Director, Enterprise Architecture - Corporate IT

Director, Enterprise Architecture

Burns & McDonnell is seeking a Director of Enterprise Architecture to direct the firm’s enterprise technology strategy, architecture standards, governance, and long-term technology roadmap for our multi-billion-dollar global architecture, engineering, and construction firm. This role serves as a critical strategic bridge between business strategy and technology execution across our hundred-plus-million-dollar technology portfolio.

The Director of Enterprise Architecture provides direction for enterprise architecture across the organization, establishes and governs technology strategy and standards, and directs architectural alignment across Global Practices, Regions, and Corporate Services. This role provides leadership and direction to technology professionals performing an architecture function, including six full-time technology architects, and directs the development of the long-term technology roadmap supporting transformational business initiatives, including our Blue Horizon transformation program.
 

• →Enterprise Technology Strategy & Strategic Alignment: Determines and implements enterprise architecture strategy and directs the development of the enterprise technology roadmap by translating Business Enablement and corporate strategies, goals, and objectives into actionable technology priorities. Ensures technology investments and architectural direction align with long-term business objectives and enterprise transformation priorities.
• →People Management/Leadership: Directs and manages a technology team of 4-8 individuals in architecture functions.
• →Technology Standards & Governance: Working with Global Practice, Regional, and Corporate Services technology and innovation leaders, establishes and communicates enterprise architecture principles, standards, and governance across applications, data, security, integration, and infrastructure. Directs adoption of these standards and monitors and maintains architectural alignment across the enterprise.
• →Enterprise Transformation & Initiative Direction: Provides overarching architectural direction for strategic initiatives prioritized through the Enterprise Transformation Office (EXO) and corporate portfolio management functions, including Evolve and Launch. Approves architecture strategies and ensures solutions are scalable, integrated, supportable, and aligned with enterprise technology direction.
• →Architectural Leadership: Provides leadership and direction to technology professionals performing an architect function, including six full-time technology architects. Establishes and communicates architectural expectations, decision frameworks, and quality standards and ensures consistent application across technology teams.
• →Technology Rationalization: Directs efforts to identify and implement opportunities to consolidate technology platforms, reduce technical debt, optimize technology investments, and prevent redundant software acquisitions across the enterprise. Recommends technology rationalization priorities and strategies based on business value, architectural fit, risk, and long-term enterprise needs.
• →Solution Architecture: Directs the development of architecture for high-priority and transformational initiatives while maintaining hands-on involvement in complex or strategically significant solutions. Produces architecture artifacts as appropriate, including diagrams, integration specifications, and technical decision records, and ensures architectural direction is maintained through implementation rather than solely at review or approval milestones.
• →Engineering Enablement: Provides direction and architectural expertise to software engineering and development teams regarding architecture patterns, integration design, platform strategy, and technical decision-making. Directs efforts to expand architectural capability and consistent architecture practices beyond professionals serving in formal architecture roles.
• →Technology Advisory & Decision Leadership: Serves as a senior technology advisor to Business Enablement and technology leadership, providing enterprise architecture expertise and recommendations regarding technology strategy, investments, emerging capabilities, architectural risk, and major technical decisions.
• →Architecture Quality & Risk: Sets quality review standards for enterprise architecture and ensures significant technology decisions appropriately address scalability, integration, security, maintainability, technical debt, and alignment with enterprise standards. Identifies architectural risks and recommends strategies to mitigate those risks.
   

• →Responsible for the recruitment, development, training, and retention of staff.
• →Responsible for conducting performance evaluations for department staff.
• →Provide leadership, guidance, and instruction to the department.
• →Responsible for interpreting the organization's policies, purposes, and goals to staff.
• →Responsible for overall QA/QC process adherence.
• →Enforce compliance with company and site safety policies.
• →Performs other duties as assigned.
• →Complies with all policies and standards.

• →Bachelor’s degree in engineering, business, computer science, information technology or related field and 14 years of experience providing enterprise architecture strategies, enterprise integration solutions and services leveraging various applications and technical platforms required. 
  • →Or, Associates degree and 16 years of experience providing enterprise architecture strategies, enterprise integration solutions and services leveraging various applications and technical platforms.
  • →

    Or, High School Diploma/GED and 18 years of experience providing enterprise architecture strategies, enterprise integration solutions and services leveraging various applications and technical platforms.

     

• →Three years in a senior architecture or chief architecture role preferred.
• →Excellent enterprise architecture and integration skills, including data architecture, cloud architecture, middleware and other architectural methods and practices.
• →Proven background managing architecture for a large, complex organization (AEC industry) preferred.
• →Experience in large-scale enterprise transformation projects using industry enterprise architecture strategy solutions and middleware technologies.
• →Proven ability to influence and lead enterprise integration project execution.
• →Strong analytical and problem-solving skills.
• →Excellent written and verbal communication skills with the ability to translate complex technical concepts to non-technical business leaders.
• →Expert knowledge of application data analysis and transformation at various layers of the architecture and the ability to present data transformation during various stages of architecture.
• →Experience with leading-edge applications, middleware technology and solutions utilizing data strategies.
• →Experience with various project execution methodologies, including but not limited to Waterfall and Agile.
• →Deep knowledge of modern cloud environments (Azure, GCP, data platforms, zero trust security models and AI integration pathways preferred.
• →Demonstrated success leading governance councils and publishing enterprise technology standards preferred.
• →Experience developing enterprise architecture strategies focusing on data, applications, and technologies for clients in the utilities industry.
• →Experience in integrating operational systems in electric transmission/distribution/generation/telecom (SCADA, ADMS), municipal government, federal government, airport and facilities industries is preferred.
• →Demonstrated track record of hands-on solution delivery, with architecture artifacts personally produced and solutions engaged from design through implementation preferred.
• →

  Software engineering or developer background, with the ability to describe complex systems personally designed and built preferred.

   

• →Advanced facilitation, collaboration, organization, and problem solving skills.
• →Demonstrated success as to budget, savings and/or profit margins in completed projects.
• →Ability to thoughtfully and positively influence, lead and manage.
• →Excellent planning and analytical skills.
• →

  Must demonstrate excellent oral and written communication skills; strong interpersonal skills; and the ability to clearly and effectively present complex information to all levels of employees, management, and clients.