Director, Technology Strategy & Architecture - SC and R&D

Director, Technology Strategy & Architecture - SC and R&D

Full-Time 80000 - 100000 € / year (est.) No home office possible
Wella Company

At a Glance

  • Tasks: Shape technology strategy and architecture for Supply Chain and R&D.
  • Company: Join a leading CPG company driving innovation in technology.
  • Benefits: Competitive salary, flexible working options, and career development opportunities.
  • Other info: Collaborative environment with opportunities to mentor and lead.
  • Why this job: Make a real impact by bridging business strategy and technology execution.
  • Qualifications: 5-7 years as an Enterprise Architect with strong Supply Chain knowledge.

The predicted salary is between 80000 - 100000 € per year.

We are seeking an experienced Enterprise Architect within the Supply Chain & R&D domains to shape and evolve the technology strategy and roadmap. This role plays a critical bridge between business strategy and technology execution, ensuring architecture decisions accelerate business outcomes, reduce complexity, and enable scalable, future‑ready platforms. You will partner closely with senior business and IT leaders, guide investment decisions, and provide architectural leadership across transformation initiatives in a global, fast‑moving CPG environment.

What You’ll Be Responsible For

  • Strategic Architecture & Business Alignment: Drive enterprise architecture with a business‑outcome lens across Supply Chain and R&D. Define and evolve the business technology strategy and multi‑year roadmaps, covering applications, data, analytics, and integration. Translate business strategy into target‑state architectures, capability models, and investment priorities. Proactively identify opportunities to digitize, modernize, and simplify business processes.
  • Architecture Governance & Portfolio Management: Lead architecture governance, reference architecture development, and technology standards. Establish and mature application and technology portfolio management to increase transparency and reduce technical debt. Assess solution designs across business, data, application, and technology layers to identify optionality, risks and trade‑offs. Accountable for High Level Designs across Supply Chain and R&D projects; ensuring solutions are fit‑for‑purpose and aligned with enterprise architecture principles.
  • Delivery Enablement & Technical Leadership: Provide architectural leadership across the full SDLC, supporting both project‑centric and product‑centric operating models. Serve as architecture lead on complex initiatives, shaping solution design and ecosystem integration. Partner with delivery teams to guide design decisions and ensure architectural quality. Support build‑vs‑buy decisions and vendor evaluations; leading on software vendor selection exercises (RFPs).
  • Stakeholder Partnership & Influence: Build strong relationships with business executives, product leaders, and technology partners. Communicate architecture direction and roadmaps in clear, compelling, executive‑ready language. Act as a trusted advisor, able to challenge constructively and influence without authority.
  • Practice & Capability Development: Mentor and coach architects, product teams, and stakeholders to instill strong architectural thinking. Contribute to the evolution of the Enterprise Architecture practice, operating model, and ways of working. Continuously monitor technology trends and disruptions relevant to Supply Chain, R&D, cloud, and data platforms.

Domain Expertise You Bring

  • Strong functional knowledge of Supply Chain (e.g., IBP, Logistics, Warehousing).
  • Solid understanding of R&D processes within a CPG environment.
  • Hands‑on experience architecting complex, integrated Supply Chain solutions.
  • Deep familiarity with cloud and hybrid‑cloud platforms, integration patterns, and modern application architectures.

Qualifications & Experience

  • Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science, Engineering, or a related field (or equivalent experience).
  • 5–7 years of experience as an Enterprise Architect focused on Supply Chain.
  • 4–6 years of prior experience in solution architecture or related technical roles.
  • Demonstrated experience defining enterprise roadmaps and guiding large‑scale transformations.

Core Competencies

  • Systems thinking with the ability to balance long‑term strategy and near‑term delivery.
  • Strong analytical skills with comfort assessing cost, risk, and value trade‑offs.
  • Executive‑level communication and storytelling skills.
  • Consulting mindset: collaborative, structured, and outcome‑oriented.
  • Ability to operate effectively in complex, federated, and politically nuanced environments.

Technical & Professional Skills

  • Expertise in modern enterprise architecture concepts: SaaS, APIs, microservices, event‑driven architectures, and analytics.
  • Strong knowledge of domain/industry related technology landscape, accelerators and opportunities.
  • Experience in using AI solutions to bring business value in SC and R&D domains.
  • Strong understanding of operating models, financial management, and investment planning.
  • Familiarity with EA frameworks, modeling tools, Agile and scaled Agile approaches.
  • Proven leadership, facilitation, and stakeholder‑management skills.

Director, Technology Strategy & Architecture - SC and R&D employer: Wella Company

As a leading player in the Consumer Packaged Goods sector, we pride ourselves on fostering a dynamic and inclusive work environment that champions innovation and collaboration. Our commitment to employee growth is evident through tailored development programmes and mentorship opportunities, ensuring that you can thrive in your career while making a meaningful impact on our technology strategy and architecture. Located in a vibrant area, we offer competitive benefits and a culture that values work-life balance, making us an exceptional employer for those looking to advance their careers in a fast-paced, global setting.

Wella Company

Contact Detail:

Wella Company Recruiting Team

StudySmarter Expert Advice🤫

We think this is how you could land Director, Technology Strategy & Architecture - SC and R&D

Tip Number 1

Network like a pro! Reach out to your connections in the industry, especially those who work in Supply Chain and R&D. A friendly chat can lead to insider info about job openings or even a referral.

Tip Number 2

Prepare for interviews by researching the company’s tech strategy and recent projects. This will help you speak their language and show that you're genuinely interested in how you can contribute to their goals.

Tip Number 3

Don’t just wait for job postings; be proactive! Use our website to apply directly and follow up with a quick email to express your enthusiasm. It shows initiative and keeps you on their radar.

Tip Number 4

Practice your storytelling skills. Be ready to share examples of how you've driven architectural decisions that led to business outcomes. This is key to demonstrating your value as a strategic partner.

We think you need these skills to ace Director, Technology Strategy & Architecture - SC and R&D

Enterprise Architecture
Supply Chain Knowledge
R&D Process Understanding
Cloud and Hybrid-Cloud Platforms
Integration Patterns
Modern Application Architectures
SDLC (Software Development Life Cycle)

Some tips for your application 🫡

Tailor Your Application:Make sure to customise your CV and cover letter to highlight your experience in Supply Chain and R&D. We want to see how your skills align with our needs, so don’t be shy about showcasing relevant projects or achievements!

Showcase Your Strategic Thinking:In your application, emphasise your ability to bridge business strategy and technology execution. We’re looking for someone who can think critically about architecture decisions and their impact on business outcomes, so share examples that demonstrate this.

Be Clear and Concise:When writing your application, keep it straightforward and to the point. Use clear language to communicate your ideas and experiences, as we appreciate executive-ready communication that gets straight to the heart of the matter.

Apply Through Our Website:We encourage you to submit your application through our website. It’s the best way for us to receive your details and ensures you’re considered for the role. Plus, it’s super easy to do!

How to prepare for a job interview at Wella Company

Know Your Architecture Inside Out

Make sure you have a solid grasp of enterprise architecture concepts, especially in the context of Supply Chain and R&D. Be ready to discuss how you've applied these concepts in previous roles, and think about specific examples where your architectural decisions led to improved business outcomes.

Speak Business Language

Since this role bridges technology and business strategy, practice articulating technical concepts in a way that resonates with business leaders. Prepare to explain how your architectural strategies can drive business value, reduce complexity, and support scalable platforms.

Showcase Your Stakeholder Skills

Highlight your experience in building relationships with senior executives and product leaders. Be prepared to share examples of how you've influenced decision-making without direct authority, and how you've navigated complex environments to achieve successful outcomes.

Stay Ahead of Tech Trends

Demonstrate your knowledge of current technology trends relevant to Supply Chain and R&D. Be ready to discuss how you've leveraged modern technologies like cloud solutions, AI, and microservices in your past projects, and how you see these evolving in the future.