Lead Architect (Terminals Domain)
Role details
Job location
Tech stack
Job description
The Architect Lead for Terminal Domain is responsible for defining, maintaining, and evolving the IT architecture for a network of maritime terminals worldwide. You will act as the reference point for all architecture topics in the terminal domain, ensuring that local and global solutions are:
- Technically coherent
- Secure and reliable
- Cost-efficient and scalable
- Aligned with the company's overall IT and business strategy
You will lead and animate a team of enterprise, solution and technical architects, providing direction, standards, and guidance to ensure consistent architecture across all terminals. WHAT ARE YOU GOING TO DO?
- Domain Architecture & Strategy
- Define and maintain the target architecture for the container terminals domain (business, application, data, and technology layers).
- Translate business strategy, operational needs, and regulatory requirements into IT architecture roadmaps for the terminals.
- Identify and drive standardization opportunities across terminals (e.g., TOS, Gate Systems, IoT, OT/IT convergence, analytics platforms).
- Ensure alignment of domain architecture with enterprise architecture principles, cybersecurity policies, and global IT standards.
- Anticipate technology trends (cloud, edge computing, IoT, AI/analytics, 5G/private LTE, automation) and assess their relevance for terminal operations.
- Governance & Standards
- Define and maintain architecture principles, patterns, and reference designs for terminal IT (e.g., network and connectivity patterns, integration patterns, data models, security controls).
- Establish and run architecture governance for the domain:
o Review solution designs for new projects and major changes o Validate deviations and manage technical debt o Ensure consistent application of standards across all terminals
- Contribute to and enforce cybersecurity, resilience, and compliance standards in collaboration with security and risk teams.
- Team Leadership & Animation (Non-Hierarchical)
- Coordinate and animate a global community of architects (enterprise, solution and technical architects).
- Provide thought leadership and mentoring: help architects resolve complex design issues and make balanced trade-offs (cost, risk, performance, resilience).
- Organize knowledge sharing (forums, design reviews, best practices, reusable patterns).
- Lead the Terminal domain IT community and actively contribute to the Group's architect community.
- Project & Portfolio
- Contribute to major transformation programs (e.g., TOS replacements, automation projects, OT/IT integration, cloud migrations)
o Shaping solution options and architectural scenarios o Assessing impacts on existing systems and operations o Providing clear architectural requirements and constraints
- Act as the architecture counterpart to project managers, product owners, and business sponsors.
- Ensure that project portfolios reflect the architecture roadmap, addressing obsolescence, risk reduction, and strategic capabilities (data, integration, automation)
- Stakeholder Management
- Act as trusted advisor to terminal IT operations, IT Terminals Performance Leaders & Project Managers.
- Ensure regular reporting to relevant management on roadmap progress, major risks, and key architecture decisions.
- Communicate clearly on choices, risks, and tradeoffs, adapting language to technical and non-technical audiences.
- Influence internal stakeholders and external partners to support the architecture vision.
- Risk, Resilience & Operations
- Ensure architectures support 24/7 operations, high availability, and business continuity.
- Work with infrastructure and security teams on resilience, disaster recovery, and cybersecurity by design.
- Contribute to post-incident reviews and continuous improvement of performance and robustness.
Key Domains & Technologies Experience in some of the following is highly valuable:
- Terminal/Port Systems:
o Terminal Operating Systems (TOS) o Gate and yard management systems o Equipment control / crane systems interfaces o Reefer monitoring, access control, safety & security systems
- Architecture & Integration:
o Enterprise architecture methodologies (TOGAF or similar) o Integration platforms (ESB, API Gateway, event streaming) o Microservices, REST/GraphQL APIs, messaging
- Infrastructure & Cloud:
o Hybrid architectures (on-prem, edge, cloud) o Network and connectivity (LAN/WAN, Wi-Fi, 4G/5G, SD-WAN, VPN) o Virtualization, containers, Kubernetes (optional, depending on environment)
- Data & Analytics:
o Data platforms, data lakes/warehouses, reporting/BI o Operational data flows and real-time data for operations
- Cybersecurity & OT/IT
Requirements
- Bachelor's or Master's degree in Computer Science, Information Systems, Engineering, or related field (or equivalent experience)., * 10+ years of experience in IT, with at least 5 years in architecture roles (solution architect, domain architect, enterprise architect, or similar).
- Strong end to end understanding of enterprise IT: applications, integration, infrastructure, security, and operations.
- Experience in complex, distributed, and mission critical environments, ideally in:
Ports and terminals, logistics, transport, manufacturing, or other industrial operations
- Proven experience leading architecture across multiple sites/countries and working with distributed, multicultural teams.
- Excellent communication skills, capable of explaining technical concepts to non technical stakeholders.
- Demonstrated ability to coordinate and influence architects and technical experts.
Architecture & Methodology:
- Strong knowledge of architecture frameworks and modeling practices.
- Experience with architecture tools (e.g., ArchiMate-based tools, UML, or equivalent).
- Solid understanding of application, data, infrastructure, and security architecture.
Languages
- Fluent in French & English (spoken and written).
- Additional languages (e.g. Portugues, Arabic) are a plus.
