Solutions Architect

Description

The company designs, builds and runs the growth systems that competitive businesses depend on, and it helps clients transform their business and modernise their marketing, linking strategy to delivery. Its 12,000 specialists across engineering and platforms, commerce, consulting, content transformation, CRM and CX work as one global unit in more than 40 markets, alongside partners such as Adobe, AWS, Braze, Google, Microsoft, Salesforce and Shopify. VML, part of WPP, supports the work by bringing creativity and experience to transformation.

This is a permanent Principal Solutions Architect role in the Commerce and Technology division. The division helps global brands design, build and run the commerce platforms behind their growth. You will lead solution work for new business pursuits and for growth within existing enterprise commerce accounts.

You will understand how the full commerce estate fits together, from storefront and mobile app through commerce platform, data and ERP. You will turn that into a clear business case, earn the trust of senior client stakeholders and, where useful, build a working demo to show them what good looks like.

The team values heart, brains and courage: empathy and trust, curiosity and collaborative problem solving, and the confidence to speak up and try new things.

Responsibilities

• Design end to end commerce solutions across Adobe Commerce, Salesforce Commerce Cloud, Shopify, HCL and composable (MACH) platforms, covering web, mobile, data and back office systems.
• Frame every solution around commercial outcomes such as cost and return, so clients see a clear case for change rather than a list of technology.
• Build trusted relationships with senior business and technology stakeholders. Run discovery workshops, ask the questions that reveal what matters, and focus the discussion on the decisions that count.
• Produce architecture diagrams and solution designs covering storefront, mobile apps, commerce platform, search, content, order management, product information, payments, data and integrations. Recommend the platform and approach that suit each client.
• Guide clients through platform selection and migrations, including moving from monolithic to composable, weighing total cost of ownership, speed to market, risk and operating model.
• Work through how commerce connects to ERP (such as SAP, Microsoft Dynamics or Oracle), order management, warehouse, customer data and analytics, and design integration patterns that scale to enterprise level.
• Shape mobile app strategy and architecture, including native, cross platform and headless options, alongside web, store and marketplace channels so the customer experience joins up.
• Build business cases, value models and roadmaps that connect technology choices to revenue, conversion, margin and cost to serve.
• Build demo storefronts and prototypes quickly, such as a Shopify store or a composable proof of concept, to show what is possible and reduce risk in client decisions.
• Own the solution story, architecture, assumptions and effort estimates in proposals, and present them confidently at pitch.
• Make sure what is sold can be delivered, with a clean handover to delivery teams and your continued involvement through mobilisation.
• Keep up with the commerce market, including cloud (AWS, GCP), AI in commerce and agentic commerce, and share that knowledge to strengthen our offers and partner relationships.
• Run workshops, take part in governance, and work with commercial teams to identify and shape technical growth opportunities as an outward-facing leader.

Requirements

• Extensive senior experience in enterprise commerce across retail, consumer brands or B2B, gained in digital agencies, consultancies or large brands.
• Strong working knowledge of Adobe Commerce, Salesforce Commerce Cloud and Shopify, plus composable and MACH (microservices, API first, cloud native, headless) components such as Commerce tools, Contentful, Algolia, Akeneo or similar.
• A record of shaping and winning significant commerce deals, running workshops, writing proposals and presenting to senior audiences.
• Understanding of how clients make money. You speak confidently about value, cost and return, and can hold a commercial conversation with a Chief Executive or Chief Financial Officer as easily as with a Chief Technology Officer.
• Practical understanding of how commerce connects with ERP, order management, product information, customer data and analytics, and the integration patterns that make it work.
• Solid understanding of mobile commerce app architecture and delivery, including native and cross platform approaches and how apps connect to headless commerce services.
• Excellent diagramming, written and verbal skills, with the ability to turn complex estates into simple pictures and clear stories for senior audiences.
• Comfortable building a demo store, configuring a platform or proving a concept yourself, not relying on slides alone.
• Energetic, confident and credible with clients, able to cut through noise and lead the room.
• Nice to have: certifications across Adobe Commerce, Salesforce B2C Commerce or Shopify, MACH.
• Nice to have: AWS certifications (Solutions Architect Associate or Professional) and experience running commerce on cloud solutions.
• Nice to have: experience with order management, product information management and marketplace platforms.
• Nice to have: B2B commerce experience, including complex pricing, catalogue and account structures.
• Nice to have: knowledge of agentic commerce concepts and emerging standards (ACP, AP2, A2A) and practical use of AI in commerce.
• Nice to have: total cost of ownership and business case modelling.
• Nice to have: experience with the C4 model and diagrams as code.

Conditions

Permanent role only.

Hybrid working, with the role listed for the EMEA region.

AI is used in recruitment only to take secure, objective interview notes, never to make evaluative judgements. You can ask for a transcript or opt out at any time without affecting the outcome.

The company is an equal opportunity employer and considers all applicants without discrimination.

Benefits

• Discretionary bonus scheme.
• Training opportunities and support for career development.
• Competitive pension.
• Medical insurance and life assurance.
• Social events.
• Options to buy and sell holidays.
• Family friendly policies.
• Discounts with hundreds of retailers, and more.