Job Description

This position is based in Akron, OH, and reports to the Vice President, Enterprise Technology (Chief Technology Officer). This Director, Enterprise Platforms, Architecture & Engineering (Chief Architect) is responsible for shaping and executing the overall technology vision and roadmap for the enterprise. This leader drives an enterprise-wide team of six manager, senior architects and engineers in designing, governing, and delivering the target architecture and engineering strategy for our products, platforms, services, infrastructure, applications, and data.

As a key member of the enterprise technology leadership team, this executive collaborates with business and technology stakeholders to align technology investments with strategic business outcomes, ensuring operational excellence and future scalability.

Team:

Responsibilities:

Strategic Vision and Leadership

• Provide thought leadership and executive partnership across the organization to shape a technology vision aligned with business goals.
• Establish and maintain a strategic enterprise architecture roadmap that drives innovation, efficiency, and scalability.
• Serve as a trusted advisor to senior leadership, helping to drive technology decisions that create business value.
• Evaluate emerging technologies and industry trends to ensure the enterprise remains competitive and forward-thinking.
• Communicate the enterprise architecture vision and strategy effectively to all stakeholders.

Enterprise Architecture and Governance

• Define and oversee a comprehensive enterprise architecture framework encompassing business, information, application, technology, and security domains.
• Lead and chair enterprise architecture governance bodies to ensure compliance with established standards and best practices.
• Develop policies and standards to guide technology investments and ensure architectural integrity.
• Align technology strategies with regulatory and compliance requirements.
• Develop and deliver training programs to educate stakeholders on the enterprise architecture.
• Identify and implement tools and technologies to support effective architecture and engineering management.

Systems Engineering, Development, and Quality Assurance

• Provide executive oversight for enterprise systems engineering and software development, ensuring alignment with business needs and architectural standards.
• Drive adoption of modern engineering practices, including cloud computing, DevOps, CI/CD pipelines, and automation.
• Collaborate with technology leaders to ensure enterprise platforms and applications are scalable, secure, and resilient.
• Optimize system lifecycle management, ensuring continuous improvement and cost efficiency.
• Oversee systems engineering functions to ensure robust design, integration, and operation of complex systems that meet organizational needs.
• Provide guidance and support to development teams to ensure alignment with architectural standards and organizational priorities.
• Drive innovation and improvements in system design and development practices, incorporating automation, CI/CD pipelines, and modern engineering practices.
• Establish and enforce standardized testing methodologies, frameworks, and best practices across development teams to ensure quality.
• Collaborate with engineering and development teams to ensure that technical solutions are scalable, secure, and aligned with enterprise objectives.
• Monitor the lifecycle of systems and applications to ensure timely upgrades, optimization, and decommissioning.

Team Leadership and Collaboration

• Build strong relationships with key stakeholders across Technology and the business.
• Lead a team of senior technologists, architects, and engineers in designing, documenting, and delivering the enterprise architecture and systems solutions.
• Partner with the broader technology organization to implement the enterprise architecture.
• Foster a culture where employees own, promote, and reinforce the organization’s values and behaviors and feel empowered.
• Mentor and develop a high-performing team, ensuring continuous learning and professional growth.

Qualifications include:

• Bachelor’s degree in computer science, information technology, systems engineering, or related discipline required; master’s degree preferred.
• Minimum of 20 years relevant work experience at progressively increasing levels of responsibility and leadership is required. Relevant experience includes experience in enterprise architecture, systems engineering, or related field.
• Strong understanding of IT infrastructure, applications, data management, systems engineering, and security principles.
• Experience in leading and mentoring a team of architects, engineers, and developers.
• Experience with enterprise architecture frameworks and methodologies (e.g., TOGAF, Zachman Framework).
• Performs in accordance with the FirstEnergy Core Values & Behaviors, leads by example, and demonstrates how these values and behaviors align with the Company’s mission, priorities, objectives, and interests.
• Proven experience implementing and managing DevOps practices, CI/CD pipelines, and automation strategies.
• Strategic vision and continuous improvement mindset with the ability to optimize performance and results through innovative practices.
• Experience in optimizing performance and results through continuous improvement.
• Accomplished and approachable leader with a demonstrated track record of driving continuous improvement and fostering collaboration.
• Excellent written, verbal, interpersonal and presentation skills.
• Experience with working across an entire organization to influence and align on common goals or objectives.
• Fosters an inclusive work environment that supports FirstEnergy’s values.
• Builds relationships through collaboration and teamwork, across all levels and departments of the company.

Benefits, Compensation & Workforce Diversity

At FirstEnergy, employees are key to our success. We depend on their talents to meet the challenges of our changing business environment. We are committed to rewarding individual and team efforts through our total rewards philosophy which includes competitive pay plus incentive compensation, a company-sponsored pension plan, 401(k) savings plan with matching employer contribution, a choice of medical, prescription drug, dental, vision, and life insurance programs, as well as skills development training with tuition reimbursement. Please visit our website at to learn more about all of our employee rewards programs. FirstEnergy proudly supports workforce diversity. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, religion, color, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, age, status as a protected veteran, or status as a qualified individual with a disability. No recruiters or agencies without a previously signed contract. Unable to sponsor or transfer H-1B visas at this time.

Safety

Safety is a core value for FirstEnergy and is essential to all of our business activities. We ensure employees have the tools, information, and processes to perform their duties in a manner that assures safety for themselves, their co-workers, our customers and the public. Our goals are to provide a safe work environment, to maintain an accident-free, injury-free workplace, and to promote and maintain public safety. To meet these goals, we dedicate ourselves to achieving world-class safety standards.

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