Mission Context
The Solution Architect designs, governs, and guides IT architecture across replenishment, transport, and retail logistics platforms for DLL BeLux. Operating with a tactical horizon of 6–18 months, the architect provides end‑to‑end support from requirements intake → solution definition → architectural decisions → delivery guidance → release.
You will collaborate with business leaders, IT domain leads, enterprise architects, and engineering teams to ensure solutions are operationally efficient, secure, and aligned to Group, Regional, and Local enterprise standards across the wider ecosystem.
This role combines domain expertise in retail supply chain with strong architectural leadership to drive modernization and integration across WMS/TMS/ERP/MMS platforms.
Contract Details
- Start date: ASAP
- Duration: 12 months
- Extension: Possible depending on project evolution
- Work pattern: Hybrid (2 days onsite / 3 days remote)
Language Requirements
- English: Fluent (speaking, reading, writing)
- Dutch or French: Fluent in one and passive/limited proficiency in the other
Multilingual stakeholder interaction across BeLux is expected.
Education
- Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science (or equivalent through experience)
Required Knowledge & Experience
Personal & Leadership (Mandatory — Medior 3–5 years)
- Stakeholder Management: Collaborate across business and IT, manage expectations
- Influence Without Authority: Guide teams, challenge assumptions, drive alignment
- Analytical Problem-Solving: Evaluate options, assess trade-offs, structure decisions
- EA Guideline Adherence: Interpret and apply enterprise architecture standards
- Negotiation & Conflict Resolution: Balance constraints, resolve disagreements, enable consensus
Business & Industry (Mandatory)
- IT Architecture experience with exposure to retail and supply chain environments
- Leadership guiding teams through complex IT transformations
- Ability to translate business requirements into architectural deliverables
- Experience in multinational / large-scale retail organizations (preferred)
Methods & Functional (Mandatory)
- Cloud understanding (Azure preferred)
- Networks, virtualization, storage fundamentals
- Distributed / edge computing exposure (asset)
- Agile/SAFe delivery familiarity
- Microservices, API management, messaging, event-driven architectures (EDA)
- Integration of WMS/TMS/ERP/MMS systems
- Data models, warehousing, governance, security
- Supply chain analytics & forecasting data flows (plus)
- ITIL processes (preferred)
Technical Architecture (Mandatory)
- EA frameworks: TOGAF, Zachman
- Modeling languages: ArchiMate, UML
- EA tools: BiZZdesign (or equivalent)
- Cybersecurity: Principles and compliance frameworks; security-by-design embedded in solutions
Role Objectives & Responsibilities
Architectural Leadership
- Mentor engineering teams; help develop future IT talent
- Act as a change agent, challenging status quo and promoting innovation & modernization
- Collaborate with Group, Regional, and Local EA for consistency, integration, and compliance
- Partner with Project Managers, IT Domain Leads, and business stakeholders to define appropriate technology solutions for retail supply chain ambitions
Solution Definition & End-to-End Support
- Translate business needs into technical decisions: select patterns, integration approaches (APIs, events, microservices), and enabling technologies
- Provide complete architectural support: requirements → design → decisions → delivery → release
- Ensure cross-domain alignment with Finance, Commerce, Master Data, E‑commerce
- Produce clear architectural models and documentation that support project execution
Architecture Design & Governance
- Design scalable, commercially viable, and sustainable architectures for supply chain capabilities
- Embed security, compliance, and risk in all decisions
- Manage/document Architectural Decision Records (ADR), trade‑offs, baselines, target & transition states
- Participate in design reviews; ensure adherence to enterprise standards
Innovation & Technology Strategy
- Evaluate new technologies for supply chain (e.g., forecasting engines, advanced analytics, autonomous replenishment, route optimization)
- Collaborate with vendors to align roadmaps with strategic objectives
- Support RFPs, vendor scoring, and technology assessments for WMS, TMS, replenishment solutions, data platforms, and integration tools
Financial Awareness
- Ensure architectural decisions respect budget constraints and optimize TCO
- Track architectural impact on CapEx/OpEx
- Manage technical debt and plan long‑term improvements
Key Deliverables
- Baseline, target, and transition architecture views
- Project Start Architecture and Architectural Decision Records (ADR)
- Trade-off & options analysis
- Non-functional requirements: performance, availability, scalability, resiliency, security
- Vendor evaluation & scoring (including RFP support)
- Solution blueprints and integration patterns
Candidate Profile (Must-Haves)
- 3–5 years in solution architecture within retail/supply chain contexts
- Proven ability to lead without authority, drive consensus, and deliver end‑to‑end architecture
- Hands-on with microservices, APIs, messaging/EDA, and integration across WMS/TMS/ERP/MMS
- Comfortable operating in hybrid multilingual BeLux environment; English + Dutch/French
- Demonstrable security-by-design mindset and EA rigor (TOGAF/Zachman, ArchiMate/UML)
