API Architect

Summary: The API Architect role involves leading the design, implementation, and oversight of an enterprise-wide API governance strategy for UPS. The position focuses on ensuring APIs adhere to best practices, internal standards, and regulatory requirements, while promoting consistency, security, and reusability across business units. The ideal candidate will facilitate digital transformation initiatives through effective API lifecycle management and collaboration with various teams. This role requires a seasoned professional with extensive experience in API governance and architecture.

Key Responsibilities:

• Define and maintain enterprise API governance frameworks, policies, and best practices (e.g., versioning, naming conventions, design-first approach).
• Establish and enforce standards for OpenAPI Specifications (OAS), API security (OAuth2, mTLS, DPoP), and documentation.
• Champion the API lifecycle management process from design, approval, implementation, testing, to deprecation.
• Collaborate with developers, architects, and product teams to review and approve API designs for technical and governance compliance.
• Implement automated governance checks using tools like Spectral, SwaggerHub, Backstage, Postman, and Azure DevOps.
• Promote contract-driven development, ensuring consistency between consumer expectations and provider implementation.
• Define role-based ownership and review workflows (e.g., governance, InfoSec, platform, product).
• Collaborate with InfoSec, Legal, and Compliance teams to enforce Security by Design and data protection principles (PII, PCI, PHI).
• Enable observability into API adoption, risk scoring, and policy compliance via dashboards and metrics.
• Provide technical leadership and training to internal teams on API standards, governance automation, and onboarding.

Key Skills:

• Bachelor's or master's degree in computer science, Engineering, or related field.
• 7+ years in API architecture, design, and development.
• 3+ years specifically focused on API governance, security, or lifecycle management.
• Expertise in OpenAPI Specification (OAS 3.0/3.1), REST, GraphQL, and AsyncAPI.
• Deep understanding of OAuth2, OIDC, API Keys, JWT, and mTLS-based security enforcement.
• Hands-on experience with API management platforms (e.g., Apigee, Axway, AWS API Gateway, Kong, MuleSoft, Azure API Management).
• Proficiency with governance tools like Spectral, Swagger Hub, Backstage, or custom linters.
• Familiarity with CI/CD pipelines (e.g., Azure DevOps, GitHub Actions) to automate governance workflows.
• Strong documentation, stakeholder communication, and cross-functional collaboration skills.
• Preferred Qualifications: Experience implementing federated governance models across business units or LOBs; exposure to developer portal customization and self-service API onboarding; experience in regulated industries (Finance, Healthcare, or Government); familiarity with API discovery platforms and catalog integration (e.g., internal API marketplaces); certifications in API security, cloud architecture, or relevant API platforms.

Salary (Rate): undetermined

City: undetermined

Country: USA

Working Arrangements: remote

IR35 Status: outside IR35

Seniority Level: undetermined

Industry: IT