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What does a senior information technology architect do?

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

Senior information technology (IT) architects are IT professionals who manage other IT experts in organizing and managing the security, communication, and related technological components within an organization. These architects are required to design creative solutions that can resolve issues with the Identity Finder system that can enable accurate reporting. They must coordinate the IT architectural review process to provide oversight and guidance for the new system implementation. Senior IT architects must also evaluate new technologies and methodologies that may help in developing management processes.

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Senior information technology architect responsibilities

Here are examples of responsibilities from real senior information technology architect resumes:

  • Manage application development teams both domestic and international that focus on developing applications using corporate partner API's.
  • Design and code foundation and application software on Unix platforms, both FreeBSD and Linux, in C++ and perl.
  • Provide guidance to development application areas by applying knowledge of data warehouse design, extract-transform-load (ETL) design and development.
  • Perform various UNIX shell, DOS/Windows scripting, and C/C++ programming and building.
  • Work with the Linux Admin to fine tune OS settings per recommendations on Mysql.
  • Involve in designing custom charting software for internal use, using JavaScript HIGHCHARTS library.
  • Design and develop web base employee locator system using JavaScript, Perl, and HTML.
  • Decrease support risks by spearheading conversion of on premise production SQL data storage to cloud storage.
  • Develop testing methodology, requirements, test plans and define the SDLC process for the customer.
  • Install and update educational software on classroom computers as well as, resolve and troubleshoot software issues.
  • Develop data requirements, data flow diagrams, data models, source-to-target data mapping, and ETL specification.
  • Web templates are highly customize which require re development of many obsolete ABAP classes in Java and BSP application.
  • Create certified network devices using UNIX kernels and surplus equipment to fulfill milestone objectives when funding are not available.
  • Reduce the number of desktop protocols (DECnet, Appletalk, IPX) and convert to an IP only backbone.
  • Provide support and troubleshoot hardware/software for end-user.

Senior information technology architect skills and personality traits

We calculated that 9% of Senior Information Technology Architects are proficient in Cloud, Java, and Enterprise Architecture. They’re also known for soft skills such as Business skills, Leadership skills, and Analytical skills.

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

  • Cloud, 9%

    Provided Subject Matter Expertise (SME) to the SCSP Working Group on the topics of CND and Cloud computing.

  • Java, 6%

    Reviewed overall Java application code and its performance.

  • Enterprise Architecture, 5%

    Direct the governance activities associated with ensuring compliance with the enterprise architecture.

  • AWS, 5%

    Will engage in 2/2019 to extend AWS roadmap with AIR/LAND/SPACE acquisition.

  • Emerging Technologies, 5%

    Research and implement emerging technologies that bring best-in-class capabilities to the organization.

  • Azure, 4%

    Engaged in daily support of Azure Subscriptions and the creation of virtual elements in Azure.

"cloud," "java," and "enterprise architecture" are among the most common skills that senior information technology architects use at work. You can find even more senior information technology architect responsibilities below, including:

Business skills. One of the key soft skills for a senior information technology architect to have is business skills. You can see how this relates to what senior information technology architects do because "it managers must develop and implement strategic plans to reach the goals of their organizations." Additionally, a senior information technology architect resume shows how senior information technology architects use business skills: "designed technical specifications & implemented business components for site (php, html, javascript, mysql) 3. "

Leadership skills. Another essential skill to perform senior information technology architect duties is leadership skills. Senior information technology architects responsibilities require that "it managers must lead and motivate it teams or departments so that workers are efficient and effective." Senior information technology architects also use leadership skills in their role according to a real resume snippet: "provided guidance, leadership and technical expertise for the programming team, resulting in smooth workflow throughout the development cycle. "

Analytical skills. This is an important skill for senior information technology architects to perform their duties. For an example of how senior information technology architect responsibilities depend on this skill, consider that "it managers must analyze problems and consider and select the best ways to solve them." This excerpt from a resume also shows how vital it is to everyday roles and responsibilities of a senior information technology architect: "authored macros and scripts for automated aggregation of data templates and source files for bi analysis and presentation. ".

Communication skills. senior information technology architect responsibilities often require "communication skills." The duties that rely on this skill are shown by the fact that "it managers must explain their work to top executives and give clear instructions to their subordinates." This resume example shows what senior information technology architects do with communication skills on a typical day: "designed, implemented, and supported unix to windows platform integration / communication solutions. "

Organizational skills. Another common skill required for senior information technology architect responsibilities is "organizational skills." This skill comes up in the duties of senior information technology architects all the time, as "some it managers must coordinate the work of several different it departments to make the organization run efficiently." An excerpt from a real senior information technology architect resume shows how this skill is central to what a senior information technology architect does: "developed frameworks to address global organizational challenges related to data integration, business processes, logistics and human capital management. "

Most common senior information technology architect skills

Choose from 10+ customizable senior information technology architect resume templates

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Compare different senior information technology architects

Senior information technology 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".

The annual salary of architects is $33,758 lower than the average salary of senior information technology architects.While the two careers have a salary gap, they share some of the same responsibilities. Employees in both senior information technology architect and architect positions are skilled in cloud, java, and enterprise architecture.

These skill sets are where the common ground ends though. The responsibilities of a senior information technology architect are more likely to require skills like "technical solutions," "sdlc," "application development," and "sr." On the other hand, a job as an architect requires skills like "infrastructure," "c++," "api," and "client facing." As you can see, what employees do in each career varies considerably.

Architects really shine in the technology industry with an average salary of $111,725. Comparatively, senior information technology architects tend to make the most money in the insurance industry with an average salary of $122,328.On average, architects reach similar levels of education than senior information technology architects. Architects are 4.5% more likely to earn a Master's Degree and 0.4% less likely to graduate with a Doctoral Degree.

Senior information technology architect vs. Enterprise architect

An enterprise architect is responsible for evaluating systems to develop business operations, ensuring efficiency and profit growth. They mostly establish architectural models according to business plans and existing systems, perform research and analysis, recommend changes in the information technology structures, and conduct skills assessment to determine the needs of employees. One may also spearhead training programs for new employees, coordinate with different departments, and suggest alternatives for cost reduction. Furthermore, as an enterprise architect, it is essential to implement the company's policies and regulations, including its vision and mission.

A career as a enterprise architect brings a lower average salary when compared to the average annual salary of a senior information technology architect. In fact, enterprise architects salary is $1,887 lower than the salary of senior information technology architects per year.While the salary may differ for these jobs, they share a few skills needed to perform their duties. Based on resume data, both senior information technology architects and enterprise architects have skills such as "cloud," "java," and "enterprise architecture. "

While some skills are similar in these professions, other skills aren't so similar. For example, resumes show us that senior information technology architect responsibilities requires skills like "technical solutions," "sr," "architecture design," and "technical expertise." But an enterprise architect might use other skills in their typical duties, such as, "infrastructure," "roadmap," "governance," and "portfolio."

Enterprise architects may earn a lower salary than senior information technology architects, but enterprise architects earn the most pay in the hospitality industry with an average salary of $123,283. On the other hand, senior information technology architects receive higher pay in the insurance industry, where they earn an average salary of $122,328.enterprise architects earn higher levels of education than senior information technology architects in general. They're 6.6% more likely to graduate with a Master's Degree and 0.4% more likely to earn a Doctoral Degree.

What technology do you think will become more important and prevalent for senior information technology 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 information technology architect vs. Lead architect

A lead architect spearheads architectural operations while maintaining an active communication line with clients. They typically meet with clients to discuss the project's needs and specifications, agree on a budget, provide advice and recommendations, and negotiate contracts. They are also in charge of developing building designs, coordinating staff, devising plans, incorporating essential systems, and providing technical and guidance as needed. Moreover, as the lead architect of the project, they must enforce policies and regulations to maintain a smooth and efficient workflow.

On average scale, lead architects bring in lower salaries than senior information technology architects. In fact, they earn a $15,706 lower salary per year.Using the responsibilities included on senior information technology architects and lead architects resumes, we found that both professions have similar skill requirements, such as "cloud," "java," and "enterprise architecture.rdquo;

There are many key differences between these two careers, including some of the skills required to perform responsibilities within each role. For example, a senior information technology architect is likely to be skilled in "aws," "technical solutions," "project management," and "sr," while a typical lead architect is skilled in "architecture," "infrastructure," "api testing," and "api."

Lead architects earn the highest salary when working in the insurance industry, where they receive an average salary of $112,852. Comparatively, senior information technology architects have the highest earning potential in the insurance industry, with an average salary of $122,328.Most lead architects achieve a higher degree level compared to senior information technology architects. For example, they're 10.9% more likely to graduate with a Master's Degree, and 0.1% more likely to earn a Doctoral Degree.

Senior information technology architect vs. Data architect

A Data Architect is responsible for designing, creating, deploying, and managing an organization's data architecture. They define how the data will be stored, consumed, integrated, and managed by different data entities.

Data architects tend to earn a lower pay than senior information technology architects by an average of $6,693 per year.According to resumes from senior information technology architects and data architects, some of the skills necessary to complete the responsibilities of each role are similar. These skills include "java," "enterprise architecture," and "aws. "

Even though a few skill sets overlap between senior information technology architects and data architects, there are some differences that are important to note. For one, a senior information technology architect might have more use for skills like "cloud," "technical solutions," "project management," and "application development." Meanwhile, some responsibilities of data architects require skills like "analytics," "architecture," "data lake," and "hadoop. "

Data architects enjoy the best pay in the automotive industry, with an average salary of $112,083. For comparison, senior information technology architects earn the highest salary in the insurance industry.The average resume of data architects showed that they earn higher levels of education compared to senior information technology architects. So much so that theyacirc;euro;trade;re 10.7% more likely to earn a Master's Degree and less likely to earn a Doctoral Degree by 0.1%.

Types of senior information technology 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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