Job description

A leading multi-channel retailer with deep roots in the Northeastern U.S. is seeking a Solution Architect with domain expertise in Payment Technology to join their Application Architecture team in this newly created role. With a unique blend of tradition and innovation, this company is advancing toward a more agile, scalable, and integrated architecture, offering a prime opportunity for professionals who understand payment systems from both a technical and operational perspective. The ultimate goal is to modernize and unify their end-to-end payment systems across e-commerce and brick-and-mortar channels. The company has been featured in Retail TouchPoints' Top Retail Innovators and recognized by Forbes for "Best Customer Service" multiple years running. This is a full-time, direct-hire position based near Reading, Pennsylvania, with a hybrid schedule. The Role You’ll Play As a Solution Architect, you will operate as a strategic problem-solver and systems thinker, orchestrating complex integrations between legacy systems, modern payment platforms, and multiple business units. You will: • Serve as the domain expert for payment technology, owning architecture across in-store POS, e-commerce, and mobile channels • Define and document current-state payment flows (from customer interaction to general ledger) and propose future-state models • Evaluate payment gateways and middleware platforms (e.g., ACI Worldwide, FreedomPay, Stripe) for integration potential • Develop and maintain architectural designs and technical roadmaps • Collaborate with business stakeholders (including Finance, E-Comm, and Store Ops) to gather requirements and assess operational constraints • Provide guidance to the engineering team, led by a peer delivery partner, ensuring feasibility and execution alignment • Consider infrastructure limitations (bandwidth, hardware, network capabilities) when developing technical recommendations • Drive design sessions and present architectural options clearly to both technical and non-technical audiences Background Profile: The ideal candidate should have a strong understanding of how payments function within enterprise retail environments and be able to translate that into actionable system designs. • Deep knowledge of enterprise payment systems and transaction flows (card-present and card-not-present) • Experience integrating payment gateways, third-party processors (e.g., PayPal, Affirm), and custom payment solutions • Strong working knowledge of payment tokenization, vaulting, and compliance/security standards • Familiarity with .NET architectures, Azure hybrid environments, and API-based integrations • Comfortable working with legacy systems (e.g., COBOL, ISO file formats) and modernizing them over time • Skilled at producing architectural artifacts: current/future state diagrams, interface specs, integration maps • Strong communication skills—able to act as a translator between business leaders and engineers • Ability to own and lead initiatives across departments without layers of PMs or BAs Preferred: • Experience with ACI Worldwide or similar payment platforms • Understanding of retail accounting systems and reconciliation workflows • Azure cloud architecture experience • Experience in lean IT teams with end-to-end project responsibilities

Requirements