Architect I

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Job Description
 

Enterprise Architect Governance Lead 

Level – 28/29 

The Enterprise Architecture Governance Lead manages and executes the enterprise architecture decision-governance model. The role ensures that governance processes operate consistently; decisions are routed to the right people at the right level, and decision rights, approval authority, accountability, delegated authority and escalation paths are applied in practice. Governance is measured by reliable execution and the quality and business impact of decisions—not by the volume of reviews completed. 

The role applies enterprise strategy and established architecture direction when coordinating material architecture decisions. It manages risk-based guardrails and the Architecture Review Board process, coordinates stakeholders, challenges incomplete or non-conforming submissions, facilitates resolution of cross-enterprise conflicts and ensures exceptions remain controlled, transparent and time-bound. 

Working across business, application, data, integration, technology, security and solution architecture, the position coordinates how EA pillars contribute to enterprise decisions while preserving their accountable ownership. It also manages the operational connection between EA governance and capability-based planning, roadmaps, standards and reusable patterns, portfolio and lifecycle management, architecture repository and data governance, sourcing and product selection, control functions, assurance, reporting and continuous improvement. 

Job Responsibilities 

Enterprise Architecture Governance Execution 

• Implement and administer enterprise-wide architecture decision rights, approval authorities, delegated authority, accountability and escalation paths so decisions are routed to the appropriate people at the appropriate level. 

• Apply enterprise strategy, business priorities, capability outcomes, strategic investments, target-state roadmaps and established architecture direction when coordinating material architecture decisions. 

• Operate risk-based governance policies, review tiers, decision thresholds, service levels and guardrails that fast-track conforming decisions while applying proportionate scrutiny to material deviations, trade-offs and risks. 

• Coordinate decision mechanisms for duplicate investments, competing standards, cross-domain dependencies, portfolio overlap and conflicting architecture priorities, escalating material trade-offs to the appropriate enterprise authority. 

Architecture Review Board Leadership and Process Ownership 

• Manage and facilitate the enterprise Architecture Review Board, keeping attention on material architecture choices, enterprise risk, strategic alignment and technology investment decisions. 

• Serve as the accountable process manager for the end-to-end ARB lifecycle, including engagement triggers, intake, triage, review classification, decision, documentation, conditions, action tracking, exception management, closure and retention of decision evidence. 

• Maintain and administer the ARB charter, process documentation, policies, controls, roles, quorum, handoffs, service levels, templates, decision records, supporting guidance and performance measures. 

• Coordinate updates to the ARB operating model as enterprise direction, delivery models, regulatory expectations, organizational maturity and emerging technology risks evolve, obtaining approval from the appropriate owners. 

• Drive consistent ARB adoption across business units, domains, architects and delivery teams through communications, enablement, change management, stakeholder feedback and transparent reporting. 

Strategic Investment, Standards and Exception Governance 

• Coordinate architecture engagement in strategic sourcing, product RFPs, vendor shortlisting, build-versus-buy decisions, renewals and major investments before commercial or technical commitments become difficult to reverse. 

• Administer the approval, adoption and lifecycle processes for enterprise standards, approved platforms, reusable patterns and reference architectures, using conformity to accelerate decisions and focus governance on material deviations. 

• Manage architecture exceptions in accordance with approved principles, ensuring accountable owners, justified business value, proportionate risk acceptance, review or expiry points and a path to resolution where needed. 

Cross-Functional Process Integration and Assurance 

• Manage ARB touchpoints with portfolio and investment governance, intake and demand management, SDLC and delivery gates, strategic sourcing and Procurement, vendor due diligence, Security, Privacy, Responsible AI, Legal, Quality/GxP, change governance and technology lifecycle processes. 

• Coordinate triggers, prerequisites, data requirements, handoffs, sequencing, decision dependencies, evidence exchange and escalation paths with accountable process owners, resolving operational gaps, duplication and conflicting requirements while preserving each function’s independent authority. 

• Coordinate participation by relevant control functions at the appropriate decision points and ensure unresolved material security, privacy, Responsible AI, legal, quality and compliance risks are visible to accountable enterprise authorities. 

Decision Accountability and Governance Effectiveness 

• Maintain clear ownership records for decisions, conditions of approval, risk acceptance, waivers, unresolved concerns and follow-through, and coordinate closure with accountable decision makers. 

• Monitor governance effectiveness through decision quality, enterprise alignment, timely outcomes, reuse, reduced avoidable risk and rework, portfolio simplification and completion of approved actions—not review or approval volume alone. 

• Analyze recurring decision patterns, audit findings, exceptions, performance evidence, stakeholder feedback and emerging risks, and recommend improvements to policies, controls, decision rights, standards and governance practices. 

• Identify process friction, control gaps, recurring rework and automation opportunities, and manage approved improvements that make the governance journey simpler, faster, traceable and more effective. 

• Partner closely with the Enterprise Architecture Operations Lead to translate approved governance direction, policy, decision rights, risk-based guardrails and improvement priorities into executable operating plans, processes, measures and communications; coordinate delivery, resolve operational issues and review evidence of performance and follow-through. 

Governance Across Enterprise Architecture Pillars 

• Manage governance expectations, decision interfaces and accountability across business, application, data, integration, technology, security and solution architecture; capability-based planning and roadmaps; standards and reusable assets; application and technology portfolio lifecycle; architecture repositories and metamodels; reporting, analytics and EA operating processes. 

• Coordinate coherence and measurable outcomes across EA pillars while preserving pillar owners’ responsibility for strategy, specialist methods, architecture content, roadmaps, standards, data quality and execution. 

Basic Qualifications 

• Bachelor's degree in engineering, Computer Science, Information Systems, Business or a related field with 8+ years of relevant experience; or a relevant master’s degree with 6+ years of experience. Equivalent experiences will be considered. 

• Significant experience managing enterprise architecture governance operations, architecture review or design authority processes, standards and exceptions, and material technology investment reviews. 

• Demonstrated ability to implement and administer decision rights, approval authorities, delegated authority, risk-based review tiers, escalation paths, accountability mechanisms and outcome measures. 

• Strong understanding of business, application, data, integration, technology, security and solution architecture, and how EA pillars collectively inform enterprise strategy, risk, investment and lifecycle decisions. 

• Experience integrating architecture governance with capability planning, portfolio management, sourcing and procurement, product selection, security, privacy, Responsible AI, Legal, Quality/GxP and compliance controls. 

• Proven ability to coordinate senior stakeholders, manage cross-functional accountability issues, exercise sound judgment and communicate complex governance matters clearly. 

Preferred Qualifications 

• TOGAF, LeanIX, IT4IT, COBIT, ITIL, architecture governance or related certification. 

• Experience in life sciences or another regulated industry, including Quality/GxP considerations. 

• Experience governing product RFPs, vendor assessments, buy-versus-build decisions, technology lifecycle management and application rationalization. 

• Experience defining governance KPIs, assurance measures, executive reporting and transformation roadmaps. 

• Practical AI literacy and experience applying approved AI capabilities responsibly to governance analysis, workflow efficiency, reporting and knowledge discovery. 

• Strong facilitation, visual storytelling and executive-ready written and presentation skills. 

Role Boundaries 

This role manages the enterprise architecture decision-governance system and the end-to-end ARB lifecycle. It is responsible for dependable execution of approved governance direction, including intake, triage, review coordination, decision documentation, service-level management, action and exception tracking, stakeholder communications, reporting, process maintenance and continuous improvement. It administers how contributions from business, application, data, integration, technology, security and solution architecture—and related EA pillars such as capability planning, standards, portfolio lifecycle, repository management and reporting—come together in enterprise decisions. 

Enterprise strategy, architecture strategy, target-state direction, business prioritization and final decision authority remain with the appropriate enterprise, business, technology, architecture and control owners. Accountable pillar, domain, capability, platform, portfolio and process owners remain responsible for specialist methods, architecture content, roadmaps, standards, data quality and execution of approved actions. The EA Governance Lead does not own individual solution design, commercial sourcing or contract negotiation, independent control approvals, capability maturity methodology, SDLC methodology, or DevOps practices and tooling. 

The EA Governance Lead works in close partnership with the Enterprise Architecture Operations Lead and other accountable owners. The Governance Lead manages the governance process, coordinates forums and stakeholders, applies approved policies and guardrails, resolves operational issues, monitors performance and drives agreed improvements. The Operations Lead supports day-to-day administration, scheduling, tracking, records, reporting and follow-through. This partnership does not transfer enterprise strategy ownership, final architecture decision authority or independent control approvals to either role. 

Success Measures 

• Governance processes consistently route material architecture decisions to the appropriate authority with complete, decision-ready information and clear traceability to enterprise direction. 

• ARB lifecycle adoption, decision cycle time, service-level performance, touchpoint effectiveness and stakeholder experience improve without weakening scrutiny of material risk. 

• Avoidable exceptions, repeated decisions, duplicate investments and preventable architectural rework decline. 

• Material risks, cross-domain conflicts and unresolved trade-offs are surfaced early, coordinated effectively and escalated to the appropriate authority. 

• Decisions, conditions, risk acceptance, exceptions, owners and required actions remain traceable through closure. 

• Standards and pattern reuse, portfolio simplification, lifecycle-risk reduction, decision-to-action completion and cross-pillar coherence improve measurably. 

• Approved governance priorities are translated with the Enterprise Architecture Operations Lead into reliable operating plans, timely reporting, traceable follow-through and evidence-based improvement, with management and operational accountabilities remaining clear. 

Gilead Sciences Inc. is committed to providing equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants for employment, and is dedicated to fostering an inclusive work environment comprised of diverse perspectives, backgrounds, and experiences. Employment decisions regarding recruitment and selection will be made without discrimination based on race, color, religion, national origin, sex, age, sexual orientation, physical or mental disability, genetic information or characteristic, gender identity and expression, veteran status, or other non-job related characteristics or other prohibited grounds specified in applicable federal, state and local laws.

Our environment respects individual differences and recognizes each employee as an integral member of our company. Our workforce reflects these values and celebrates the individuals who make up our growing team.

Gilead provides a work environment free of harassment and prohibited conduct. We promote and support individual differences and diversity of thoughts and opinion.

For Current Gilead Employees and Contractors:

Please apply via the Internal Career Opportunities portal in Workday.