Senior Solutions Architect Merchandise Technology

Overview Great brands reflect culture. The best ones help shape it. At Foot Locker, we’re rooted in sport, powered by style, and driven by the communities that move both. From Foot Locker and Kids Foot Locker to Champs Sports, WSS, and atmos, our brands sit at the intersection of sport, style, and self-expression. As part of the DICK’S Sporting Goods family, you’re backed by the resources, reach, and career opportunities of a world-class sports company. That unleashes Foot Locker to keep pushing forward with the agility and edge that define the brand. We’re looking for great people who want to influence culture and the generation that is shaping what’s next. Whether you’re building strategy, shaping innovations, or creating unforgettable customer moments, you’ll contribute to decisions and experiences that define our brands’ impact in the communities we serve. Come change the game with us. Apply today! Fully Remote; US ONLY At this time, Foot Locker will not sponsor a new applicant for employment authorization, or offer any immigration related support for this position (i.e. H1B, F-1 OPT, F-1 STEM OPT, F-1 CPT, J-1, TN, or another type of work authorization. We are seeking a highly skilled and forward-thinking Sr. Solution Architect to lead the design and architecture of global merchandising technology solutions. This role is responsible for defining scalable, secure, and modern architectural patterns that enable business capabilities across merchandising domains, including planning, pricing, promotions, allocation, product, and core merchandising platforms. This leader will partner closely with product, engineering, and business teams to translate business needs into robust technical solutions, while also remaining actively engaged in implementation to ensure designs are practical, scalable, and successfully delivered. The role operates within a complex global business model spanning multiple regions and supports a distributed delivery organization, including significant offshore engineering and support teams. This position is part of a team of solution architects supporting the merchandising technology ecosystem, with individual ownership across specific domains based on expertise while contributing to a cohesive enterprise architecture vision. This role requires operating effectively in a dual legacy and modern technology environment, with accountability for supporting existing platforms while driving modernization, reducing technical debt, and enabling the transition to next-generation solutions. Responsibilities Architecture Strategy & Standards Define and evolve solution architecture patterns aligned with enterprise technology strategy, supporting both legacy and modern platforms while enabling progressive modernization Define patterns and approaches for integrating AI/ML capabilities into enterprise platforms, including model integration, data pipelines, and real-time decisioning Establish scalable, cloud-native, API-first, and event-driven architectural principles Ensure alignment of domain architectures with enterprise standards, security, and governance Contribute to long-term architecture roadmaps across merchandising technology Ensure architectural standards are practical, implementable, and aligned with real-world delivery constraints Define target-state architectures and transition paths that balance stability of legacy systems with modernization initiatives Solution Architecture & Design Lead end-to-end solution architecture for initiatives across merchandising platforms and capabilities Translate business requirements into scalable, flexible, and maintainable technical designs Design solutions that integrate seamlessly with existing legacy systems while enabling incremental modernization and future-state architecture Design architectures that enable scalable use of AI/ML, including batch and real-time processing, model deployment, and feedback loops Define solution architectures spanning applications, data, integrations, and infrastructure Develop architecture artifacts including diagrams, integration patterns, and technical specifications Ensure solutions meet requirements for performance, scalability, security, and resilience across both legacy and modern environments Stay actively engaged during implementation to refine designs based on technical and operational realities Core Platforms & Domain Architecture Provide architectural guidance across merchandising domains, including: Planning (assortment, allocation, MFP) Pricing, promotion, and markdown Core merchandising and item/product systems (PIM, item integration) Inventory, replenishment, and size/pack optimization Define domain-specific architecture approaches based on platform capabilities and business requirements Ensure consistency of architecture patterns across domains while supporting domain-specific needs Support and enable advanced capabilities through data and AI-driven solutions Provide architectural guidance for legacy platforms, including stabilization, integration, and phased modernization or retirement strategies Integration & Data Architecture Define integration strategies across enterprise systems (ERP, POS, ecommerce, data platforms, third-party SaaS, and legacy platforms) Establish standards for APIs, messaging, event-driven architectures, and data flows Design scalable data architectures to support analytics, reporting, and operational systems Ensure data integrity, consistency, and governance across systems Design integration patterns that bridge legacy and modern systems, enabling decoupling and progressive transformation Engineering Alignment & Hands-On Delivery Partner closely with engineering teams to ensure architectural designs are implemented effectively Contribute directly to solution delivery through hands-on involvement in design validation, prototyping, and complex problem resolution Participate in key design and code reviews to ensure adherence to architecture standards Actively support teams working within legacy environments, providing practical solutions to improve performance, stability, and maintainability Contribute to refactoring and modernization efforts by identifying opportunities to simplify or replace legacy components through hands-on involvement Support development teams in resolving challenging technical issues, integration complexities, and performance bottlenecks Validate implementation choices, ensuring alignment with architecture intent while adapting to real-world constraints, including limitations of legacy systems Bridge architecture and execution by ensuring solutions are both well-designed and successfully delivered Technology Evaluation & Platform Implementation Evaluate emerging technologies and platforms to improve merchandising capabilities Lead architecture input into vendor selection and package implementation decisions Define and guide implementation approaches for SaaS solutions, including configuration, integration, and extensibility Partner with delivery teams during implementations to ensure architecture is realized accurately and efficiently Drive continuous improvement of architecture patterns, frameworks, and tooling Define pragmatic modernization approaches, including replatforming, refactoring, or replacement of legacy systems where appropriate Cross-Functional Collaboration Partner with product managers, business stakeholders, and engineering leaders to align on solutions Facilitate decision-making across business and technology teams Communicate complex technical concepts clearly to both technical and non-technical audiences Support change initiatives by ensuring architecture enables scalable and sustainable solutions Qualifications Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Computer Science, Engineering, or related field 8+ years of experience designing and implementing enterprise-scale solutions Proven experience as a Solution Architect in complex retail or merchandising environments Strong experience with distributed systems, cloud-native architecture, and modern integration patterns Experience working across both legacy and modern technology environments, with demonstrated success in modernization and technical debt reduction Deep understanding of enterprise architecture principles and frameworks (e.g., TOGAF preferred) Experience with retail merchandising domains (e.g., planning, pricing, inventory, product, or supply chain) Hands-on experience with SaaS solutions and enterprise platforms (e.g., Oracle, o9, SAP, etc.) Experience designing or implementing AI/ML-enabled solutions in enterprise systems preferred Strong knowledge of integration technologies (APIs, event streaming, messaging frameworks) Experience with data architecture and analytics platforms Experience working in global, multi-region environments Experience working with offshore and distributed engineering teams Demonstrated ability to balance architecture leadership with hands-on technical engagement in delivery Excellent communication, collaboration, and influencing skills At Foot Locker, we value innovation, authenticity, and integrity in all that we do. To uphold the security and fairness of our hiring process, we ask that candidates refrain from using AI tools, including ChatGPT, during interviews and assessments. To ensure a smooth and secure experience, please review the following guidelines: Cameras must be on for all virtual interviews. AI tools are strictly prohibited during interviews or assessments. We appreciate your understanding and cooperation as we work together to create a transparent and equitable hiring experience. Benefits The annual base salary range is $140,000 - $170,000. This range represents the anticipated low and high end of the salary for this position. This role is also eligible to receive short and long term incentives that align with individual and company performance. Salary will be determined by the education, experience, knowledge, skills, and abilities of the applicant, internal equity, and alignment with market data. Salary is one component of the Foot Locker, Inc. total compensation package, which includes the below. Foot Locker Benefits : Employee Discount Paid Time Off Medical | Dental | Vision Coverage 401(k) | Roth 401(k) Stock Purchase Plan Life Insurance Flexible Spending Account Opportunities for Advancement Tuition Reimbursement for Qualified Courses Strong Company Culture Employee Resource Groups