[Hiring] Senior Solutions Architect @Foot Locker

Role Description

We are seeking a highly skilled and forward-thinking Sr. Solution Architect to lead the design and architecture of global merchandising technology solutions. This role is responsible for defining scalable, secure, and modern architectural patterns that enable business capabilities across merchandising domains, including planning, pricing, promotions, allocation, product, and core merchandising platforms.

This leader will partner closely with product, engineering, and business teams to translate business needs into robust technical solutions, while also remaining actively engaged in implementation to ensure designs are practical, scalable, and successfully delivered.

The role operates within a complex global business model spanning multiple regions and supports a distributed delivery organization, including significant offshore engineering and support teams.

This position is part of a team of solution architects supporting the merchandising technology ecosystem, with individual ownership across specific domains based on expertise while contributing to a cohesive enterprise architecture vision.

This role requires operating effectively in a dual legacy and modern technology environment, with accountability for supporting existing platforms while driving modernization, reducing technical debt, and enabling the transition to next-generation solutions.

Responsibilities

• Architecture Strategy & Standards
  • Define and evolve solution architecture patterns aligned with enterprise technology strategy.
  • Define patterns and approaches for integrating AI/ML capabilities into enterprise platforms.
  • Establish scalable, cloud-native, API-first, and event-driven architectural principles.
  • Ensure alignment of domain architectures with enterprise standards, security, and governance.
  • Contribute to long-term architecture roadmaps across merchandising technology.
  • Ensure architectural standards are practical, implementable, and aligned with real-world delivery constraints.
  • Define target-state architectures and transition paths that balance stability of legacy systems with modernization initiatives.
• Solution Architecture & Design
  • Lead end-to-end solution architecture for initiatives across merchandising platforms and capabilities.
  • Translate business requirements into scalable, flexible, and maintainable technical designs.
  • Design solutions that integrate seamlessly with existing legacy systems.
  • Design architectures that enable scalable use of AI/ML.
  • Define solution architectures spanning applications, data, integrations, and infrastructure.
  • Develop architecture artifacts including diagrams, integration patterns, and technical specifications.
  • Ensure solutions meet requirements for performance, scalability, security, and resilience.
  • Stay actively engaged during implementation to refine designs based on technical and operational realities.
• Core Platforms & Domain Architecture
  • Provide architectural guidance across merchandising domains, including planning, pricing, promotion, and core merchandising systems.
  • Define domain-specific architecture approaches based on platform capabilities and business requirements.
  • Ensure consistency of architecture patterns across domains while supporting domain-specific needs.
  • Support and enable advanced capabilities through data and AI-driven solutions.
  • Provide architectural guidance for legacy platforms, including stabilization and phased modernization strategies.
• Integration & Data Architecture
  • Define integration strategies across enterprise systems.
  • Establish standards for APIs, messaging, event-driven architectures, and data flows.
  • Design scalable data architectures to support analytics, reporting, and operational systems.
  • Ensure data integrity, consistency, and governance across systems.
  • Design integration patterns that bridge legacy and modern systems.
• Engineering Alignment & Hands-On Delivery
  • Partner closely with engineering teams to ensure architectural designs are implemented effectively.
  • Contribute directly to solution delivery through hands-on involvement in design validation and problem resolution.
  • Participate in key design and code reviews to ensure adherence to architecture standards.
  • Actively support teams working within legacy environments.
  • Contribute to refactoring and modernization efforts.
  • Support development teams in resolving challenging technical issues.
  • Validate implementation choices, ensuring alignment with architecture intent.
  • Bridge architecture and execution by ensuring solutions are well-designed and successfully delivered.
• Technology Evaluation & Platform Implementation
  • Evaluate emerging technologies and platforms to improve merchandising capabilities.
  • Lead architecture input into vendor selection and package implementation decisions.
  • Define and guide implementation approaches for SaaS solutions.
  • Partner with delivery teams during implementations to ensure architecture is realized accurately.
  • Drive continuous improvement of architecture patterns, frameworks, and tooling.
  • Define pragmatic modernization approaches for legacy systems.
• Cross-Functional Collaboration
  • Partner with product managers, business stakeholders, and engineering leaders to align on solutions.
  • Facilitate decision-making across business and technology teams.
  • Communicate complex technical concepts clearly to both technical and non-technical audiences.
  • Support change initiatives by ensuring architecture enables scalable and sustainable solutions.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Computer Science, Engineering, or related field.
• 8+ years of experience designing and implementing enterprise-scale solutions.
• Proven experience as a Solution Architect in complex retail or merchandising environments.
• Strong experience with distributed systems, cloud-native architecture, and modern integration patterns.
• Experience working across both legacy and modern technology environments.
• Deep understanding of enterprise architecture principles and frameworks (e.g., TOGAF preferred).
• Experience with retail merchandising domains (e.g., planning, pricing, inventory, product, or supply chain).
• Hands-on experience with SaaS solutions and enterprise platforms (e.g., Oracle, o9, SAP, etc.).
• Experience designing or implementing AI/ML-enabled solutions in enterprise systems preferred.
• Strong knowledge of integration technologies (APIs, event streaming, messaging frameworks).
• Experience with data architecture and analytics platforms.
• Experience working in global, multi-region environments.
• Experience working with offshore and distributed engineering teams.
• Demonstrated ability to balance architecture leadership with hands-on technical engagement in delivery.
• Excellent communication, collaboration, and influencing skills.

Benefits

• The annual base salary range is $140,000 - $170,000.
• This role is also eligible to receive short and long term incentives that align with individual and company performance.
• Salary will be determined by the education, experience, knowledge, skills, and abilities of the applicant.
• Foot Locker Benefits:
  • Employee Discount
  • Paid Time Off
  • Medical | Dental | Vision Coverage
  • 401(k) | Roth 401(k)
  • Stock Purchase Plan
  • Life Insurance
  • Flexible Spending Account
  • Opportunities for Advancement
  • Tuition Reimbursement for Qualified Courses
  • Strong Company Culture
  • Employee Resource Groups