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What does a senior enterprise architect do?

Updated January 8, 2025
6 min read
Quoted expert
Christy Graves

Senior Enterprise Architects are responsible for directing and optimizing an organization's IT infrastructure and business operations. Their duties include implementing business architecture models, providing systems process guidelines, establishing compliance architecture such as change control and metadata management, as well as evaluate accounting, talent recruitment, engineering systems models for vulnerabilities. Other duties include supervising development programs for employees, suggest cost-improvement strategies, and create a build versus buy plan of action. Senior Enterprise Architects must be well versed in the Enterprise Architecture Framework in implementing a holistic solution.

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Senior enterprise architect responsibilities

Here are examples of responsibilities from real senior enterprise architect resumes:

  • Host and manage SaaS application for medical billing for multiple medical providers.
  • Design and develop a relational database API for managing accounts and on-line transactions.
  • Lead internal team in defining business rule architecture, and in designing and implementing StrategyWare decision engine.
  • Design and implement web-based metadata tool that manages data objects and their relationship to publish and subscribe data messages.
  • SOAP, XML, HTML, Java, .NET).
  • Used AngularJS as the development framework to build the UI modules.
  • Azure solution for analytics, machine learning cluster and HDP SAN box for modeling.
  • Develop and implement key ITIL processes into the company to aid in compliance requirements.
  • Lead member of a team that investigate corporate SAN and NAS alternatives and recommend solutions.
  • Support Unix, Microsoft, Linux and SAN implementations for commercial and technical performance benchmarks.
  • Implement SDLC procedures, coding standard, architecture standard, testing procedure and platform, and deployment standard.
  • Work closely with business unit CIO's to evaluate business requirements, architecture and direction, design and implementation strategies.
  • Design financial transaction compensation model and API for the core system for integrating with partners' system using web service.
  • Perform application cloud readiness assessment.
  • Review eCommerce Java base portal design and development.

Senior enterprise architect skills and personality traits

We calculated that 8% of Senior Enterprise Architects are proficient in Cloud, Emerging Technologies, and Java.

We break down the percentage of Senior Enterprise Architects that have these skills listed on their resume here:

  • Cloud, 8%

    Focused problem solution delivery on the Microsoft Azure public cloud platform in all key areas: Infrastructure-as-a-Service, Platform-as-a-Service and Software-as-a-Service.

  • Emerging Technologies, 7%

    Monitored technology trends, emerging technologies, and standards to identify those that met business requirements.Earlier positions in career include

  • Java, 6%

    Implemented basic encryption, decryption using java security and added security layer between DB and application.

  • Enterprise Architecture, 5%

    Developed an end-to-end methodology for Service Oriented Business Application Design and Implementation as part of Enterprise Architecture Program and Knowledge Management.

  • Infrastructure, 5%

    Maintained information security, business continuity, 24x7 availability, and SLA s. Advised executive leadership on infrastructure and security issues.

  • Analytics, 5%

    Technically-focused manager and architect for improvements to the corporate data warehouse, enterprise analytics, and the corporate data governance program.

Most senior enterprise architects use their skills in "cloud," "emerging technologies," and "java" to do their jobs. You can find more detail on essential senior enterprise architect responsibilities here:

Most common senior enterprise architect skills

The three companies that hire the most senior enterprise architects are:

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Senior Enterprise Architect Resume
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Compare different senior enterprise architects

Senior enterprise architect vs. Architect

Architects are licensed professionals who specialize in art and science of design, building constructions, and structures. They play a vital role in the construction and not only responsible for the appearance but also the safety of users. They ensure that every structure is functional, safe, cost-effective, and suit the needs of the future occupants. They closely monitor the working progress to make sure that the project is built according to plan. Some architects are focused mainly on creating designs while some are exclusive in the production of building plans or "blueprints".

We looked at the average senior enterprise architect salary and compared it with the wages of an architect. Generally speaking, architects are paid $43,116 lower than senior enterprise architects per year.Even though senior enterprise architects and architects are distinct careers, a few of the skills required for both jobs are similar. For example, both careers require cloud, emerging technologies, and java in the day-to-day roles and responsibilities.

While similarities exist, there are also some differences between senior enterprise architects and architect. For instance, senior enterprise architect responsibilities require skills such as "analytics," "governance," "portfolio," and "business strategy." Whereas a architect is skilled in "c++," "javascript," "design development," and "revit." This is part of what separates the two careers.

Architects earn the highest salaries when working in the technology industry, with an average yearly salary of $111,725. On the other hand, senior enterprise architects are paid more in the finance industry with an average salary of $132,769.On average, architects reach similar levels of education than senior enterprise architects. Architects are 4.6% less likely to earn a Master's Degree and 0.4% less likely to graduate with a Doctoral Degree.

Senior enterprise architect vs. Information technology architect

An information technology architect is responsible for designing and creating new technology systems and optimizing the performance of existing ones. Information technology architects analyze the business needs and client requirements to identify system features and technology infrastructure according to budget limitations and timetables. They also consider the public demands and technology trends to ensure that the deliverables would reach the audience's interest to boost awareness and attract potential clients, generating more resources for revenues. An information technology architect should have excellent technical and project management skills, especially on implementing technology solutions and running diagnostic tests to measure systems compatibility.

A career as a information technology architect brings a lower average salary when compared to the average annual salary of a senior enterprise architect. In fact, information technology architects salary is $13,744 lower than the salary of senior enterprise architects per year.Only some things about these jobs are the same. Take their skills, for example. Senior enterprise architects and information technology architects both require similar skills like "cloud," "emerging technologies," and "java" to carry out their responsibilities.

In addition to the difference in salary, there are some other key differences worth noting. For example, senior enterprise architect responsibilities are more likely to require skills like "infrastructure," "analytics," "aws," and "governance." Meanwhile, an information technology architect has duties that require skills in areas such as "c++," "application development," "cloud security," and "business process." These differences highlight just how different the day-to-day in each role looks.

On average, information technology architects earn a lower salary than senior enterprise architects. Some industries support higher salaries in each profession. Interestingly enough, information technology architects earn the most pay in the manufacturing industry with an average salary of $124,038. Whereas senior enterprise architects have higher pay in the finance industry, with an average salary of $132,769.Average education levels between the two professions vary. Information technology architects tend to reach lower levels of education than senior enterprise architects. In fact, they're 8.0% less likely to graduate with a Master's Degree and 0.4% less likely to earn a Doctoral Degree.

What technology do you think will become more important and prevalent for senior enterprise architects in the next 3-5 years?

Christy Graves

Professor/Program Manager, Seminole State College of Florida

BIM (building information modeling) technology will continue to become more important in the architectural engineering technology profession.

Senior enterprise architect vs. Principal architect

Principal Architects manage all design work at an architecture firm. They ensure that all work is of high professional quality and manage the activity of other design professionals.

On average, principal architects earn higher salaries than senior enterprise architects, with a $3,525 difference per year.By looking over several senior enterprise architects and principal architects resumes, we found that both roles require similar skills in their day-to-day duties, such as "cloud," "emerging technologies," and "java." But beyond that, the careers look very different.

Some important key differences between the two careers include a few of the skills necessary to fulfill the responsibilities of each. Some examples from senior enterprise architect resumes include skills like "governance," "portfolio," "business strategy," and "business architecture," whereas a principal architect is more likely to list skills in "python," "javascript," "c++," and "debugging. "

Principal architects make a very good living in the technology industry with an average annual salary of $140,894. On the other hand, senior enterprise architects are paid the highest salary in the finance industry, with average annual pay of $132,769.Most principal architects achieve a similar degree level compared to senior enterprise architects. For example, they're 2.4% less likely to graduate with a Master's Degree, and 1.9% less likely to earn a Doctoral Degree.

Senior enterprise architect vs. Chief architect

Chief architects are C-level executives in information technology (IT) who look at IT functions that may be centralized for seamless collaboration. They are also called enterprise architects who design and manage the software release team base on the scrum/agile development methodologies. Their job involves systems analysis, and they project plan in transitioning the Internet operation of MCI to wireless and cable platforms. Also, they offer a disaster recovery solution for a virtual or physical server to a data center in the cloud.

Chief architects tend to earn a higher pay than senior enterprise architects by an average of $39,085 per year.While their salaries may vary, senior enterprise architects and chief architects both use similar skills to perform their duties. Resumes from both professions include skills like "cloud," "emerging technologies," and "java. "Each job also requires different skills to carry out their responsibilities. A senior enterprise architect uses "governance," "portfolio," "business strategy," and "solution architecture." Chief architects are more likely to have duties that require skills in "c++," "web application development," "software development," and "system architecture. "In general, chief architects earn the most working in the retail industry, with an average salary of $161,179. The highest-paying industry for a senior enterprise architect is the finance industry.chief architects reach similar levels of education compared to senior enterprise architects, in general. The difference is that they're 3.2% more likely to earn a Master's Degree, and 3.3% more likely to graduate with a Doctoral Degree.

Types of senior enterprise architect

Updated January 8, 2025

Zippia Research Team
Zippia Team

Editorial Staff

The Zippia Research Team has spent countless hours reviewing resumes, job postings, and government data to determine what goes into getting a job in each phase of life. Professional writers and data scientists comprise the Zippia Research Team.

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