Lead Technical Architect role reporting to Engineering Director with 12-18 years experience and team management responsibility. Accountable for defining and governing target architecture, engineering practices, and delivery governance across a polyglot engineering platform using React, TypeScript, Node.js, NestJS, MongoDB/Mongoose, GraphQL Federation, Kafka, Python/FastAPI, and n8n automation. Responsibilities include setting architecture principles, roadmap, design reviews, frontend and backend architecture, data and event-driven architecture, identity and access management, AI integration, cloud-native deployment readiness, performance and observability standards, and embedding testing strategies. Requires proven leadership at Lead Technical Architect or Principal Architect level, deep expertise in listed technologies, experience with AI integration, event-driven systems, identity management, cloud-native systems, and established testing practices. Preferred qualifications include TOGAF certification, Kubernetes, DevSecOps, platform engineering or SRE experience, legacy modernization, and relevant certifications.
What you'll do
Define the target technical architecture for the platform including architecture principles, reference patterns, and roadmap from current to target state
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Govern architecture decisions through documented decision records, design review, and conformance checkpoints, escalating material trade-offs for approval
Architect the React/TypeScript frontend covering component structure, state management, performance budgets, and accessibility standards
Direct backend service architecture in Node.js/TypeScript (NestJS) including service boundaries, API contracts, resilience patterns, and versioning strategy
Define the data architecture across MongoDB including schema and access-pattern design, indexing strategy, data lifecycle, and integrity controls
Own the GraphQL Federation architecture including supergraph composition, subgraph boundaries, schema contracts, entity resolution, and breaking-change policy
Establish event-driven architecture on Kafka defining topic and event contract design, partitioning, delivery semantics, and schema evolution rules
Set the identity and access architecture covering authentication and authorisation flows, token handling, session policy, and least-privilege service access
Guide the Python/FastAPI service architecture defining its contract, packaging conventions, and integration with the wider platform
Scope and constrain n8n usage to workflow automation and integration orchestration defining guardrails distinguishing automation workflows from engineered application services
Own the AI architecture covering model integration and routing, prompt and tooling boundaries, evaluation criteria, and safety and cost controls
Assure evidence-based application readiness for Docker and Kubernetes ensuring applications consume platform-owned Helm charts and GitHub Actions pipelines
Set runtime performance and observability standards including Azure Cache for Redis caching patterns and Application Insights instrumentation, tracing, and alerting
Partner with engineering teams and sub-pods to raise engineering practices, embed testing strategy across unit, integration, contract, and end-to-end layers, and sustain predictable delivery flow
Requirements
Proven technical leadership of an engineering team at Lead Technical Architect or Principal Architect scope
Deep expertise in TypeScript, React, Node.js, NestJS, MongoDB/Mongoose and Web Components/micro-frontends
GraphQL schema design and federated graph architecture including subgraph composition and contract versioning
Experience with event-driven architecture using Kafka, Schema Registry and Avro including schema evolution and compatibility governance
Experience with identity and access architecture: OAuth2/OIDC, Okta, service-account token exchange and ABAC
Working knowledge of Python/FastAPI in a polyglot service environment
Experience integrating AI capabilities in production systems including Azure OpenAI and Anthropic model routing with prompt governance, token-cost control and PII safeguards
Strategy and architecture governance in a cross-functional environment
Cloud-native, distributed systems design with deployment readiness ownership for Docker/Kubernetes applications consuming platform-owned Helm/GitHub Actions
Accountability for delivery, reliability and security outcomes
Established testing and quality practice across Jest, React Testing Library, Playwright and pytest
Track record of establishing engineering practices and architecture governance that scale across a complex organisation
Strongly preferred: TOGAF certification or equivalent structured architecture practice
Strongly preferred: Kubernetes, Docker, Infrastructure as Code and DevSecOps experience beyond core application readiness
Strongly preferred: Legacy modernisation and platform re-architecture at scale
Strongly preferred: Platform engineering or SRE practice including service level objectives, observability and operational resilience
Strongly preferred: Prior integration delivery against Mediaocean Prisma or comparable media buying and finance platforms
Strongly preferred: Microsoft Certified Azure Solutions Architect Expert or equivalent AWS certification
Tech stack
ReactTypeScriptNode.jsNestJSMongoDBMongooseGraphQL FederationKafkaPythonFastAPIn8nDockerKubernetesHelmGitHub ActionsAzure Cache for RedisApplication InsightsOAuth2OIDCOktaJestReact Testing LibraryPlaywrightpytestAzure OpenAIAnthropic
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