Principal Architect - HR

Principal Architect – HR and Employee Engagement Applications

Location: Cary, NC

Enterprise Architecture at Met Life ensures a holistic strategy and approach to technology solutions by working broadly and globally across the company. We drive Met Life toward simplified and consistent architecture, enabling quality, agility, and cost-effectiveness. We support all areas of Met Life in developing and implementing enterprise and GTO strategies—including Business Units, Global Operations, Application Development, Information Security, Data & Analytics, and Infrastructure.

Met Life is seeking a Principal Architect to lead enterprise and solution architecture for HR and Employee Engagement platforms. Reporting directly to the Chief Architect of Corporate Systems, this role will be responsible for delivering architectural roadmaps and solution designs aligned to HR and employee experience portfolios. The Architect will lead the design of innovative, cloud‑native enterprise solutions spanning HRMS (Oracle Cloud ERP), benefits platforms, internal portals, and employee experience tools.

This role will ensure alignment with enterprise strategies, standards, and roadmaps by building strong relationships across HR, Technology, and enterprise partners.

• Develop 3‑year architectural roadmaps aligning HR strategic goals with modern enterprise architecture principles.
• Deliver secure, scalable, and fit‑for‑purpose solutions in an agile framework through collaboration with App Dev, HR, and engineering teams.
• Serve as the domain expert and technical authority for HR and employee engagement technologies.
• Architect and integrate solutions across Oracle Cloud ERP (HRMS), third‑party benefits platforms, and internal portals.
• Leverage cloud technologies (preferably Azure) to enable PaaS‑centric enterprise solutions.
• Stay current with emerging technologies and trends relevant to HR and employee experience.
• Establish and enforce architectural governance, standards, and best practices.
• Mentor junior architects and engineers, fostering technical growth and innovation.
• Evangelize modern architecture practices across the Corporate Systems domain through training, publishing, and mentoring.

Reports to:

Chief Architect – Corporate Systems

Key Stakeholders: HR Technology Leadership, Corporate Systems App Dev, Enterprise Architecture, Infrastructure, Security, and Vendor Partners

• Bachelor’s degree in computer science, Engineering, or related technical field.
• 10+ years of experience designing and architecting enterprise business solutions.
• Deep expertise in HR systems, including ERP systems.
• Strong background in application, data, security, and infrastructure architecture.
• Hands‑on experience with Agile delivery methodologies, preferably SAFe.
• Excellent communication and stakeholder engagement skills.

• Experience in the insurance or financial services industry.
• Oracle Cloud ERP (HRMS), SAP, Microsoft, and benefits platforms.
• Applied experience in data‑centric HR architecture and analytics platforms.
• Experience architecting enterprise solutions using cloud technologies (IaaS, SaaS, PaaS).
• Familiarity with employee experience platforms (e.g., Service Now HRSD, Qualtrics, Workday integrations).
• Experience with Azure PaaS services and cloud‑native HR solutions.

This hybrid role requires a minimum of 3 days per week in office.

Expected salary range: $120,000 – $180,000. This role may also be eligible for annual short‑term incentive compensation. All incentives and benefits are subject to the applicable plan terms.

Our U.S. benefits address holistic well‑being with programs for physical and mental health, financial wellness, and support for families. We offer a comprehensive health plan that includes medical/prescription drug and vision, dental insurance, and no‑cost short‑ and long‑term disability. We also provide company‑paid life insurance and legal services, a retirement pension funded entirely by Met Life and 401(k) with employer matching, group discounts on voluntary insurance products including auto and home, pet,…