Solution Architect (ex-developer) – Retail, POS, WMS, OMS, eCommerce - Global

Smart Sourcer Limited; Greater London; Hybrid; GBP 90,000 - 120,000; Full time

Job summary

Smart Sourcer Limited is seeking a Solution Architect (ex-developer) with a solid software engineering background to shape retail platforms, including eCommerce, POS, fulfilment, loyalty and inventory. The role embeds in delivery squads, collaborating with engineers, product owners and delivery teams to ensure buildable, scalable designs and modern cloud-native patterns.

Retail domain experience and ability to translate complex requirements into pragmatic architectural decisions are essential

Qualifications

• Bachelor's in Computer Science or STEM required.
• 1–2 years of Solution Architecture experience in a commercial environment.
• Strong engineering background with 4–6+ years as a hands-on developer.
• Retail domain experience (eCommerce, POS, supply chain, merchandising, store systems).
• Solid understanding of APIs, microservices, cloud platforms, CI/CD, and DevOps.
• Able to work in agile squads and collaborate with engineers, BAs, and product teams.
• Clear communication skills; able to simplify complexity and influence decisions.

Responsibilities

• Owning solution design across retail platforms: eCommerce, POS, fulfilment, loyalty, inventory and more.
• Partnering with engineering teams, product owners and delivery squads to ensure designs are buildable and aligned with business outcomes.
• Producing architecture artefacts that are clear, actionable and grounded in engineering reality.
• Guiding teams through design decisions, trade-offs and patterns from integration approaches to cloud-native practices.
• Supporting modernisation initiatives and evolution of a complex retail technology landscape.

Skills

Engineering background

Hands-on developer

Retail domain experience

Clear communication

Education

Bachelor's in Computer Science or STEM

Job description

Solution Architect (ex-developer) – Retail, POS, WMS, OMS, eCommerce - Global

If you’re an engineer at heart who’s recently stepped into architecture and wants to accelerate that trajectory, this role gives you the platform to do exactly that.

The headline: We’re looking for a Solution Architect with 1–2 years of architecture experience, built on a solid software engineering background. Someone who’s been a developer, understands how systems behave in production, and can turn that into pragmatic, scalable architectural decisions.

Retail domain experience is essential: you’ll be shaping solutions that directly impact store operations, digital commerce, supply chain, and customer experience.

What you’ll be doing:

• Owning solution design across retail platforms: eCommerce, POS, fulfilment, loyalty, inventory, and more.
• Partnering with engineering teams, product owners, and delivery squads to ensure designs are buildable, maintainable, and aligned with business outcomes.
• Producing architecture artefacts that are clear, actionable, and grounded in engineering reality.
• Guiding teams through design decisions, trade‑offs, and patterns — from integration approaches to cloud‑native best practice.
• Supporting modernisation initiatives and the evolution of a complex retail technology landscape.

What you’ll bring:

• 2:1 or above degree in Computer Science or a STEM discipline.
• 1–2 years of Solution Architecture experience in a commercial environment.
• Strong engineering background: ideally 4–6+ years as a hands‑on developer.
• Retail domain experience (eCommerce, POS, supply chain, merchandising, store systems, or similar).
• Solid understanding of modern architectures: APIs, microservices, event‑driven patterns, cloud platforms, CI/CD, DevOps.
• Ability to work in agile squads and collaborate with engineers, BAs, and product teams.
• Clear communication skills: you simplify complexity and influence decisions.

Why this role matters:

You won’t be stuck producing theoretical diagrams. You’ll be embedded in delivery squads, shaping real solutions, working with engineers who value architectural clarity, and helping global retail organisations modernise its technology landscape. This is a perfect fit if you’re an ex‑developer who wants to grow into a senior architect and build a career on top of genuine engineering credibility.