Chief Architect

Location: Washington
Posted on: June 23, 2025

Job Description:

The Chief Architect is part of the Information Technology department and reports to the Chief Information Officer. As our Chief Architect, you will lead the architecture team and be responsible for establishing company-wide strategies and standards that guide the modernization and evolution of our systems and information infrastructure to ensure mission effectiveness as well as efficiency. This role is responsible for documenting and maintaining the “as-is” systems and data architectures and defining target architectures. The Chief Architect will oversee governance processes to ensure alignment with target architectures and established CIS standards. The Chief Architect will also provide architectural guidance and advice for CIS’s system development efforts, balancing operational needs and target architecture alignment. The Chief Architect will also participate in business process change efforts and assist in the CIS-wide efforts to develop and implement processes that support the effective governance of our enterprise information systems. The Center for Internet Security (CIS) makes the connected world a safer place for people, businesses, and governments through our core competencies of collaboration and innovation. We are a community-driven nonprofit responsible for industry-leading best practices for securing IT systems and data. CIS is also a trusted resource for cyber threat prevention, protection, response, and recovery for U.S. State, Local, Tribal, and Territorial (SLTT) government entities and election offices. CIS has an award-winning reputation for investing in its people (click here to learn more), as well as continuous learning and development. We offer our employees diverse opportunities to expand their impact personally and professionally, in their local communities, and among one another. Core Leadership Principles drive our employees at every level of the organization, empowering them to be leaders in everything they do. Salary Range: $153,100 - $275,500 We offer a competitive total rewards package at the Center for Internet Security: Base salary is determined on a number of factors including, but not limited to, education, experience and skills Health (PPO, EPO, HSA), Dental & Vision Insurance eligibility starting from the first day of hire $500 wellness card for Health Coverage Participants 401(k) with 4% Company Match, vested from the first day of hire Flexible Spending Account (FSA) & Dependent Care Account (DCA) Life Insurance Bonding Leave Paid Volunteering Program Bonus eligibility Paid Time Off (PTO) inclusive of vacation, personal and sick time Paid Holidays Wellness Program Employee Engagement Activities Professional Development Opportunities Tuition Reimbursement Student Loan PayDown Program Employee Referral program What Youll Do Serve as an advisor to CIS leadership regarding systems architecture, standards, and implementation strategies, including presenting architectural tradeoffs and resolving architectural issues Develop and maintain ‘as-is’ and ‘to-be’ architectures in formats that are appropriate to inform decision making for technical members and leadership to improve performance consistent with our CIS mission Coordinate with leadership to develop system evolution strategies based on target architectures, mission priorities, and available resources Assist in identifying efficiencies through system consolidation, elimination, or standardization Establish and oversee governance processes that ensure system development efforts comply with CIS architects and standards Support the management of key programs to ensure fidelity with CIS standard architectures and patterns, and to address architectural issues with third-party development organizations Provide leadership, coaching, and support for the IT architectural team Other tasks and responsibilities as assigned What Youll Need Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science, Systems Engineering, or Information Systems* 5 years’ experience as an Enterprise or Chief Architect for organizations managing multiple programs and projects 5 years experience leading an Enterprise Architecture team 5 years’ experience contributing to the design and development of complex and distributed software projects, specifically in a cloud environment (i.e., AWS, Azure) Proven ability to guide the development, adoption, and governance of enterprise architectures, as well as architecture principles, standards, and guidelines Experience in serving as an architect to development and business operations organizations as they plan and implement their systems roadmaps Proven ability to partner across complex organizations to deliver enterprise solutions that meet mission needs and adhere to enterprise architecture standards, support capabilities, and align with future strategy Deep technical understanding of application and data interfaces and use of application programming interfaces Ability to document and communicate system capabilities and requirements to both technical and non-technical stakeholders at all organizational levels Experience with one or more architecture frameworks (e.g., TOGAF, Zachman, AIDAF) Ability to engage with vendors and third parties to communicate organizational needs and assess the fitness of products and services for use by the organization Must be authorized to work in the United States Its a Plus if You Have: Master’s Degree in Enterprise Architecture, Systems Engineering, Computer Science, or related discipline Knowledge and experience with Agile methodologies Understanding of IT service management methodologies and frameworks, especially ITIL *Additional years of relevant experience or a combination of an Associate’s degree or equivalent and relevant experience may be substituted for the Bachelor’s degree. At CIS, we are committed to providing an inclusive environment in which the diverse backgrounds, experiences, and views of our employees, members, and customers are valued and respected. It is through this commitment that we are able to work together towards our common mission: to make the connected world a safer place.

Keywords: , Olney , Chief Architect, IT / Software / Systems , Washington, Maryland