Senior IGA Domain & Solution Architect - Interim

Our client, a major Netherlands-based retailer operating at global scale, is investing in the maturity of its enterprise Identity & Access Management capability. Identity Governance & Administration (IGA) sits at the centre of how the organisation secures access to its systems while keeping the business moving - and this role owns the architecture behind it.

You join the enterprise architecture organisation as the senior architect for the IGA domain. You set the target-state architecture, shape the roadmap, and provide the technical leadership that delivery teams build against. This is a senior, high-autonomy mandate: you advise business and security leadership, you make the design decisions that hold across programmes, and you are the escalation point when complex identity challenges land. You report on an HR basis to the Head of Cyber Strategy, Architecture & Innovation, and take day-to-day technical direction from the Director of Enterprise IAM Architecture., Architecture & Roadmap

• You define the target-state IGA architecture and own the roadmap, keeping it aligned with the enterprise architecture direction, the global IT strategy, and enterprise security standards.
• You advise business stakeholders on portfolio and investment planning, using the architecture roadmap to inform priorities and decisions.
• You monitor emerging technologies and industry trends, and fold the ones that add measurable value into the domain’s target state.

Solution Design

• You translate business requirements into design blueprints for IGA solutions, working closely with enterprise IAM architects, product owners, business analysts, and programme/project managers.
• You design solutions that are license-efficient, secure by design, compliant by design, and built to scale - without sacrificing pragmatism or speed to market.
• You review the design of every new or changed IGA solution and ensure alignment with enterprise IAM standards, policies, and procedures.
• You oversee end-to-end delivery alongside product owners and solution architects.

Policy & Governance

• You translate IT strategy and policy into scalable IGA processes, governance frameworks, standards, and target-state operating models.
• You define, implement, and monitor IAM policies and procedures, using KPIs to measure performance within the domain.
• You contribute to the global IAM strategy, keeping it aligned with enterprise objectives and security priorities.

Support & Assurance

• You act as the escalation point for complex IGA challenges and provide architectural support to delivery and operations teams.
• You contribute to root cause analysis on major IGA incidents and feed the learnings back into future designs.
• You support audits and regulatory reviews with architectural documentation, design rationale, and evidence.
• You take Manager-on-Duty responsibilities in the IGA operations rota on a quarterly basis.

Must-have

• Around 8-10 years of relevant experience, with a demonstrated track record as a primary architect on large, complex programmes.
• Deep expertise in Identity Governance & Administration: user provisioning, identity lifecycle, access governance, and role- and attribute-based access control (RBAC/ABAC).
• Strong grounding in authentication and authorisation frameworks and secure-by-design principles.
• Hands-on experience with integration design patterns, middleware technologies, and service-oriented architecture (SOA)
• Proven ability to conceptualise, launch, and deliver multiple complex technology programmes on time and within budget.
• Experience proposing and implementing enterprise-wide architecture initiatives, and institutionalising architecture standards and governance.
• A relevant Master’s degree (e.g. Business Administration, IT Management or similar); a post-graduate qualification is a plus.
• Fluent English, written and spoken.
• Valid EU work authorisation. Based in, or able to work on a hybrid basis from, the Netherlands.

The following are a plus

• Experience in a large retail or comparable enterprise environment with a global operating-company structure.
• Experience acting as a functional coach to other architects.
• Dutch language skills.

Riverflex was founded in Amsterdam and London in 2018, eventually growing into a global team of consultants united by a mission to help courageous leaders drive transformative change. Today, we offer an integrated service through three service pillars: strategy and transformation consulting that Creates Change, talent services that Build Teams, and business-accelerating products that Augment Intelligence. For more information, visit www.riverflex.com.