At a Glance
- Tasks: Shape technology strategy and architecture for Supply Chain and R&D, driving business outcomes.
- Company: Join a leading CPG company focused on innovation and transformation.
- Benefits: Competitive salary, flexible working options, and opportunities for professional growth.
- Other info: Collaborative environment with mentorship and career advancement opportunities.
- 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 90000 - 120000 £ 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 International Operations Switzerland Sàrl
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 role as Director of Technology Strategy & Architecture. Located in a vibrant global hub, we offer competitive benefits and a culture that values diverse perspectives, making us an exceptional employer for those seeking to make a meaningful impact.
Contact Details:
Wella International Operations Switzerland Sàrl Recruitment 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 in Supply Chain and R&D. A friendly chat can lead to insider info about job openings that aren't even advertised yet.
✨Tip Number 2
Prepare for interviews by researching the company’s recent projects and challenges. This way, you can tailor your responses to show how your experience aligns with their needs, especially in technology strategy and architecture.
✨Tip Number 3
Don’t just wait for job postings; proactively reach out to companies you admire. Express your interest in their work and how you could contribute to their technology strategy and architecture efforts.
✨Tip Number 4
Finally, apply through our website! We’ve got a streamlined process that makes it easy for you to showcase your skills and experience directly to us. Plus, we love seeing candidates who take the initiative!
We think you need these skills to ace Director, Technology Strategy & Architecture - SC and R&D
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 connect technology strategy with business outcomes. We’re looking for someone who can bridge the gap between tech and business, so share examples of how you've done this in the past.
Be Clear and Concise:When writing your application, keep it straightforward and to the point. Use clear language that reflects your understanding of architecture governance and portfolio management. We appreciate a well-structured application that’s easy to read!
Apply Through Our Website:Don’t forget 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 shows you’re keen on joining our team at StudySmarter!
How to prepare for a job interview at Wella International Operations Switzerland Sàrl
✨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 past roles, and think about specific examples where your architectural decisions led to improved business outcomes.
✨Align with Business Strategy
Understand the company's business strategy and be prepared to explain how your technology vision aligns with it. Think about how you can translate complex technical jargon into clear, executive-ready language that demonstrates your ability to bridge the gap between technology and business.
✨Showcase Your Leadership Skills
Prepare to discuss your experience in leading architectural governance and managing stakeholder relationships. Highlight instances where you've mentored teams or influenced decision-making without direct authority, as this will showcase your collaborative mindset and ability to navigate complex environments.
✨Stay Current with Trends
Familiarise yourself with the latest trends in cloud technologies, AI solutions, and modern application architectures relevant to Supply Chain and R&D. Be ready to discuss how these trends can be leveraged to drive innovation and efficiency within the organisation.
