Solution Architect - BFSI Cloud & Payments Platform

Role : Solution Architect - BFSI Cloud & Payments PlatformLocation : Columbus OH (Hybrid)Contract Role SummaryWe are seeking an experienced Solution Architect to lead the end-to-end architecture, design, and delivery of strategic Banking and Financial Services (BFSI) transformation programs, including cloud modernization, payments platforms, transaction tracing, observability, and enterprise data initiatives.The architect will serve as the overall technical leader, responsible for cloud strategy, solution architecture, governance, stakeholder engagement, delivery oversight, security compliance, and modernization of mission-critical banking platforms. This role requires deep expertise across payments, transaction processing, cloud-native architectures, enterprise integration, data platforms, and regulatory compliance.Key ResponsibilitiesCloud Architecture & TransformationDefine cloud transformation and modernization roadmaps for BFSI clients.Design secure, scalable, resilient, highly available cloud-native and hybrid cloud architectures.Establish cloud architecture standards, reference architectures, patterns, and best practices.Lead application migration, modernization, and platform transformation initiatives.Drive cloud adoption strategies across infrastructure, applications, data, and operations.Enable cloud governance, operational excellence, and FinOps practices.Enterprise Solution ArchitectureOwn end-to-end solution architecture and implementation strategy for enterprise banking platforms.Lead architecture reviews, design authority forums, and governance processes.Define integration patterns using APIs, microservices, event-driven architectures, and distributed systems.Drive enterprise observability, transaction tracing, correlation, monitoring, and reconciliation architectures.Manage technical risks, dependencies, architecture decisions, and solution roadmaps.BFSI & Payments Solution DesignArchitect solutions across:Payments Platforms (ACH, RTP, FedNow, SWIFT, ISO 20022)ATM and Transaction Processing SystemsAdditional responsibilities:Define transaction lifecycle management architectures.Drive API-first and event-driven platform strategies.Design omnichannel customer engagement and digital experience platforms.Enable payment modernization and real-time transaction processing capabilities.Security, Risk & Regulatory ComplianceImplement Zero Trust Security architecture principles.Define IAM, authentication, authorization, encryption, key management, and security control frameworks.Partner with security, risk, audit, and compliance teams to meet governance requirements.Ensure adherence to data governance, data residency, audit, and regulatory mandates.Cloud Engineering & DevSecOpsArchitect CI/CD and DevSecOps pipelines.Define Infrastructure as Code (IaC) standards and implementation frameworks.Lead containerization and Kubernetes adoption initiatives.Establish platform reliability, operational monitoring, and Site Reliability Engineering (SRE) practices.Drive automation across infrastructure, deployment, security, and operations.Data, Analytics & AI ArchitectureEnable knowledge graph and AI/ML-powered observability capabilities.Define near real-time analytics and event-streaming solutions.Design Operational data platform ArchitectureArchitect AI/ML powered and GenAI solutions within regulatory and compliance boundaries.Establish metadata, data governance, lineage, and traceability frameworks.Stakeholder Management & LeadershipConduct requirements workshops and discovery sessions with business and technology stakeholders.Partner with operations, payments, digital banking, risk, compliance, and engineering teams.Present architecture recommendations and solution proposals to senior executives and business leaders.Drive cross-functional collaboration and alignment across multiple teams.Mentor architects, engineers, and technical leads.Act as a trusted advisor to client leadership teams. Required QualificationsBachelor's or Master's degree in Computer Science, Information Technology, Engineering, or related field.15+ years of experience in Banking and Financial Services.Proven experience as a Solution Architect or Enterprise ArchitectDeep expertise in Payments, Transaction Processing, Financial Services Platforms, and Enterprise Architecture.Strong knowledge of GCP.Experience designing distributed systems, microservices, event-driven architectures, and API ecosystems.Hands-on experience with:KafkaApache SparkContainersAPI Management PlatformsCI/CD and DevSecOps ToolchainsLog AnalyticsReporting & DashboardingStrong understanding of transaction tracing, reconciliation, observability, and monitoring platforms.Experience with data platforms, real-time analytics, and enterprise integration patterns.Excellent executive communication, stakeholder management, and consulting skills.