VML - Lead Solution Architect - Content Management System

Who We Are :

WPP Enterprise Solutions designs, builds, and operates the growth systems that competitive businesses rely on.

In a world where AI is reshaping how companies drive growth, we lead clients in business transformation and marketing modernization, connecting strategy directly to execution.

Our 12,000 experts in engineering and platforms, commerce, consulting, content transformation, CRM, and CX work within a unified global operating unit across 40+ markets.

WPP Enterprise Solutions works alongside best-in-class partners including Adobe, AWS, Braze, Google, Microsoft, Salesforce, and Shopify, as well as innovators in AI, to deliver growth solutions tailored to the needs of our clients businesses.

VML, part of WPP, supports WPP Enterprise Solutions by helping brands activate transformation through creativity and experience.

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 Youll 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:

1. E-commerce: SAP Commerce Cloud, Salesforce Commerce Cloud, Adobe Commerce (Magento), or Composable platforms (commercetools, Spryker).

2. CRM: Salesforce (Sales/Service Cloud), Microsoft Dynamics 365, or SAP CX.

3. 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 :

- Bachelors or Masters 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.).

(ref:hirist.tech)