Solution Architect

Staples is looking for a Solution Architect – Supply Chain Engineering to help strengthen technology capability across Supply Chain SDS.

This role will focus on shaping scalable solution architecture across the Supply Chain technology landscape by strengthening enterprise application architecture, cloud, platform standards, integration patterns, data readiness, AI enablement, reusable architecture patterns, and future-state technology maturity.

The role will partner with existing technology specialists, Communities of Practice, engineering teams, and architecture groups at Staples to drive practical, scalable, and future-ready solutions.

This is a core role for the next phase of Supply Chain SDS maturity across teams and locations. The role is not limited to one application, platform, or technology stack.

Key Responsibilities

• Define scalable solution architecture approaches across Supply Chain Engineering platforms.
• Create reusable architecture patterns, solution blueprints, reference designs, and technical decision frameworks.
• Establish integration principles and reusable patterns across applications, platforms, APIs, and data flows.
• Improve visibility into cross-platform dependencies and help teams assess solution impacts before implementation.
• Support data readiness and AI enablement by identifying key data flows, gaps, standardization needs, and architecture patterns.
• Partner with technology specialists, CoPs, engineering teams, and architecture groups to align solution direction with Staples technology practices.
• Guide teams on scalable, secure, maintainable, and supportable technical designs.
• Support architecture reviews for critical or complex initiatives.
• Build reusable knowledge assets, technical playbooks, and reference patterns to improve architecture maturity across teams.
• Mentor engineers and leads on architecture thinking, integration design, platform maturity, and scalable solution approaches.
• Technology Expectations
• The candidate may come from a strong Java, Microsoft / .NET, enterprise application architecture, cloud, integration, or platform engineering background.

Strong exposure to Java-based enterprise systems is valuable, but candidates with strong Microsoft /.NET enterprise architecture experience are also relevant if they demonstrate architecture breadth, integration thinking, data/platform maturity, and ability to operate across heterogeneous enterprise platforms.

The key requirement is not mastery of one programming language, but the ability to design scalable enterprise solutions across:

• Enterprise applications
• Integrations / APIs
• Data flows
• Platform components
• Security, resiliency, and maintainability considerations
• Engineering and operational realities

Requirements:

• Must Have 12+ years of experience in solution architecture, enterprise application architecture, platform architecture, or senior technology leadership roles.
• Experience designing large-scale enterprise applications and distributed systems.
• Must have good experience with Java, Microservices and Cloud Architecture
• Strong understanding of integration patterns, APIs, middleware, data flows, and cross-platform solution design.
• Background in one or more enterprise technology stacks such as Java, Microsoft / .NET, enterprise applications, integration technologies, or platform engineering.
• Ability to create architecture diagrams, solution blueprints, technical decision documents, and reusable design patterns.
• Strong stakeholder management, communication, documentation, and influencing skills.
• Ability to work across teams and influence technical direction without relying only on formal authority.
• Strong problem-solving, systems-thinking, and decision-making capability.

Strongly Preferred

• Experience in Retail / Supply Chain technology environments.
• Exposure to complex enterprise ecosystems involving multiple applications, integrations, data flows, and vendor / partner platforms.
• Experience with data readiness, analytics enablement, AI enablement, or AI-assisted engineering initiatives.
• Experience building reusable architecture standards, technical playbooks, reference designs, or modernization roadmaps.
• Experience working with global engineering teams, technology specialists, CoPs, and architecture governance forums.

Key Competencies:

Enterprise solution architecture

Application and platform architecture

Integration architecture and API patterns

Data flow and data readiness thinking

Architecture governance and design reviews

Reusable architecture patterns and reference designs

Supply Chain / Retail technology understanding

AI-readiness mindset

Cross-team technical influence

Technical documentation and knowledge sharing