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- Tasks: Lead a team of architects to drive technology vision and design for payment initiatives.
- Company: Join American Express, a leader in innovation and inclusivity with a rich 175-year history.
- Benefits: Enjoy competitive salaries, flexible work options, and comprehensive health benefits.
- Why this job: Make a real impact in a collaborative environment that values your ideas and growth.
- Qualifications: 12+ years in software development with expertise in card payments and scalable solutions.
- Other info: Mentorship opportunities and a focus on holistic well-being await you at Amex.
The predicted salary is between 43200 - 72000 £ per year.
This job is with American Express, an inclusive employer and a member of myGwork – the largest global platform for the LGBTQ+ business community. At American Express, our culture is built on a 175-year history of innovation, shared values and Leadership Behaviors, and an unwavering commitment to back our customers, communities, and colleagues. As part of Team Amex, you'll experience this powerful backing with comprehensive support for your holistic well-being and many opportunities to learn new skills, develop as a leader, and grow your career. Here, your voice and ideas matter, your work makes an impact, and together, you will help us define the future of American Express.
Our Global Merchant and Network Services Technology (GMNST) team relies increasingly on the deep expertise and experience of a core team of subject matter experts in payments technology. Our Solutions Architects have both deep technical and strategic business knowledge. They’re of one mind about using their experience, expertise and vision to drive better business outcomes. We value deep and broad knowledge of this domain in which we excel, provide solutions and consultancy to our product teams, and be great collaborators and communicators.
How will you make an impact in this role?
If you have the talent and desire to drive innovation at a rapid pace, with hands-on experience in areas of real time, high availability, and highly scalable application development, join our Solution Architecture team to help architect initiatives across the department using the latest computing techniques. We are looking for an enthusiastic, driven, and forward-thinking Staff Architect to join our mission and lead a small team of architects working on a variety of payments initiatives.
Key accounts:
- Serve as forward thinking leader within the GMNST Solution Architecture leadership team, actively participating in enterprise-wide strategic discussions, inspiring change, and helping to drive vital enhancements.
- Lead a team of Solution Architects who drive the technology vision, architecture and design for multiple products, and software utilities across our platforms, ensuring they meet the evolving needs of American Express, our merchants and our Global Network Partners.
- Introduce enterprise architectural paradigms and solutions into the portfolio.
- Drive both high level and detailed design and conduct design reviews.
- Communicate to senior leaders regarding strategy direction and changes.
- Mentor engineers and solution architects to ensure technology complexities are understood very clearly to implement solutions expeditiously with high quality.
Minimum Qualifications
- 12+ years of experience in software development in a complex environment and/or comparable experience.
- Subject Matter Expertise in Card Payments, including Authorization, Clearing and Settlement, Payment Tokenization and Digital Wallets.
- Knowledge of payment industry standards, including: ISO 8583, EMV 3D Secure and PCI DSS.
- In-depth knowledge of multiple of the following: Java, Go, REST APIs, Kafka, Cassandra, PostgreSQL, Caches (Elastic/Redis), Public and Private Cloud infrastructure.
- Extensive experience in designing and implementing large scale platforms with high resiliency, availability, and reliability.
- Strong experience in applications with high throughput and performance.
- Strong written, verbal communications, presentation skills, leadership, problem solving and analytical skills.
- Proven collaboration skills along with the ability to influence without authority.
- High degree of technical expertise related to the core components of the tech stack.
- Expertise in building highly available, fault-tolerant, scalable solutions that perform at a global enterprise scale.
- Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science, Computer Science Engineering, or related field required; Advanced Degree preferred.
We back you with benefits that support your holistic well-being so you can be and deliver your best. This means caring for you and your loved ones' physical, financial, and mental health, as well as providing the flexibility you need to thrive personally and professionally:
- Competitive base salaries
- Bonus incentives
- Support for financial-well-being and retirement
- Comprehensive medical, dental, vision, life insurance, and disability benefits (depending on location)
- Flexible working model with hybrid, onsite or virtual arrangements depending on role and business need
- Generous paid parental leave policies (depending on your location)
- Free access to global on-site wellness centers staffed with nurses and doctors (depending on location)
- Free and confidential counseling support through our Healthy Minds program
- Career development and training opportunities
Offer of employment with American Express is conditioned upon the successful completion of a background verification check, subject to applicable laws and regulations.
Contact Detail:
American Express Recruiting Team
StudySmarter Expert Advice 🤫
We think this is how you could land Staff Architect
✨Tip Number 1
Familiarise yourself with the latest trends and technologies in payments, especially those mentioned in the job description like payment tokenisation and digital wallets. This knowledge will not only help you stand out but also allow you to engage in meaningful conversations during interviews.
✨Tip Number 2
Network with current or former employees of American Express, particularly those in the GMNST team. They can provide valuable insights into the company culture and the specific challenges faced by the team, which can be beneficial for your interview preparation.
✨Tip Number 3
Prepare to discuss your experience with high availability and scalable application development. Be ready to share specific examples of projects where you've successfully implemented these principles, as this aligns closely with the role's requirements.
✨Tip Number 4
Showcase your leadership skills by preparing examples of how you've mentored others or led teams in previous roles. American Express values collaboration and influence without authority, so demonstrating these abilities will strengthen your candidacy.
We think you need these skills to ace Staff Architect
Some tips for your application 🫡
Tailor Your CV: Make sure your CV highlights relevant experience in software development, particularly in payments technology. Emphasise your expertise in areas like Card Payments, Payment Tokenization, and any specific technologies mentioned in the job description.
Craft a Compelling Cover Letter: Write a cover letter that showcases your passion for innovation and leadership in technology. Mention how your background aligns with American Express's values and how you can contribute to their mission as a Staff Architect.
Highlight Leadership Experience: Since the role involves leading a team, be sure to include examples of your leadership experience. Discuss how you've mentored others or led projects, and how this has prepared you for the responsibilities of the Staff Architect position.
Showcase Communication Skills: Given the importance of communication in this role, provide examples of how you've effectively communicated complex technical concepts to non-technical stakeholders. This will demonstrate your ability to influence and collaborate within a team.
How to prepare for a job interview at American Express
✨Showcase Your Technical Expertise
As a Staff Architect, you'll need to demonstrate your deep knowledge in software development and payment technologies. Be prepared to discuss your experience with Java, Go, REST APIs, and other relevant technologies, as well as how you've applied them in complex environments.
✨Communicate Your Vision
American Express values leaders who can inspire change. During the interview, articulate your vision for technology architecture and how you would lead a team of Solution Architects. Use examples from your past experiences to illustrate your strategic thinking and leadership skills.
✨Prepare for Design Discussions
Expect to engage in high-level and detailed design discussions. Brush up on your design review processes and be ready to explain how you've driven architectural decisions in previous roles. Highlight your ability to mentor others in understanding complex technology solutions.
✨Demonstrate Collaboration Skills
Collaboration is key at American Express. Be ready to share examples of how you've worked effectively with cross-functional teams and influenced stakeholders without direct authority. This will show that you can thrive in their collaborative environment.
