Director, Platform and Architecture

Position Description: 

As Director of Platform and Architecture, you will be responsible for leading the architectural vision, strategy, and execution across the PAR Punchh organization. You will work closely with a team of talented Architects to take input from the Engineering team to define and manage the architectural roadmap, foster the development of an agile and scalable architecture practice, and lead the platform engineering team to build reliable, high-performance, and scalable platforms. You will consult with business stakeholders and leadership to understand the feature roadmap and the value drivers to ensure the architectural vision aligns and look for opportunities to deliver both Engineering improvements and Product features in a collaborative way. To succeed, you will bring a deep technical background, proven leadership skills, and experience building architecture teams, developing enterprise-grade systems, and driving complex technical initiatives across cross-functional teams. You will rely on your background and experience to bring an informed opinion to every discussion, listen openly and curiously to other perspectives, and be comfortable making difficult decisions when necessary.

Position Location:

Remote, Canada

Reports To: 

Vice President of Engineering, Punchh & Data

What We’re Looking For:

Entrees (Requirements):

• Experience: 10+ years of experience in software engineering, platform development, or architectural roles, with at least 5 years in a leadership capacity.
• Technical Skills: Strong expertise in software architecture, microservices, cloud platforms (AWS, Azure, or GCP), DevOps practices, and CI/CD pipelines. Experience migrating legacy architecture patterns at an enterprise level is highly desirable.
• Leadership: Proven experience building and leading high-performance architecture and platform engineering teams, with a track record of developing and mentoring talent.
• Communication: Excellent written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to translate complex technical concepts for diverse stakeholders.
• Collaboration: Demonstrated success in cross-functional collaboration, aligning engineering goals with business objectives.

With a side of (additional skills):

• Education: Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Computer Science, Software Engineering, or a related field.
• Certifications: Relevant certifications in cloud architecture, enterprise architecture (e.g., TOGAF), or specific technology stacks.
• Industry Knowledge: Experience in loyalty platforms is a plus.

Unleash your potential: What you will be doing and owning:

• 1. Architectural Vision and Strategy

  • Define and communicate the architectural vision, principles, and roadmap aligned with the company's strategic objectives.
  • Ensure that the architectural vision supports scalability, security, maintainability, and performance requirements.
  • Partner with senior leadership to incorporate architectural standards into the company’s long-term technology strategy.

  2. Platform Engineering Leadership

  • Lead the platform engineering team in the design, development, and implementation of high-performance, scalable, and reliable platforms.
  • Drive the development of core services, frameworks, and platforms that support product teams and enable a faster, more efficient development process.
  • Ensure platform architecture meets the business needs while maintaining a strong focus on operational excellence, scalability, and resilience.

  3. Architectural Practice Development

  • Develop and scale the architectural practice across the organization by establishing standards, best practices, and governance policies.
  • Build and lead an architecture team to support product development efforts, providing guidance and mentorship to architects and engineering teams.
  • Promote an engineering culture that emphasizes collaboration, innovation, and technical excellence.

  4. Cross-Functional Collaboration

  • Work closely with engineering, product, and other cross-functional teams to ensure alignment between platform architecture and business goals.
  • Drive architectural consistency and adoption of standards across teams to minimize technical debt and improve code quality.
  • Act as a bridge between engineering and other departments, translating complex technical concepts for non-technical stakeholders.

  5. Technical Leadership and Innovation

  • Stay current with industry trends, emerging technologies, and best practices to ensure the organization remains at the forefront of technical advancements.
  • Encourage innovation within the architecture and platform teams, fostering a culture of continuous improvement and experimentation.
  • Lead architectural reviews and approve high-level designs to ensure quality and adherence to the architectural vision.

Interview Process:

• Interview #1: Phone Screen with Talent Acquisition Team
• Interview #2: Video interview with the Hiring Manager (via MS Teams)
• Interview #3: Video interview with the Team (via MS Teams)

Perks and Benefits Hot Off the Grill:

• Unlimited PTO (Exempt Employees)
• 3+ weeks/ year of Vacation/ PTO (Non-exempt Employees)
• Healthcare Benefits
• Fitness/ Wellness Reimbursement ($300/year)
• Internet Stipend (Remote employees)
• Employee Stock Purchase Program
• 401k Match