Role Summary

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.
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

What This Role Is Not

This role is not:

A narrow application architect for one platform.
A pure Java, .NET, integration, or platform specialist with limited enterprise architecture breadth.
A day-to-day delivery manager.
A replacement for existing technology specialists or architecture teams.
An additional management layer.
A role that works independently of Staples existing technology, architecture, and CoP ecosystem.

Instead, this role is intended to strengthen architecture consistency, platform scalability, integration maturity, data readiness, reusable solution patterns, and future technology direction across Supply Chain SDS.

Success Measures

Success in this role would include:

Reusable architecture patterns established for priority Supply Chain Engineering areas.
Stronger alignment with Staples technology standards, CoPs, and architecture practices.
Improved integration and cross-platform solution consistency.
Better visibility into platform dependencies, data flows, and modernization opportunities.
Stronger data and AI-readiness foundation for future initiatives.
Improved solution quality and architecture consistency across teams.
Reduced technology fragmentation through practical architecture guidance and reusable patterns.

Solution Architect Supply Chain Engineering