth and innovation, while introducing modern technology stacks and skillsets.

You will lead from the front embedding directly with delivery teams to model modern engineering practices, AI-native delivery and product mindset. This is a hands-on technical and transformation leadership role where strategy meets execution.

As the Technology Modernization Leader, you will collaborate with cross-functional teams to assess current modernization efforts, identify bottlenecks, and implement strategies that drive efficiency and innovation.

You will Lead architectural design and drive technology strategy – define and evolve enterprise architecture and technical strategy, advising on full-stack application development, platform modernization, and emerging technology approaches aligned to long-term business outcomes.

Key Responsibilities::
• Develop and communicate a strategic vision for technology modernization that aligns with business goals and customer needs.
• Lead architectural design and drive technology strategy – Partner with senior technology and business leaders to define and evolve enterprise architecture and technical strategy, advising on full-stack application development, platform modernization, and emerging technology approaches aligned to long-term business outcomes.
• Delivery strategy – Work closely with engineering leadership, product partners, and delivery teams to shape and continuously refine the overall technical delivery strategy, ensuring alignment across organizations, clear execution paths, and measurable progress against modernization goals.
• Set and drive technical roadmaps – Define and own enterprise-level technical roadmaps that balance legacy constraints, risk, and innovation; reduce technical debt; provide architectural oversight across multiple workstreams; and guide teams through complex engineering challenges while promoting modern engineering practices and standards.
• Lead the transformation of the development team, driving incremental modernization initiatives that enhance agility and capacity for growth.
• Shift the focus from big bang replacements to agile, iterative modernization strategies that deliver value more rapidly and reduce risk.
• Collaborate with stakeholders across the organization to ensure alignment and buy-in for modernization efforts.
• Establish metrics and KPIs to measure the success of modernization initiatives and ensure accountability.
• Foster a culture of continuous improvement, encouraging innovation and collaboration within the development team.
• Develop and implement best practices for technology modernization, ensuring alignment with industry standards and emerging trends.
• Mentor and guide team members, promoting professional development and knowledge sharing, while encouraging diverse perspectives.
• Embed directly with teams and team leads to model and coach modern engineering practices such as continuous delivery, automated testing, observability and AI
• Champion a product mindset ensuring modernization efforts are outcome-driven, customer-focused, and value-based rather than project-delivery focused.
• Drive adoption of AI-native engineering, enabling intelligent tooling, automation, and workflows across the product delivery lifecycle to accelerate speed, quality, and innovation.
• Partner with the Organizational Change Management (OCM) function to drive adoption of new ways of working, AI Native delivery and cultural transformation.

Qualifications:
• Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science, Engineering, or a related field; advanced degree preferred.
• Proven experience in leading large-scale technology modernization initiatives, preferably in a complex organizational environment.
• Strong technical proficiency in software development, with a deep understanding of modern development practices, programming languages, and tools.
• Strong understanding of software development methodologies, including Agile and DevOps practices.
• Experience managing large development teams and driving cultural change within organizations.
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills, with the ability to engage and influence stakeholders at all levels, including technical teams.
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills, with a focus on delivering results.
• Familiarity with cloud technologies, microservices architecture, and modern development practices is a plus.
• Experience in change management and stakeholder engagement to drive successful transformation initiatives.
• Proven track record of leading modernization through delivery and able to roll up sleeves and coach engineers, architects, and delivery leads directly.
• Deep understanding of platform engineering, CI/CD, and automation ecosystems used to enable modernization at scale.
• Experience establishing flow metrics (lead time, deployment frequency, change failure rate, mean time to recovery) to measure modernization success.

Key Attributes and Soft Skills::
• Visionary leadership with a passion for technology and innovation.
• Commitment to building an ambitious, outcome-driven team culture that values collaboration, innovation, and collective success.
• Strong collaboration and teamwork skills.
• Integrity and trustworthiness in all interactions.
• Adaptability and resilience in the face of challenges.
• Empathy and emotional intelligence to foster a supportive team environment.
• Self-motivated and proactive in driving change.
• Hands-on, delivery-driven leadership, comfortable pairing with teams and leaders
• Builder and coach mindset, models transformation through doing, not directing.
• Comfortable operating in ambiguity while establishing clarity and flow for others.

What Success Looks Like::
• Measurable reduction in lead time for modernization delivery and improved flow across teams.
• Demonstrated uplift in engineering maturity, automation, and platform enablement.
• Adoption of product-centric operating models delivering measurable business outcomes.
• AI-native engineering embedded into product delivery practices enabling streamlined workflows that accelerate value delivery and innovation
• Cultural and behavioral change embedded through leadership modeling and team empowerment.
• Improved cross-functional collaboration between engineering, product, and transformation functions.