We are seeking a Senior Solution Architect with deep domain expertise across Wholesale Banking and Payments. The ideal candidate brings a proven track record of designing, governing, and delivering enterprise-grade banking solutions, with hands-on exposure to the region’s core applications, regulatory landscape, and integration patterns. This role is responsible for driving end-to-end solution architecture, defining target-state roadmaps, orchestrating multi-system integrations, and ensuring that banking platforms are scalable, secure, compliant, and aligned with business strategy. 2. Key Responsibilities Solution Architecture & Design • Lead the architectural design for wholesale banking and payments transformation initiatives. • Define end-to-end solution blueprints, integration maps, data flows, and security models. • Architect solutions leveraging enterprise patterns (microservices, event-driven, APIs, ISO8583/20022 messaging, SOA). • Evaluate vendor platforms and ensure alignment with enterprise architecture standards. Technical Leadership • Drive technical discovery with business teams, operations, compliance, and vendors. • Guide development teams during implementation and ensure solution adherence. • Conduct architecture reviews, gap assessments, and impact analysis. • Provide thought leadership on modernization: cloud enablement, API gateways, observability, performance engineering, and resilience. Domain-Specific Solutioning Wholesale Banking • Translate corporate/treasury banking use cases into scalable solution designs. • Architect implementations and integrations with: o Intellect (Cash Management, Corporate Channels, Trade Platforms) o Axe Finance (Credit Origination / Loan Lifecycle Systems) o TI Plus (Trade Finance, Guarantees, LCs, Collections) o Corporate B2B Platforms (host-to-host, cash pooling, liquidity management) Payments Domain • Lead architecture for acquiring, issuing, switching, and real-time payments. • Hands-on experience designing around: o FIS IST / Base24 o FIS Cortex / Apex o Mada (Saudi Payments ecosystem) o Visa / Mastercard integrations o SADAD, SARIE, SWIFT o NCR ATM networks (monitoring, switching, settlement) • Architect payment orchestration, tokenization, reconciliation, settlement, and dispute flows. Governance, Security & Compliance • Ensure solutions comply with: o SAMA regulatory requirements o PCI-DSS o Local KSA payment mandates o Data governance, security, and resiliency frameworks • Create architecture documentation, risk assessments, and compliance checklists. 3. Required Experience & Skills Core Experience • 8+ years in solution architecture roles within banking/financial services. • Strong experience delivering enterprise-scale solutions across Wholesale/Corporate Banking and Payments. • Hands-on architecture and integration experience with any of the following: o Intellect | Axe Finance | TI Plus | Corporate B2B Channels o FIS IST/Base24 | FIS Cortex/Apex | ATM Switching | SWIFT o Visa / Mastercard / Mada / SADAD / SARIE Technical Skills • Architecture frameworks: TOGAF, ArchiMate, C4 modelling. • API design: REST, SOAP, GraphQL, API gateway patterns. • Messaging: ISO20022, ISO8583, MQ/Kafka, ESB. • Cloud: Azure/AWS hybrid architectures, networking, security controls. • CI/CD, DevSecOps, performance engineering. • Strong understanding of banking data models, integration patterns, and microservice design. Soft Skills • Executive-level communication and solution storytelling. • Stakeholder management across business, operations, vendors, and regulators. • Ability to lead multi-disciplinary delivery teams. • Analytical, structured, and able to simplify complex architectures. 4. Preferred Qualifications • TOGAF certified or equivalent architecture credentials. • Experience in GCC banking modernization programs. • Exposure to real-time payments, tokenization, HSMs, and card security. • Experience in cloud-native and containerized architectures (Kubernetes, Docker).