Principal Solutions Architect (Digital Transformation)

Placements24; Richards Bay; Remote; ZAR 1,200,000 - 2,000,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Remote work

Health benefits

Retirement plan

Growth opportunities

Flexible hours

Home office setup

Annual leave

Job summary

Placements24 is seeking a Principal Solutions Architect to drive the architectural vision for digital initiatives across our client in manufacturing. This fully remote role lets you contribute from anywhere in South Africa, focusing on cloud, data analytics, and modern app development to boost efficiency.

You will lead enterprise-wide designs, set standards, and partner with IT, operations and business units to deliver scalable, secure architectures.

Qualifications

• 10+ years in IT with at least 5 years in senior/principal architect roles.
• Proven track record delivering large-scale digital transformation projects.
• Deep expertise in cloud architectures (AWS, Azure, GCP).
• Strong data architectures, big data, and analytics platforms.
• Experience with microservices, containerization (Kubernetes), and API management.
• Familiarity with DevOps and CI/CD practices.
• Excellent analytical, problem-solving, and strategic thinking.
• Exceptional communication and stakeholder management.
• Experience in manufacturing/industrial sectors is a plus.
• Relevant advanced cloud/enterprise architecture certifications.

Responsibilities

• Lead the design and development of scalable, secure enterprise solutions with focus on digital transformation.
• Define standards for cloud, data, and application development.
• Collaborate with business stakeholders to translate objectives into architectural roadmaps.
• Evaluate technologies and platforms to support transformation goals.
• Provide technical leadership to project teams and solution architects.
• Ensure architectural alignment across IT domains.
• Drive microservices, APIs, and event-driven architectures.
• Assess risks and ensure performance, security, and compliance.
• Stay current with industry trends and emerging technologies.

Job description

About the Role

Our client, a global leader in the manufacturing sector, is embarking on a significant digital transformation journey and requires a visionary Principal Solutions Architect. This pivotal role is fully remote, allowing you to contribute your expertise from anywhere in South Africa. You will be responsible for defining and driving the architectural vision for our client's digital initiatives, focusing on leveraging cloud technologies, data analytics, and modern application development to enhance operational efficiency and customer engagement. This position requires a strategic thinker with extensive experience in designing and implementing complex, enterprise-wide solutions. You will collaborate with cross-functional teams, including IT, operations, and business units, to ensure architectural coherence and successful adoption of new technologies. The ideal candidate will have a deep understanding of emerging technology trends and the ability to translate business needs into innovative, scalable, and secure architectural blueprints. This is an exceptional opportunity to lead architectural strategy in a dynamic and forward-thinking organization based in the vicinity of Richards Bay, KwaZulu-Natal .

Key Responsibilities

• Lead the design and development of scalable, resilient, and secure enterprise solutions, with a strong emphasis on digital transformation initiatives.
• Define architectural standards, patterns, and best practices for cloud, data, and application development.
• Collaborate with business stakeholders to understand strategic objectives and translate them into actionable architectural roadmaps.
• Evaluate and select appropriate technologies and platforms to support digital transformation goals.
• Provide technical leadership and guidance to project teams and solution architects.
• Ensure architectural alignment across different business units and IT domains.
• Drive the adoption of modern architectural paradigms, such as microservices, APIs, and event-driven architectures.
• Assess and mitigate architectural risks, ensuring solutions meet performance, security, and compliance requirements.
• Stay current with industry trends and emerging technologies, identifying opportunities for innovation.

Requirements

• 10+ years of experience in IT, with a minimum of 5 years in a senior or principal architect role.
• Proven track record of architecting and delivering large-scale digital transformation projects.
• Deep expertise in cloud architectures (AWS, Azure, GCP) and their application in enterprise environments.
• Strong understanding of data architectures, big data technologies, and analytics platforms.
• Experience with microservices, containerization (Kubernetes), and API management.
• Familiarity with DevOps principles and CI/CD practices.
• Excellent analytical, problem-solving, and strategic thinking skills.
• Exceptional communication, presentation, and stakeholder management abilities.
• Experience in the manufacturing or industrial sectors is a plus.
• Relevant advanced certifications in cloud architecture or enterprise architecture.

Benefits

• Highly attractive remuneration package with performance incentives.
• Comprehensive health, wellness, and retirement benefits.
• Significant opportunities for professional growth and skill development.
• Flexible working hours and a fully remote work arrangement.
• Exposure to transformative projects and cutting-edge technologies.
• Supportive and collaborative remote work culture.
• Annual leave and public holiday allocations.
• Company-provided resources for home office setup.