Principal - Network Architect

Principal - Network Architect Join to apply for the Principal - Network Architect role at Ally Ally and Your Career Ally Financial only succeeds when its people do - and that’s more than some cliché people put on job postings. We live this stuff We see our people as, well, people - with interests, families, friends, dreams, and causes that are all important to them. Our focus is on the health and safety of our teammates as well as work‑life balance and diversity and inclusion. From generous benefits to a variety of employee resource groups, we strive to build paths that encourage employees to stretch themselves professionally. We want to help you grow, develop, and learn new things. You’re constantly evolving, so shouldn’t your opportunities be, too? Work Schedule Ally designates roles as (1) fully on‑site, (2) hybrid, or (3) fully remote. Hybrid roles are generally expected to be in the office a certain number of days per week as indicated by your manager. Your hiring manager will discuss this role’s specific work requirements with you during the hiring process. All work requirements are subject to change at any time based on leader discretion and/or business need. The Opportunity At Ally, you get a startup feel, but experience the benefits of a company that has worked out the kinks and is fulfilling its purpose. We are always evolving and see that as a good thing. From owning our work to seeing its impact in the real world, our team is relentless in finding new ways technology can help make experiences better and help people. We are problem solvers, we value diverse thinking, we support one another, and we challenge ourselves to think bigger in the journey to deliver customer‑obsessed tech solutions. To read more about what our tech team does, be sure to visit our tech blog at ally.tech. In this pivotal engineering role, you will design, build and implement network solutions, ensuring stability, performance and scalability. This role combines strategic planning, design, implementation and support to maximize the availability and reliability of Ally’s network systems. You will align technical capabilities with business goals, facilitating cross‑functional collaboration and ensuring compliance with security and performance standards. This role will require you to work closely with several peer teams across enterprise technology and security groups. Your ability to bridge these areas will be essential in delivering industry‑leading solutions that meet the diverse needs of our stakeholders and customers. At this time, Ally will not sponsor a new applicant for employment authorization for this position. The Work Itself Provide network subject matter expertise to further our hybrid cloud position and progress Guide the development and implementation of network architecture, standard and policies for SD‑WAN and telecommunications technologies Work with engineering, operations and teams throughout technology to ensure the scalability and reliability of our network infrastructure Provide advanced network simulation and analysis of application and business requirements Design, implement, and maintain cloud networking technologies, including virtual machines, containers, storage, databases and networking Collaborate with teams and leaders across technology to identify, troubleshoot, and remediate network‑based application performance issues Design, implement and maintain network observability solutions to monitor network performance and implement enhancements to meet or exceed operational targets Staying up to date on the latest network technologies and recommending solutions to improve network performance and efficiency Build a secure‑by‑design mindset across all areas of the network stack Mentor and provide knowledge transfer for Network Engineers and Operations team members Skills The Skills You Bring Required Qualifications Bachelor’s degree in Information Sciences, Cybersecurity, a related technology field or equivalent experience. 5+ years of experience in network technology and support, with at least 3 years with deep focus on architecture and engineering. Strong knowledge of network principles, routing protocols (OSPF, BGP), VPNs and network security frameworks. (e.g., NIST) Proven experience in designing and managing high availability and resilient network infrastructures. Strong leadership and stakeholder management skills, with experience working across the technology, business and risk organizations. Robust communication and presentation skills, demonstrating how architecture and design improvements will enable Ally’s high‑availability objectives. Preferred Qualifications Minimum of 10+ years of experience in cybersecurity / technology management. Expertise in software‑defined network principles and solutions. Network certifications (e.g., CCNP, CCIE, etc.) Strong expertise in networking solutions and observability tools (e.g., Cisco, Arista, Fortinet, Ciena, ClearPass, NetScout, Solarwinds etc.) Experience in highly regulated banking environments, ensuring compliance with FFIEC and NIST frameworks. Knowledge of DevSecOps practices and secure CI/CD pipeline integration. How We’ll Have Your Back Ally's compensation program offers market‑competitive base pay and pay‑for‑performance incentives (bonuses) based on achieving personal and company goals. Our Total Rewards program includes industry‑leading compensation and benefits plus additional incentives that are designed to meet your needs and those of your family so you can get the most out of your career and your life, including: Time Away: Program starts at 20 paid time off days in addition to 11 paid holidays and 8 hours of volunteer time off yearly (time off days are prorated based on start date and program varies based on full or part‑time status and management level). Planning for the Future: plan for the near and long term with an industry‑leading 401K retirement savings plan with matching and company contributions, student loan pay downs and 529 educational save up assistance programs, tuition reimbursement, employee stock purchase plan, and financial learning center and financial coach access. Supporting your Health & Well‑being: flexible health and insurance options including medical, dental and vision, employee, spouse and child life insurance, short‑ and long‑term disability, pre‑tax Health Savings Account with employer contributions, Healthcare FSA, critical illness, accident & hospital indemnity insurance, and a total well‑being program that helps you and your family stay on track physically, socially, emotionally, and financially. Building a Family: adoption, surrogacy and fertility assistance as well as paid parental and caregiver leave, Dependent Day Care FSA back‑up child and adult/elder care days and childcare discounts. Work‑Life Integration: other benefits including Mentally Fit Employee Assistance Program, subsidized and discounted Weight Watchers® program and other employee discount programs. Other compensations: depending on the role for which you are considered, you may be eligible for travel allowances, relocation assistance, a signing bonus and/or equity. To view more detailed information about Ally’s Total Rewards, please visit this link: https://www.ally.com/content/dam/pdf/corporate/ally-total-rewards-snapshot.pdf Base Pay Range $110,000 - $180,000 USD Incentive Compensation This position is eligible to participate in our annual incentive plan. Equal Opportunity Statement Ally is an equal opportunity employer committed to diversity and inclusion in the workplace. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to age, race, color, sex, religion, national origin, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, pregnancy status, marital status, military or veteran status, genetic disposition or any other reason protected by law. We are committed to working with and providing reasonable accommodation to applicants with physical or mental disabilities. For accommodation requests, email us at hrpolicy@ally.com. Ally will not discriminate against any qualified individual who is capable of performing the essential functions of the job with or without reasonable accommodation. #J-18808-Ljbffr