Principal Architect

Auckland Council Group; Auckland; Hybrid; NZD 180,000 - 240,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Flexible working – work from home

TAU benefits

Job summary

Tātaki Auckland Unlimited is seeking a Principal Architect to shape technology across the organisation. You will translate complex business needs into scalable architecture, work across multiple strategic programmes, and co-design practical solutions with stakeholders and delivery partners.

You’ll lead architecture patterns across digital, data, integration, cloud, security and AI domains, guiding teams while balancing value, quality, security and cost. Strong stakeholder management is essential.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in computer science, computer engineering, IT architecture, information systems or related field, or equivalent experience

Responsibilities

• Translate business needs into architecture designs and implementation blueprints.
• Partner with Digital product teams and vendors to align delivery with strategy and commercial priorities.
• Review designs and documentation for compliance with architecture, privacy and security standards.
• Provide architecture leadership across strategic projects and governance forums.
• Develop and maintain architecture artefacts and promote reusable solutions.

Skills

Enterprise architecture

Cloud architecture (Azure/AWS)

TOGAF/SOA/UML

Education

Bachelor's degree in CS/IT/related

Tools

TOGAF

UML

Cloud design patterns

Job description

Tātaki Auckland Unlimited (TAU) combines the power of Auckland’s cultural richness with our successful destination management and economic development programmes. We are New Zealand’s largest producer of cultural, entertainment, sporting and wildlife experiences, and the largest regional economic development agency in the country. We work with many iconic Auckland organisations like Auckland Zoo, the Art Gallery and the Aotea Centre. Our work touches all Aucklanders and visitors to our region, creating a legacy for future generations. To know more about what we do and what’s on in Auckland visit our website: https://aucklandunlimited.com/

We have an exciting full-time, 8-months fixed-term opportunity for an experienced Principal Architect to help shape the future of technology across Tātaki Auckland Unlimited. Working across multiple strategic projects and programmes, you’ll translate complex business needs into secure, reliable and scalable architecture solutions that support organisational priorities. You’ll develop architecture patterns and standards across digital, applications, data, integration, cloud, infrastructure, security and AI domains, working closely with the Digital team, business stakeholders and delivery partners to co-design practical and future-focused solutions.

In this role, you will:

• Translate business and project requirements into clear architecture designs, solution options and implementation blueprints, including build, buy and integration recommendations.
• Partner with Digital product teams, business stakeholders and vendors to align technology delivery with organisational strategy, customer needs and commercial priorities.
• Review solution designs and technical documentation to ensure compliance with enterprise architecture, privacy, cybersecurity, quality and software-development standards.
• Provide architecture leadership across strategic projects, emerging technology opportunities and governance forums, including facilitating the Technology Architecture Review Board.
• Develop and maintain architecture artefacts, patterns, roadmaps and repositories while mentoring technical teams and promoting consistent, simplified and reusable solutions across the organisation.

You’ll be an accomplished technology architect with extensive experience designing and implementing enterprise solutions across complex, multi-platform environments. You’ll bring broad knowledge across digital and e-commerce platforms, applications, data, integration, cybersecurity, infrastructure, cloud and networks, supported by a strong understanding of architecture frameworks and the software-development lifecycle. You can absorb complex information, undertake detailed analysis and communicate clear recommendations to both technical and non-technical audiences. A confident stakeholder manager and negotiator, you’ll work effectively with senior leaders, vendors and delivery partners while balancing business value, technical quality, security, cost and risk. You’ll also bring commercial awareness, strong organisational skills and the resilience to lead through ambiguity and changing priorities.

To be successful in this role, you will have:

• A bachelor’s degree in computer science, computer engineering, IT architecture, information systems or a related discipline, or equivalent professional experience; a master’s degree or relevant architecture certification would be advantageous.
• Between 10 and 15 years’ experience in Principal, Enterprise, Solution, Domain or end-to-end architecture roles, including leading large-scale strategic technology projects.
• Strong hands‑on experience across Azure or AWS cloud and SaaS/PaaS environments, together with architecture frameworks and modelling approaches such as TOGAF, SOA, UML, capability mapping and cloud design patterns.
• Practical knowledge of integration and data architecture, digital enablement platforms, privacy and security‑by‑design, with experience in areas such as APIs, event‑driven integration, CRM, ERP, CMS, e-commerce, data platforms and emerging agentic AI solutions.

So, what’s in it for you? Here at Tātaki Auckland Unlimited we pride ourselves on providing work life balance and inclusive work environment. In addition to awesome colleagues and work culture we also offer the following benefits:

• Flexible working – work from home options
• TAU benefits (Click this link to find out more)

Tātaki Auckland Unlimited is an equal opportunity employer (EOE) and we are committed to providing a working environment that embraces and values diversity and inclusion. If you have any support or access requirements, we encourage you to advise us at the time of application to assist you through the recruitment process.

Tātaki Auckland Unlimited is part of the Auckland Council whānau, responsible for Auckland Live, Auckland Zoo, Auckland Conventions, Auckland Art Gallery Toi o Tāmaki, New Zealand Maritime Museum, Auckland Stadiums, and many of the festivals and events that make Auckland a great place to live and visit.

Our people are driven by passion and a sense of service to Aucklanders. What we share is our love of Tāmaki Makaurau Auckland and our passion about the work we each do to make it a dynamic and exciting place.

Each part of Tātaki is important, but when we come together, we bind into something more powerful than the sum of our parts. We all work in partnership with each other and our delivery partners, to make Tāmaki Makaurau a vibrant place where everyone can thrive.