Strategic Architect (Pre-Delivery / Advisory)

Position Summary

The Strategic Architect is a senior-level individual contributor responsible for shaping business and technology initiatives prior to execution. This role partners with executive leadership to define problems, evaluate solution options, and develop decision-ready business cases that enable effective portfolio-level decision-making.

This position operates upstream of delivery teams and focuses on strategy, analysis, and executive alignment, not implementation.

Work Environment / Structure

• Senior individual contributor (no direct reports)
• High visibility with executive leadership
• Advisory-focused, embedded within strategic planning functions
• Success measured by quality of decision support and clarity of initiatives, not delivery execution

Responsibilities

• Partner with senior leadership to translate strategic priorities and ambiguous business challenges into clear problem statements and defined outcomes
• Lead problem framing and demand shaping activities prior to formal project intake or delivery engagement
• Develop high-level requirements to evaluate multiple solution options, including architectural, operational, cybersecurity, and regulatory considerations
• Analyze and present trade-offs across cost, risk, speed, and complexity to support informed decision-making
• Build comprehensive business cases including value articulation, assumptions, dependencies, constraints, and success metrics
• Produce governance-ready documentation and artifacts that meet enterprise intake and approval standards
• Identify and integrate risks and constraints early, including cybersecurity, data protection, regulatory, and architectural considerations
• Collaborate with cross-functional stakeholders (architecture, cybersecurity, operations, and SMEs) to validate solution options and assumptions
• Develop and deliver executive-level presentations and materials summarizing recommendations, risks, and decision implications
• Enable faster, higher-quality decisions by ensuring initiatives are well-defined, structured, and aligned before entering delivery

Required Experience

• 10+ years of experience in one or more of the following:
  • Technology strategy
  • Business architecture
  • Enterprise analysis
  • Management consulting or transformation roles
• Demonstrated experience working in early-stage, ambiguous problem spaces
• Proven track record of developing business cases and strategic recommendations in complex, multi-stakeholder environments
• Experience operating within formal governance, portfolio management, or intake processes
• Direct experience supporting or advising senior executive stakeholders (VP, SVP, or equivalent)

Required Skills

• Strong analytical and problem-structuring capabilities
• Ability to evaluate multiple solution paths and clearly articulate trade-offs
• Advanced communication skills with the ability to influence executive-level stakeholders
• Ability to operate independently with minimal direction in high-ambiguity environments
• Strong business acumen with an understanding of how technology enables enterprise strategy

Preferred Qualifications

• Background in management consulting or strategic advisory roles
• Experience in high-growth or rapidly scaling organizations
• Familiarity with enterprise architecture frameworks, cybersecurity principles, and IT governance models
• Experience aligning business strategy with technology roadmaps and investment decisions