Managing IT Architect

Maritz; Fenton (MO); Hybrid; USD 120,000 - 150,000; Full time

Job summary

Maritz is seeking a Managing IT Architect to provide technical direction and leadership for a client or system. You will blend people management with hands-on architecture, guiding a team to deliver innovative solutions that create client value and competitive advantage.

The role emphasizes leadership, strategy, and technology excellence across architecture, cloud, AI tooling, and stakeholder engagement, in a hybrid setting based in Fenton, MO.

Qualifications

• Five years experience directing software development teams.
• Advanced knowledge of best-in-class technical tools, techniques and processes.
• Solid understanding of IT technologies and Agile project management.
• Proven ability to create prototypes and experiments with technologies.
• Ability to manage multiple projects/priorities simultaneously.
• Customer-facing experience.
• Thought leadership in technology space.
• Experience with AI-assisted development tools.
• Experience with cloud infrastructure (GCP, AWS).

Responsibilities

• Lead by creating a shared technical vision and direction for the team.
• Facilitate agile practices and grow team talent.
• Mentor architects and engineers, deliver feedback and coaching.
• Balance strategic objectives with client needs to ensure delivery.
• Oversee budgets for multiple development efforts.
• Own architecture standards, patterns and tech debt strategy.
• Collaborate with product/operations/creative and decision sciences.
• Engage in client reviews and present technology value propositions.

Job description

The Managing IT Architect provides the technical direction, leadership and strategy for typically a single client or technical system, as well as managing the Development staff supporting that clients or system. Delivering innovative technical solutions that generate client and stakeholder value and competitive advantage.

This role is a blend between a people manager and a technical role on the team!

What You'll Be Doing

25% - LEADERSHIP:

• High performance teams: Lead by creating a common vision around technical direction, and creating a positive environment of creativity, motivation, and personal development.
• Agile adoption and talent growth: Facilitate agile practices, embed agile values, and promote talent development and reskilling for team.
• Team management: Function as a mentor preparing and making presentations, consulting to individuals, teams and junior architects. Provide direction and developmental leadership for the team (including an emerging AI development ecosystem). Deliver performance feedback and coaching to direct reports.
• Team collaboration: Work closely with the client services and product management teams to balance strategic objectives, operational needs, and client requirements to ensure successful program delivery.
• Budget oversight: Assist in managing the budget for multiple development teams, projects, and technology spend.
• Project delivery: On‑time, on‑budget, and scope‑aligned. Drives successful project outcomes by managing timelines, resources, and scope, ensuring projects meet their objectives within established constraints.

25% - BUSINESS STRATEGY:

• Collaborate with cross‑functional teams: Engage directly with Product Management, Business Operations, Creative, Decision Science, and Senior Management teams, ensuring effective communication across all areas. Includes strong execution skills in working with teams to deliver solutions.
• Product Management with scope, requirements, refinement, and backlog prioritization
• Operations with solution enhancements and day‑to‑day work
• Creative with user experience and communication strategies (promotions)
• Decision Sciences with data, metrics, and insights
• Client interaction: Provide IT‑related solutions/updates and participation in client business reviews (QBR’s), SOW reviews, and consultative support.
• Thought leadership: Consult as a technology subject matter expert, drive capabilities presentations, and articulate Maritz' value proposition to clients.
• Creates and maintains a "big-picture" view of the product design (architecture / logical design / integrations).
• Experience managing large budgets for client work.

50% - TECHNOLOGY:

• Responsible for architecture standards and patterns, solution design approval, technology stack, and tech debt strategy (a key input to roadmap).
• Manage technology vendors that support the technology stack.
• Work with cross‑functional teams to create technology strategies, roadmaps, and customer‑centric perspectives across the entire customer journey … from acquisition through experience and into retention.
• Collaborate with teams to develop strategies, infusing insights into technology solutions that inspire marketing and loyalty innovations.
• Stay ahead of market trends, translating early ideas and thinking into strategic planning to maintain a competitive edge. Proactively seek out new technologies or integrations to expand business opportunities. Leverage AI‑assisted development tools.
• Communicate technological advancements to internal teams and clients, ensuring alignment with the core business objectives.
• Apply architectural and engineering concepts to design a solution that meets client and operational requirements such as scalability, maintainability, security, reliability, extensibility, availability, and manageability.
• Understanding of security posture management and compliance frameworks (PCI, SOC 2).
• Ability to critically evaluate AI‑generated code and configurations for correctness, security, and performance.
• Understanding of responsible AI use principles in an enterprise engineering context.

What You'll Bring

• Five years experience directing software development teams and managers.
• Advanced knowledge of best‑in‑class technical tools, techniques, and processes.
• Solid understanding of IT technologies and project management tools (including Agile development).
• Proven ability to effectively create prototypes and experiments with technologies.
• Ability to manage multiple projects/priorities simultaneously.
• Customer‑facing experience.
• Provides thought leadership in the technology space. Combines technology with various aspects of marketing and loyalty solutions.
• Actively contributes during internal strategy meetings and external client meetings.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills with leadership presence (consultative approach).
• Experience with AI‑assisted development tools a plus (e.g. Claude Code, GitHub Copilot).
• Experience with cloud infrastructure (e.g. GCP, AWS).

Things You Should Know

• This is a hybrid role based in Fenton, MO (Tuesday | Wednesday | Thursday).