Edtech.com's Summary

Risepoint is hiring a VP, Tech Architecture. This role involves defining and driving the overall technology architecture of the organization, leading application teams and engineering enablement, and ensuring technology strategies align with business priorities and long-term goals. The VP will also manage M&A technology integration and accelerate the company’s digital transformation with an AI-first approach.

Highlights

Own and define the enterprise architecture vision, principles, and standards.
Lead application development and architecture enablement teams, fostering accountability and collaboration.
Partner with business leaders to align technology investments with strategic goals.
Drive technology due diligence, rationalization, and integration during mergers and acquisitions.
Promote an AI-first approach and lead adoption of emerging technologies.
Manage budgets and external resources, including contractors and vendors.
Require 15+ years of experience in software engineering, systems architecture, and IT leadership.
Must have proven enterprise architecture leadership and experience with M&A technology integration.
Experience with consumer experience technology and higher education systems such as SIS and LMS.
Skills include strategic technology planning, cloud infrastructure, agile methodology, vendor management, team leadership, and stakeholder engagement.

VP, Tech Architecture Full Description

Risepoint assists primarily regional universities in increasing their access and impact by making their academic programs available to students online. Founded in 2007, Risepoint's mission is to expand access to high-quality, affordable, and workforce-relevant education, especially for working and adult students. Risepoint brings single-minded dedication to student success, an integrated set of services, and data-driven performance to our collaboration with university partners.

The Business Technology organization delivers scalable, secure, and innovative digital products across the student journey, collaborating cross-functionally to meet the Risepoint strategic goals.

Job Summary

Risepoint is poised to transform the organization using technology and an AI-first mindset. We are looking for a pragmatic technology leader who can help shape this vision. The Vice President of Architecture & Engineering will be responsible for shaping and driving the overall technology architecture of the organization, ensuring that the right systems and solutions are aligned to business value, organizational priorities, and long-term strategy. This leader will oversee architecture practices while also directly managing several application teams and the engineering enablement function.

This role requires both strategic vision and hands-on leadership. The VP of Architecture and Engineering must be able to operate at both the macro (enterprise-wide architecture, technology roadmaps) and micro (system-level design, solution trade-offs) levels, balancing pragmatism with innovation.

Key Duties and Responsibilities

Enterprise Architecture - Own and define the organization's overall architecture vision, principles, and standards. Ensure alignment between technology choices and business value, focusing on solutions that are fit-for-purpose and enable organizational agility. Build architectures that are pragmatic, cost-effective, and timely, avoiding overly complex or "perfect" systems that delay business outcomes. Define and drive AI-first approach across architecture and applications. Lead the evaluation and adoption of emerging technologies.

Team Leadership - Directly lead application development and architecture enablement teams. Foster a culture of accountability, agility, and collaboration, enabling teams to deliver high-quality systems that meet business needs. Guide teams in balancing innovation with execution discipline. Provide mentorship and career development to senior technical leaders.

Business Alignment - Partner with business leaders to deeply understand organizational priorities and ensure technology investments align with strategic goals. Communicate architectural vision and trade-offs in a business-savvy, outcome-oriented way to both executives and technical teams. Drive decision-making that balances short-term delivery needs with long-term sustainability. Establish governance processes that ensure architectural decisions remain tied to business value.

Drive M&A Integration - Own the technology due diligence process during M&A, assessing risks, integration opportunities, and value drivers. Lead application rationalization to identify best-of-breed tools, eliminate redundancy, and drive efficiency. Develop and execute rapid integration roadmaps that minimize disruption and accelerate synergies across systems, data, and operations. Partner with business, finance, and legal teams to ensure seamless integration of technology landscapes post-acquisition. Establish repeatable playbooks for M&A technology integration, balancing speed with long-term architectural integrity.

Additional Position Responsibilities

Play a prominent role the Risepoint student journey transformation as well as the digital transformation of the enterprise. Act as a strategic ambassador for Business Technology, representing the function in Marketing and Partner leadership forums. Build credibility and trust by communicating the tech product value proposition and operating model to external stakeholders and Partners, offering insights that enhance understanding and drive shared outcomes.
Oversees functional budgets and external resource allocations, including contractor and vendor spend. Drives performance accountability and ensures strategic utilization of third-party partnerships to maximize ROI.
Be a pragmatic innovator by focusing on what's "good enough" to deliver value fast while balancing long-term sustainability.
Have a unique blend of strategic vision, technical depth, and hands-on leadership by operating at both the macro architecture and roadmap level and micro (system-level design, solution trade-offs) levels, balancing pragmatism with innovation.

Travel Required

As necessary based on enterprise needs

QUALIFICATIONS

Bachelor's or Master's degree in Computer Science, Business, Marketing, or equivalent experience

15+ years Engineering / Architecture with 15+ years in software engineering, systems architecture and IT leadership

Proven track record leading architecture at an enterprise scale while also managing delivery teams.

Passion for AI-first strategies and leveraging emerging technology to accelerate business outcomes; with track record of leading successful deployments of AI-driven solutions.

Experience with M&A - technology rationalization, systems consolidation, and integration playbooks

Consumer experience and Higher Education Systems

Experience with consumer experience technology and education solutions (e.g., SIS, LMS, Application Systems)

Skills/Knowledge/Abilities

Strategic technology planning

Detail oriented with system design, application development, infrastructure, cloud

Large, fast-moving enterprises supporting multiple brands

Strong vendor management and partnership

Agile methodology and product lifecycle management

Team leadership & mentoring

Communication & stakeholder engagement

Higher education environment

Risepoint is an equal opportunity employer. We celebrate diversity and are committed to creating an equitable environment for all employees. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, or veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by applicable state or federal laws.

Risepoint offers the following comprehensive benefits:

18 days PTO + Winter Shutdown
12 designated holidays + 1 floating holiday
Medical - four options
Dental
Vision
Life & Disability (company paid)
Flexible Spending Account & Health Savings Account
Retirement plan with company match
Maternity / Paternity / Parental Leave (company paid)
Volunteer Time Off

Supplemental Benefits:

Wellness program
Alternative medicine options
Pet discounts
Accident, Critical Illness and Hospital Indemnity

Personal and Professional Development:

Continuous Professional and Leadership Development Programs
Tuition Reimbursement for employees and their dependents
Rewards & Recognition programs

Risepoint is an equal-opportunity employer and supports a diverse and inclusive workforce.

Original Job Description