Distinguished Architect - Cloud and Infrastructure (Hybrid Role)

Description

3 Days Hybrid from any of our locations in RI,  Iselin NJ, MA, Nashville TN, Pittsburgh PA, Dallas TX or Phoenix AZ

Role is not relocation eligible. 

At Citizens, we invest in the humans who build the logic, ideas, and innovations that bring new technologies to life.

As a Distinguished Cloud & Infrastructure Architect, you will play a pivotal role in leading Citizens Bank through its cloud-first transformation. This role is central to our data center exit and full infrastructure modernization, and will shape the next-generation cloud strategy and infrastructure operating model for a modern, technology-driven bank.

You will lead a team of highly skilled Cloud and Infrastructure Architects, guiding the enterprise through best practices, resilient design patterns, and secure, scalable architectures. Your expertise across AWS, Azure, and on-premises infrastructure, combined with a deep understanding of Infrastructure as Code (IaC), will enable innovation and operational excellence across the bank.

Most importantly, you’ll feel valued for who you are and supported to achieve what’s important to you, personally and professionally. Technology is constantly evolving, and we believe you will too.

Primary responsibilities include

• Lead a team of Cloud and Infrastructure Architects, providing strategic direction, mentorship, and technical oversight to drive cloud adoption and infrastructure modernization.
• Architect and evolve the bank’s hybrid and multi-cloud infrastructure, with a strong emphasis on automation, resilience, and security.
• Drive Infrastructure and Architecture as Code (IaC) adoption using tools like Terraform, CloudFormation, and Bicep to enable consistent, repeatable, and scalable deployments.
• Develop and communicate cloud and infrastructure strategy to executive leadership, aligning technology investments with business goals.
• Establish enterprise-wide cloud architecture standards and governance, ensuring alignment with security, compliance, and operational best practices.
• Collaborate across engineering, DevOps, security, and application teams to deliver cloud-native and hybrid solutions that support innovation and agility.
• Represent architecture in executive forums and Architecture Review Boards, influencing decisions with technical and business acumen.

Qualifications, Education, Certifications and/or Other Professional Credentials

• Required Qualifications
  • Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science, Engineering, or related discipline.
  • 15+ years of experience in infrastructure architecture, cloud engineering, or enterprise IT leadership.
  • Proven experience leading large-scale cloud transformations and data center exits.
  • Deep expertise in AWS and Azure, with working knowledge of hybrid and on-prem environments.
  • Strong background in Infrastructure as Code (IaC), automation, and DevOps practices.
  • Experience designing resilient, secure, and scalable cloud architectures.
  • Familiarity with cloud governance, FinOps, and cloud security frameworks.
  • Experience with CI/CD pipelines, container orchestration (e.g., Kubernetes), and monitoring/observability tools.
  • Strong communication and executive presentation skills.
• Preferred Qualifications
  • Master’s degree in Engineering, Computer Science, or related field.
  • 5+ years of experience in the financial services industry.
  • Certifications such as AWS Certified Solutions Architect – Professional, Microsoft Certified: Azure Solutions Architect Expert, or similar.
  • Experience leading teams in regulated environments with a focus on compliance and risk management.
  • Familiarity with cloud-native networking, identity, and access management

Hours & Work Schedule

• Hours per Week: 40
• Work Schedule: Monday - Friday

Pay Transparency 

The salary range for this position is $ 160,763 - $ 241,144 per year  plus an opportunity to earn an annual discretionary bonus. Actual pay is based on various factors including but not limited to the work location, and relevant skills and experience.   

We offer competitive pay, comprehensive medical, dental and vision coverage, retirement benefits, maternity/paternity leave, flexible work arrangements, education reimbursement, wellness programs and more. Note, Citizens’ paid time off policy exceeds the mandatory, paid sick or paid time-away policy of very local and state jurisdiction in the United States. For an overview of our benefits, visit https://jobs.citizensbank.com/benefits.

Some job boards have started using jobseeker-reported data to estimate salary ranges for roles. If you apply and qualify for this role, a recruiter will discuss accurate pay guidance.

Equal Employment Opportunity

Citizens, its parent, subsidiaries, and related companies (Citizens) provide equal employment and advancement opportunities to all colleagues and applicants for employment without regard to age, ancestry, color, citizenship, physical or mental disability, perceived disability or history or record of a disability, ethnicity, gender, gender identity or expression, genetic information, genetic characteristic, marital or domestic partner status, victim of domestic violence, family status/parenthood, medical condition, military or veteran status, national origin, pregnancy/childbirth/lactation, colleague’s or a dependent’s reproductive health decision making, race, religion, sex, sexual orientation, or any other category protected by federal, state and/or local laws. At Citizens, we are committed to fostering an inclusive culture that enables all colleagues to bring their best selves to work every day and everyone is expected to be treated with respect and professionalism. Employment decisions are based solely on merit, qualifications, performance and capability.