Architect IT Solution Supply Chain

Academy Sports and Outdoors; Katy (TX); On-site; USD 140,000 - 190,000; Full time

Job summary

Academy Sports + Outdoors is seeking a Solutions Architect to own end-to-end architectural design for merchandising systems, including Manhattan Active WM implementations, cloud integrations, and security considerations.

You will translate business needs into detailed architecture, partner with Merchandising and IT leadership, and drive initiatives to reduce reactive work while aligning with enterprise standards. This role is based at our Texas operations with cross-functional exposure.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science, Engineering (Computer, Software, Electronics), or a relevant field of study required.

Responsibilities

• Directs the identification and recommendation of appropriate solutions, upgrades, replacements, or decommissioning options.
• Translate business requirements for merchandising systems into detailed, scalable technical architectures.
• Collaborate with business stakeholders within Merchandising to understand their needs.
• Analyze existing processes to identify opportunities for improvement through technology.
• Develops and executes solutions that further reduce reactive work.
• Interact with business leadership to establish a solid IT/operations relationship.
• Facilitates requirements refinement with a focus on service-level requirements.
• Collaborates with IT to ensure understanding of proposed architectures and feedback.
• Participates in design reviews to ensure traceability of design to solution architecture.

Skills

Agile methods

Architecture

Stakeholder communication

Problem solving

Independent work

Team collaboration

Microsoft Office

Cloud platforms (GCP & Azure)

Education

Bachelor’s degree in CS/Engineering

Tools

Manhattan Active WM

Google Cloud Platform

Microsoft Azure

Visio

SharePoint

Excel

PowerPoint

Job description

Who We Are At Academy Sports + Outdoors

our vision is to be the best sports + outdoors retailer in the country — but what truly sets us apart is our people. We’re a passionate, purpose-driven team that’s as committed to each other as we are to our customers. We’ve spent over 80 years building a culture that puts people first. We believe in creating opportunities for growth, fostering meaningful connections, and supporting every Team Member’s journey. What fuels us? Our belief in the power of fun. Here, you won’t just help customers gear up for their next adventure — you’ll launch one of your own. Whether you're starting out or leveling up, Academy is a place where fun can’t lose!

Education

Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science, Engineering (Computer, Software, Electronics), or a relevant field of study required.

Work Experiences

• 8+ years of experience related to the solutions architecture role.
• 7+ years of retail experience is preferred.
• Strong hands‑on experience with Manhattan Active WM Implementations with Functional expertise in warehouse operations and distribution, including inbound, outbound, inventory management, and other key processes.
• Experience with TMS and YMS solutions is preferred.
• Experience in designing /integrating solutions in cloud and hybrid cloud environments.
• Understanding of networks and security as it relates to integration and data flow between systems.
• End‑to‑end technical ownership of Manhattan Active implementation.
• Strong background in translating business requirements into technical solutions and managing end‑to‑end implementation.

Skills

• Ability to bridge the gap between waterfall and agile methodologies.
• In-depth knowledge of Manhattan Active WM implementation.
• Strong interpersonal, written, and verbal communication skills, and can interface effectively with individuals at various levels.
• Ability to build consensus around proposed solutions.
• Ability to work well independently, as well as effectively contribute to a team environment.
• Analytical, with strong problem‑solving abilities and creative resolution skills.
• Self‑motivated, with the ability to work on multiple projects in a fast‑paced environment.
• Ability to understand and derive lower‑level roadmaps with business leadership to help set the requirements' context.
• Strong Microsoft Office program experience, including Excel, Word, and PowerPoint, Visio, and SharePoint.
• Experience with cloud platforms like Google Cloud Platform (GCP) and Microsoft Azure is often a plus.
• Professional certifications are a plus.

Responsibilities

• Directs the identification and recommendation of appropriate solutions, upgrades, replacements, or decommissioning options, incorporating business and technology productivity, usability, and total cost of ownership.
• Translate business requirements for merchandising systems into detailed, scalable, and secure technical architecture(s). This includes creating design documents, diagrams, and specifications for new systems or upgrades.
• Collaborate with business stakeholders within Merchandising to understand their needs.
• Analyze existing processes to identify opportunities for improvement through technology.
• Develops and executes solutions that further reduce the percentage of time spent on reactive work.
• Works with business and technology subject matter experts to derive end‑to‑end solutions that provide value to the enterprise, and these solutions comply with standards and guidelines set forth by Enterprise Architecture.
• Interact with business leadership to establish a solid working relationship between IT and operations.
• Facilitates the requirements refinement process, with special focus on service‑level requirements.
• Collaborates with other parts of IT to ensure a thorough understanding of the proposed architecture; must be willing to accept and factor in feedback.
• Participates in design reviews to ensure traceability of the design to the proposed solution architecture.
• Contributes to enterprise guidelines, standards, and principles as precedents are discovered and adopted.
• Articulates architecture decisions behind the solution architecture.
• Takes initiative in working with business stakeholders to ensure their requirements (immediate and future) will be addressed by IT.
• Develops a thorough understanding of Academy’s policies, procedures, and safety rules.
• Participate and contribute to Solution Review Board sessions or other approval processes as required by Academy project governance.
• Provide effective communication to the cross‑functional teams and project leadership promptly.
• Lead discussions with project and business teams to understand and document business requirements, making recommendations in their domain/application‑related area(s).
• Duties may change; the team member may be required to perform other duties as assigned.

Physical Requirements & Attendance

Acceptable level of hearing and vision to perform job duties. Adhere to company work hours, policies, procedures, and rules governing professional staff behavior. Regular office attendance is required. Flexible work schedule to support business needs.

Equal Employment Opportunity

Academy is an Equal Opportunity Employer and does not discriminate with regard to employment opportunities or practices on the basis of race, religion, national origin, sex, age, disability, gender identity, sexual orientation, or any other category protected by law.

Academy® Sports + Outdoors is one of the nation’s largest sporting goods and outdoor retailers. It’s no surprise that we not only know how to create experiences for our customers, but for our team members as well. Understanding our people and the things that matter to them the most has been at the core of the Academy® culture for over 80 years. With more than 22,000 team members, we take pride in creating a workplace environment that values hard work, commitment, and growth.