Lead Solution Architect

Who We Are

VML is a global creative company that combines brand experience, customer experience, and commerce to create connected brands that drive growth. Guided by a Human First philosophy, VML is known for its innovative work for brands and consistently ranks among the world’s leading creative companies, including the WARC Creative 100. VML’s global network spans 55+ markets with principal offices in Buenos Aires, Kansas City, London, New York, São Paulo, Shanghai and Singapore. 

VML is part of WPP, the trusted growth partner for the world's leading brands. Powered by exceptional talent and our agentic marketing platform WPP Open, WPP unites cutting-edge media intelligence and data solutions, creativity, production, enterprise solutions and expert strategic counsel. 

For more information, please visit www.vml.com and follow along on LinkedIn  #WeAreVML.

The opportunity

We are seeking a highly seasoned and visionary Lead Solution Architect to drive the digital transformation of our enterprise technology landscape. In this role, you will be the definitive technical authority responsible for designing, integrating, and scaling complex ecosystems that span E-commerce platforms, Customer Relationship Management (CRM) systems, and Content Management Systems (CMS).

You will bridge the gap between business strategy and technical execution, designing modern, cloud-native, and headless/composable solutions. The ideal candidate brings a wealth of experience in enterprise architecture and a proven portfolio of successfully leading multi-million-dollar digital commerce transformations.

What you’ll be doing

1. Enterprise Architecture & Solution Design

• Define and own the end-to-end technical architecture for digital platforms, seamlessly integrating E-commerce engines, CMS (Digital Experience Platforms), and CRM systems.
• Champion modern architectural paradigms, specifically MACH (Microservices, API-first, Cloud-native, and Headless) and composable commerce strategies.
• Design robust data flows and integrations between digital storefronts, Customer Data Platforms (CDPs), OMS (Order Management), PIM, and ERPs.

2. Project Delivery & Technical Leadership

• Serve as the primary architectural leader on  large-scale enterprise e-commerce implementations, guiding technical teams from discovery and blueprinting through deployment and post-go-live stabilization.
• Oversee the technical delivery of multi-disciplinary squads (onshore and offshore), ensuring adherence to coding standards, security protocols, and CI/CD best practices.
• Mitigate technical risks and resolve complex integration or performance bottlenecks during peak traffic events.

3. Stakeholder Management & Pre-Sales Support

• Act as a strategic advisor to C-level executives, business stakeholders, and product owners, translating complex technical architectures into measurable business value.
• Lead architecture workshops, discovery sessions, and vendor evaluations (RFP/RFI processes).
• Estimate technical scope, resource requirements, and timelines for complex cross-platform initiatives.

Required Experience & Qualifications

• Overall Experience:  Minimum of 13 to 15 years  of progressive IT experience in software engineering, technical consulting, and enterprise system architecture.
• E-Commerce Portfolio (Mandatory):  Must have hands-on architectural experience  delivering at least 3 to 4 large-scale, enterprise-level E-commerce projects  (e.g., multi-country rollouts, high-volume transactional sites, complex B2B/B2C marketplace implementations).
• Multi-Platform Expertise:  Deep architectural knowledge in at least two of the following pillars, with working knowledge of the third:
• E-commerce:  SAP Commerce Cloud, Salesforce Commerce Cloud, Adobe Commerce (Magento), or Composable platforms (commercetools, Spryker).
• CRM:  Salesforce (Sales/Service Cloud), Microsoft Dynamics 365, or SAP CX.
• CMS/DXP:  Adobe Experience Manager (AEM), Sitecore, Contentful, or Contentstack.

Technical Skills

• Integration Patterns:  Extensive experience designing event-driven architectures and API gateways using middleware/iPaaS tools (MuleSoft, Dell Boomi, Kafka, or cloud-native Pub/Sub).
• Cloud Platforms:  Strong proficiency in architecting scalable infrastructure on AWS, Microsoft Azure, or Google Cloud Platform (GCP).
• Microservices & Web Tech:  Familiarity with modern front-end frameworks (React, Angular, Vue) used in headless setups, alongside backend microservices (Java, Node.js, or .NET).
• Data & Security:  Proven capability in designing secure systems compliant with GDPR/CCPA, integrating single sign-on (SSO/IAM), and managing distributed data architectures.

Soft Skills

• Exceptional consultative skills with a track record of managing client expectations and steering digital strategy.
• High emotional intelligence and the ability to mentor Technical Leads and Senior Developers.
• Excellent presentation and white-boarding skills.

Education

Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Computer Science, Engineering, or a related technical field.

If you know some of this even better

TOGAF, AWS/Azure Solutions Architect Professional, or platform-specific architect certifications (e.g., Salesforce B2C Commerce Architect, Sitecore Certified, etc.).

What we can offer you

Alongside the opportunity to work with some of the most exciting brands around the world, we’ll also prioritise your career development and help you grow your skills. We’ll empower you to make a difference, allow you to be yourself, and respect who you are.

Our culture thrives on our core values, designed for impact-driven individuals: Heart, Brains and Courage.

We lead with Heart, fostering empathy and trust where genuine connections and human-centric work flourish.

We empower your Brains  for innovation, valuing relentless curiosity and collaborative intelligence to solve complex challenges.

And we champion  Courage, inspiring you to speak up, embrace experimentation, and advocate for bold solutions that push our thinking to be better than yesterday.

We believe the best work happens when we're together, fostering creativity, collaboration, and connection. That's why we’ve adopted a hybrid approach, with teams in the office an average of four days a week. If you require accommodations or flexibility, please discuss this with the hiring team during the interview process.

WPP (VML) is an equal opportunity employer and considers applicants for all positions without discrimination or regard to characteristics. We are committed to fostering a culture of respect in which everyone feels they belong and has the same opportunities to progress in their careers. 

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