Principal Solution Architect, Financial Services/CBS
Bain & Company · Atlanta, GA
- On site
- Full-time
- $206,000 / year
- Atlanta, GA
Job highlights
- Lead architecture and technology strategy for clients.
- Advise senior leaders on complex transformations.
- Enable large-scale digital transformation at scale.
- Advance Bain's reputation in financial services.
- Requires 15+ years of architecture experience.
About the role
Principal Solution Architect, Financial Services/CBS
What Makes Us a Great Place to Work
Bain & Company is consistently recognized as one of the world’s best places to work, currently ranked #1 by Glassdoor. We prioritize building extraordinary teams by fostering an inclusive environment where diverse backgrounds, cultures, experiences, perspectives, and skills thrive. We hire exceptional talent and create an environment for professional and personal growth.
Who You'll Work With
You will join the Architect experts within the Enterprise Technology team, part of Bain’s digital capabilities practice. This multidisciplinary group helps clients modernize their tech strategy, architecture, and systems, aligning technology with business goals to drive efficiency, agility, and innovation. You will develop enterprise-wide solutions, optimize cloud and data architectures, and integrate AI for scalable, end-to-end digital transformations.
What You'll Do
Shape Architecture and Technology Strategy
- Lead the definition of enterprise, solution, cloud, and data architectures aligned with client business outcomes.
- Develop strategic architecture roadmaps, frameworks, and reference models for modernization, AI integration, and long-term value creation.
- Translate complex technical and business requirements into clear, actionable strategies for client adoption and scaling.
- Contribute to thought leadership, publications, and community engagement to advance Bain’s technology point of view.
- Assess, select, and integrate vendor platforms, fintech solutions, and hyperscaler technologies (AWS, Azure, GCP) into client architectures for maximum business and technology value.
Advise and Influence Senior Leaders
- Serve as a trusted advisor to CIOs, CTOs, Chief Architects, and senior executives on architectural decisions and trade-offs.
- Bridge the gap between business priorities and technology execution, ensuring architectures support strategic objectives.
- Influence, coach, and mentor client technology leaders and Bain teams to build sustainable internal architecture capabilities.
Enable Transformation at Scale
- Guide Bain consulting and client teams in executing architecture roadmaps, identifying risks, and embedding effective governance.
- Ensure architectures evolve with agile and MVP approaches while maintaining coherence, resilience, and scalability.
- Partner with Bain consulting teams to integrate architecture seamlessly into broader digital and business transformation programs.
Advance Bain’s Reputation and Growth
- Contribute to Bain’s intellectual property and points of view on architecture, core banking modernization, and emerging technologies.
- Help advance Bain’s reputation as a market leader in enterprise and financial services architecture.
- Support business development through architecture expertise in proposals, pursuits, and client discussions.
- Build and sustain trusted relationships with senior stakeholders, sponsors, and architecture communities.
About You
- 15+ years of experience in architecture and technology leadership, with a proven ability to shape enterprise, solution, and data architecture strategies.
- Deep expertise in Financial Services (core banking, payments, and modernization) strongly preferred.
- Exceptional candidates with fewer years of experience but outstanding impact in modern architecture and transformation will also be considered.
- Demonstrated track record advising senior business and technology leaders on complex, large-scale transformation programs.
- Strong technical depth in domains such as cloud, data, AI, security, operational resilience, APIs, and event-driven design.
- Mastery of architecture frameworks (e.g., TOGAF, ITABoK) and fluency in modern practices like cloud-native and AI-enabled architectures.
- Exceptional communication and influencing skills; able to bridge business strategy and technology execution with clarity.
- Recognized contributor within the architecture or technology community, with experience sharing expertise and perspectives.
- High emotional intelligence with proven experience leading, mentoring, and inspiring diverse, cross-functional teams.
Work Arrangement and Travel
This role requires a minimum of three days per week working in person at a client location or Bain home office. Travel is required, with regional travel away from your primary working location. Frequency and destinations will vary based on project needs.
Compensation and Benefits
Compensation includes base salary, annual discretionary performance bonus, 401(k) plan with employer contribution, and a best-in-class benefits package. Specific salary ranges are provided for Georgia, Illinois, Massachusetts, Texas ($168,500 - $206,000) and New York City ($191,000 - $234,500). For other locations, compensation is commensurate with competitive geographic market rates. Benefits include a 4.5% 401(k) company contribution (vested immediately, increases after 3 years), 100% paid individual employee premiums for medical, dental, and vision, generous paid time off, parental leave, sick leave, paid holidays, paid life and long-term disability insurance, and annual fitness reimbursements.
Key skills/competency
- Principal Solution Architect
- Financial Services Architecture
- Technology Strategy
- Enterprise Architecture
- Cloud Architecture
- Data Architecture
- AI Integration
- Digital Transformation
- Client Advisory
- Team Leadership
Skills & topics
- Principal Solution Architect
- Financial Services
- Architecture
- Technology Strategy
- Enterprise Architecture
- Cloud Computing
- Data Architecture
- AI
- Digital Transformation
- Consulting
- AWS
- Azure
- GCP
- TOGAF
- Leadership
- Senior Architect
How to get hired
- Tailor your resume: Highlight 15+ years of architecture leadership and financial services expertise. Quantify achievements in enterprise, solution, and data architecture.
- Showcase senior advisory skills: Emphasize experience advising CIOs, CTOs, and other senior leaders on complex transformations.
- Demonstrate technical depth: Detail your mastery of cloud, data, AI, security, and architecture frameworks like TOGAF.
- Prepare for case interviews: Practice solving complex business and technology problems, demonstrating strategic thinking and client impact.
- Network strategically: Engage with Bain professionals on LinkedIn and attend industry events to build relationships and gain insights.
Technical preparation
Master architecture frameworks (TOGAF, ITABoK).,Deep dive into cloud, data, AI, security.,Practice API and event-driven design patterns.,Prepare for architecture strategy case studies.
Behavioral questions
How do you advise senior executives?,Describe a complex transformation you led.,How do you build sustainable capabilities?,Share an experience mentoring diverse teams.
Frequently asked questions
- What specific financial services experience is most valued for the Principal Solution Architect role at Bain & Company?
- Bain & Company highly values deep expertise in Financial Services, particularly in core banking, payments, and modernization initiatives. Demonstrating a track record of shaping enterprise, solution, and data architecture strategies within this domain is strongly preferred.
- What are the key technical domains for a Principal Solution Architect at Bain?
- Key technical domains include cloud, data, AI, security, operational resilience, APIs, and event-driven design. A mastery of architecture frameworks like TOGAF and fluency in modern practices such as cloud-native and AI-enabled architectures are also crucial.
- How important is client-facing experience for this Principal Solution Architect position?
- Client-facing experience is critical. The role involves serving as a trusted advisor to CIOs, CTOs, and senior executives, bridging business priorities and technology execution, and guiding consulting and client teams through transformations.
- What is the expected in-person work requirement for the Principal Solution Architect role at Bain?
- The role requires a minimum of three days per week working together in person, either at a client location or at your Bain home office. Travel is also required for regional projects.
- Can exceptional candidates with fewer than 15 years of experience be considered for the Principal Solution Architect role?
- Yes, Bain & Company will consider exceptional candidates with fewer years of experience if they demonstrate outstanding impact in modern architecture and transformation. Your overall experience and demonstrable achievements are key.
- What kind of opportunities are there for thought leadership as a Principal Solution Architect at Bain?
- There are significant opportunities to contribute to thought leadership. This includes developing architectural roadmaps, contributing to publications, advancing Bain’s technology point of view, and sharing expertise within the architecture and technology communities.
- How does Bain & Company support professional development for its Principal Solution Architects?
- Bain supports professional development through influencing, coaching, and mentoring client technology leaders and Bain teams to build sustainable internal architecture capabilities. You'll also contribute to Bain’s intellectual property and reputation.