Solutions Architect

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Role: Solution Architect – Retail

Job Type: Permanent

Location: London, UK / Hybrid

Number of hours: 40 hours per week – full time

Ready to utilize your experience and expertise in Solution Architecture?

We have an exciting role for you – Solution Architect

Careers at TCS: It means more TCS is a purpose-led transformation company, built on belief. We do not just help businesses to transform through technology. We support them in making a meaningful difference to the people and communities they serve - our clients include some of the biggest brands in the UK and worldwide. For you, it means more to make an impact that matters, through challenging projects which demand ambitious innovation and thought leadership.

• Build strong relationships with a diverse range of stakeholders.
• Gain access to endless learning opportunities.
• Work closely with the range of teams within the business to bring products to life.

The Role As a Solution Architect you will be responsible for design and implementing strategic plans and frameworks aimed at Retailer International Global Supply Chain, Marketplace Expansion and Franchise integration. This role is crucial in ensuring that retail planning process are optimized, retail spaces are effectively utilized, merchandise is strategically positioned, and inventory levels are efficiently managed to meet customer demand while minimizing costs.

The Solution Architect collaborates with various stakeholders including international business teams, and supply chain professionals to develop and execute comprehensive plans that enhance the overall global retail experience and drive business success.

By analyzing market trends, consumer behavior, and sales data, the solution architect develops innovative solutions to enhance product visibility, improve space utilization, and streamline processes within retail environments. Ultimately, the goal of this role is to create an optimized and efficient retail ecosystem that delivers exceptional value to customers while achieving organizational objectives.

Key responsibilities:

• Develop and Implement Retailer International Technology Strategies: Design and execute comprehensive technology strategies aligned with retail business objectives, encompassing areas such as merchandising planning, assortment planning, inventory management systems, forecasting and replenishment, and e-commerce platforms.
• Architect Retail Technology Solutions: Lead the design and architecture of Technology solutions tailored to meet the specific needs of retail operations, ensuring scalability, security, and interoperability across systems. This includes selecting appropriate hardware and software components and defining integration frameworks.
• Optimize Retail Infrastructure: Evaluate and optimize retail infrastructure, including networks, servers, and databases, to support efficient and reliable operations across multiple retail locations. Implement best practices for performance tuning, capacity planning, and disaster recovery.
• Manage Retail Data and Analytics: Oversee the collection, analysis, and interpretation of retail data to derive actionable insights for decision-making. Develop data models and reporting frameworks to track key performance indicators (KPIs) related to sales, inventory, customer behavior, and market trends.
• Collaborate with Cross-Functional Teams: Work closely with cross-functional teams such as merchandising, marketing, finance, and operations to understand business requirements and translate them into IT solutions. Foster collaboration and communication to ensure alignment and successful implementation of technology initiatives.
• Understanding on Retail Technology Trends: Keep in touch of emerging technologies, industry trends, and best practices in retail IT, and assess their potential impact on business operations. Evaluate new tools and methodologies to drive innovation and competitive advantage in the retail space.
• Ensure Compliance and Security: Establish and enforce security protocols, regulatory compliance standards, and data privacy policies to protect sensitive retail information and ensure compliance with industry regulations such as PCI-DSS and GDPR. Conduct regular audits and risk assessments to mitigate potential vulnerabilities.
• Provide Technical Leadership and Mentorship: Provide technical leadership and mentorship to IT teams responsible for supporting retail operations. Foster a culture of continuous learning and professional development, encouraging team members to enhance their skills and expertise in retail technology.
• Working with Product vendors (i.e. BlueYonder, SAP, o9 Solutions, Oracle etc) to design and develop solutions required for business requirements

Your Profile Essential skills/knowledge/experience:

• Proven experience designing and leading enterprise-scale system integrations, ideally involving supply chains, planning platforms and ERP/retail systems (SAP).
• Solid understanding of data architecture, data quality, reconciliation, and performance in high-volume, business-critical integrations.
• Ability to lead technical design discussions, work with senior stakeholders, and drive decisions in a complex, multi-vendor environment.

Desirable skills/knowledge/experience:

• Demonstrable experience of working within a Retail environment.
• Good knowledge of Agile Product Management tools e.g. Jira & Jira Align.
• Excellent multi-tasking and strong communication skills.
• Experience shaping both functional and non-functional requirements.
• Experience of working with software platforms that support Buyers and Merchandisers.
• Awareness of different integration/message exchange patterns.…