API Standards & Compliance Lead

Description

API Standards & Compliance Lead

Position Summary
As the API Standards & Compliance Lead, you will define, implement, and enforce enterprise-wide API governance frameworks that ensure consistency, security, and scalability across all APIs. This strategic role focuses on establishing API design standards, lifecycle governance, and compliance policies aligned with industry best practices and regulatory requirements. You will partner closely with Enterprise Architecture, Security, Platform Engineering, and Developer Experience teams to advance an API-first strategy and enable seamless integration across the enterprise.

You will shape our API strategy by balancing innovation with risk management-creating clear standards, operating models, and guardrails for API design, onboarding, publishing, versioning, and retirement. This role emphasizes policy, architecture, enablement, and oversight rather than hands-on software development.

What You'll Do

Governance Framework & Standards

• Define and maintain enterprise-wide API design and governance policies aligned with architecture principles and industry standards (OpenAPI, REST, GraphQL).
• Establish naming conventions, versioning guidelines, backward compatibility expectations, deprecation/retirement policies, and documentation standards.
• Run the API Governance Board (reviews, approvals, waivers) and maintain the governance operating model and RACI.
• Author and maintain reference architecture, standards playbooks, and reusable policy templates.

Lifecycle Governance & Platform Integration (Apigee X)

• Design and oversee API onboarding workflows via the Developer Portal, ensuring proper documentation, cataloging, and discoverability.
• Define governance processes integrated with Apigee X for publishing, runtime policies (e.g., quotas, rate limiting), and analytics.
• Ensure consistent use of API products, proxies, and catalogs; promote high-quality API definitions and reusability.

Security & Regulatory Compliance

• Implement governance for security patterns (OAuth2, JWT, JWKS, mTLS) using Apigee X and Ping Identity.
• Align APIs to regulatory requirements (e.g., Open Banking, PSD2, HIPAA, GDPR) and enterprise security standards.
• Partner with Risk, Compliance, and Security Engineering to define control objectives, evidence, and auditability (e.g., NIST, ISO 27001, SOC 2).

Developer Experience & Enablement

• Collaborate with the API Gateway and DevEx teams to optimize portal usability, API discoverability, and policy adoption.
• Provide training, guidance, and office hours on governance best practices and standards for internal teams.
• Create artifacts (cheat sheets, checklists, sample OpenAPI specs, policy catalogs) that accelerate compliant delivery.

Analytics, Metrics & Continuous Improvement

• Define and track governance KPIs (e.g., % APIs compliant, time-to-approve, policy adoption rates, security defect trends).
• Use Apigee Analytics and Google Cloud Platform monitoring to identify gaps and refine standards based on data insights and evolving business needs.
• Conduct periodic maturity assessments; publish roadmaps and quarterly updates to stakeholders.

Risk, Audit & Controls

• Establish controls and evidence for audits (design-time and runtime), including conformity checks against policy and standards.
• Coordinate remediation plans for non-compliant APIs; manage waivers/exceptions with clear time-bound conditions.

Tooling & Automation

• Partner with platform teams to integrate policy-as-code checks (linting, contract validation, auth enforcement) into CI/CD.

Evaluate governance tooling (spec linters, catalog quality checks, portal workflows) to automate compliance wherever feasible

Basic Qualifications Required:

• Bachelors Degree in CS OR equivalent experience.
• 7+ years in IT with strong API design, development, and governance experience.
• 5+ years in API governance or platform leadership roles.
• Deep familiarity with OpenAPI/Swagger, REST fundamentals, GraphQL design considerations, and API lifecycle management.
• Hands-on experience with security standards (OAuth2, JWT, JWKS, mTLS) and regulatory frameworks (Open Banking/PSD2, HIPAA, GDPR).
• Experience with Apigee X on Google Cloud Platform (or similar API management platforms like Kong, MuleSoft, AWS API Gateway, Azure APIM) from a governance/architecture perspective.
• Demonstrated ability to write clear policies, standards, and procedures; facilitate governance forums; drive alignment across stakeholders.
• Strong communication, stakeholder management, and change management skills.

Preferred:

• 10+ years in IT with strong API design, development, and governance experience
• Google Cloud Platform certifications (e.g., Professional Cloud Architect); Apigee certifications a plus.
• Experience with Ping Identity integration and enterprise IAM.
• Familiarity with Google Cloud Platform services (Cloud Armor, IAM, VPC networking) and platform security controls.
• Background in DevSecOps, CI/CD automation, and policy-as-code for API compliance.
• Experience improving API portals, catalogs, and developer experience, including analytics-driven enhancements.

Core Competencies

• Strategic thinking and policy design
• Enterprise architecture alignment
• Risk and compliance mindset
• Stakeholder facilitation and influence
• Data-driven continuous improvement
• Clear, concise technical writing and storytelling

Role Clarity (What This Role Is / Is Not)

• This is a governance, standards, and architecture leadership role-focused on policy, enablement, oversight, and measurable outcomes.
• Not a day-to-day software engineering or Apigee proxy development role.
• Limited hands-on configuration may be required to validate governance controls or demonstrate patterns.

Exempt Status: (Yes = not eligible for overtime pay) (No = eligible for overtime pay)
Yes

Workplace Type:
Office

Our Approach to Office Workplace Type

Certain positions outside our branch network may be eligible for a flexible work arrangement. We're combining the best of both worlds: in-office and work from home. Our approach enables our teams to deepen connections, maintain a strong community, and do their best work. Remote roles will also have the opportunity to come together in our offices for moments that matter. Specific work arrangements will be provided by the hiring team.

Compensation Range:
Total Base Pay Range 70,000.00 - 140,000.00 USD Annual

The compensation range represents the low and high end of the base compensation range for this position. Actual compensation will vary and may be above or below the range based on various factors including but not limited to location, experience, and performance. Colleagues in this position are also eligible to participate in an applicable incentive compensation plan. In addition, Huntington provides a variety of benefits to colleagues, including health insurance coverage, wellness program, life and disability insurance, retirement savings plan, paid leave programs, paid holidays and paid time off (PTO).

Huntington is an Equal Opportunity Employer.

Tobacco-Free Hiring Practice: Visit Huntington's Career Web Site for more details.

Note to Agency Recruiters: Huntington will not pay a fee for any placement resulting from the receipt of an unsolicited resume. All unsolicited resumes sent to any Huntington colleagues, directly or indirectly, will be considered Huntington property. Recruiting agencies must have a valid, written and fully executed Master Service Agreement and Statement of Work for consideration.