Lead Architect - Card Systems and Data Architecture

About this role:

Wells Fargo is seeking a Lead Architect – Card Systems and Data Architecture in our Architecture & Engineering Group as part of Consumer Technology. Learn more about the career areas and business divisions at wellsfargojobs.com.

In this role, you will lead the definition and execution of architecture strategy supporting the Cards business, partnering with cross-functional teams to deliver secure, scalable, resilient, and highly available solutions that support key business outcomes. You will provide end-to-end architecture accountability across card platforms, data ecosystems, integrations, and application components while ensuring alignment with enterprise standards, regulatory requirements, and strategic business objectives.

You will define and drive target-state architectures spanning card processing systems, midrange application platforms, APIs, event-driven architectures, and modern data ecosystems—including lakehouse, data mesh, knowledge graphs, and real-time streaming platforms. This role requires deep expertise across business, application, system, and data architecture domains, with a focus on designing integrated solutions that enable card servicing, transaction processing, customer experiences, analytics, reporting, and AI-driven capabilities. Success in this role requires close collaboration across product, engineering, infrastructure, operations, and architecture teams to establish strategic solutions and technology roadmaps.

In this role, you will:

• Lead the implementation of complex projects and strategic initiatives that have companywide scope, providing end-to-end architecture accountability from concept through implementation.
• Assist in the creation of architectural artifacts and target-state architectures for key technology and business initiatives.
• Participate in the definition of future technology architecture and strategy across applications, platforms, systems, data domains, and enterprise technology landscapes.
• Identify medium to high architectural impact projects and contribute to technology investment decisions and strategic planning.
• Conduct complex technology, application, system, and data assessments to develop scalable architecture solutions and integration patterns across multiple platforms and technology domains.
• Communicate the companywide Architecture strategy and direction to management, systems-related teams, and cross-functional stakeholders, driving alignment across business, product, engineering, infrastructure, and operations teams.
• Make decisions in the development, governance, and maintenance of application, system, and data architectures.
• Understand compliance, resiliency, operational risk, technology risk management, and other regulatory requirements for supported areas.
• Ensure applications and platforms adhere to established Wells Fargo standards, policies, methodologies, and industry best practices.
• Collaborate and consult with peers, colleagues, managers, and partner organizations to resolve issues, define solutions, and achieve strategic business and technology goals.

Required Qualifications:

• 5+ years of Architecture experience, or equivalent demonstrated through one or a combination of the following: work experience, training, military experience, education
• 5+ years of experience designing enterprise-scale architecture solutions supporting card processing, servicing, payments, customer engagement, or related financial services platforms
• 5+ years of experience defining target-state architectures, technology roadmaps, and transition strategies across complex enterprise environments
• 5+ years of experience designing modern data architectures, including lakehouse, streaming, and event-driven platforms to support scalable data solutions
• 5+ years of experience building and optimizing data models and cloud-based data environments (Azure, AWS, or GCP) to enable reporting, analytics, and business insights
• 5+ years of experience developing data pipelines and integration processes, including ETL/ELT, orchestration tools, and implementing data governance and quality standards
• 5+ years of experience designing distributed systems, API-based integrations, event-driven architectures, and midrange application solutions

Desired Qualifications:

• Strong knowledge of card domain capabilities, including account management, transaction processing, authorizations, servicing, rewards, disputes, fraud, or related card-system functions
• Familiarity with Personal Lending and Credit Services
• Experience leading enterprise architecture strategy and large-scale card modernization initiatives, driving cross-functional alignment and consensus across business, product, engineering, infrastructure, and operations teams
• Experience with 3rd party card and credit servicing vendors
• Experience designing enterprise-scale customer and data platforms, including semantic data platforms (CDP), real-time personalization and decisioning solutions, and graph-based data models supporting advanced analytics
• Experience designing resilient midrange solutions supporting high-volume, mission-critical workloads
• Exposure to financial services regulatory data and technology requirements (e.g., risk, fraud, AML, reporting)

Job Expectations:

• This position is not eligible for Visa sponsorship
• This position requires a hybrid in office work schedule
• Ability to travel up to 10%

Job Location:

300 S. Brevard - Charlotte, North Carolina 28202

401 Las Colinas Blvd W Building A - Irving, Texas 75039

3075 Loyalty Cir - Columbus, Ohio 43219

Pay Range

Reflected is the base pay range offered for this position. Pay may vary depending on factors including but not limited to demonstrated examples of prior performance, skills, experience, or work location. Employees may also be eligible for incentive opportunities.

$119,000.00 - $187,000.00

Posting End Date:

26 Jul 2026

*Job posting may come down early due to volume of applicants.

We Value Equal Opportunity

Wells Fargo is an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, status as a protected veteran, or any other legally protected characteristic.

Employees support our focus on building strong customer relationships balanced with a strong risk mitigating and compliance-driven culture which firmly establishes those disciplines as critical to the success of our customers and company. They are accountable for execution of all applicable risk programs (Credit, Market, Financial Crimes, Operational, Regulatory Compliance), which includes effectively following and adhering to applicable Wells Fargo policies and procedures, appropriately fulfilling risk and compliance obligations, timely and effective escalation and remediation of issues, and making sound risk decisions. There is emphasis on proactive monitoring, governance, risk identification and escalation, as well as making sound risk decisions commensurate with the business unit’s risk appetite and all risk and compliance program requirements.

Applicants with Disabilities

To request a medical accommodation during the application or interview process, visit Disability Inclusion at Wells Fargo.

Drug and Alcohol Policy

Wells Fargo maintains a drug free workplace. Please see our Drug and Alcohol Policy to learn more.

Wells Fargo Recruitment and Hiring Requirements:

a. Third-Party recordings are prohibited unless authorized by Wells Fargo.

b. Wells Fargo requires you to directly represent your own experiences during the recruiting and hiring process.