Director - Solution Architect

Who we are:

GMG is a global well-being company retailing, distributing and manufacturing a portfolio of leading international and home-grown brands across sport, everyday goods, health and beauty, properties and logistics sectors. Under the ownership and management of the Baker family for over 45 years, GMG is a valued partner of choice for the world's most successful and respected brands in the well-being sector. Working across the Middle East, North Africa, and Asia, GMG has introduced more than 120 brands across 12 countries. These include notable home-grown brands such as Sun & Sand Sports, Dropkick, Supercare Pharmacy, Farm Fresh, Klassic, and international brands like Nike, Columbia, Converse, Timberland, Vans, Mama Sita's, and McCain.

Role Summary:
We are seeking a strategic and forward-thinking Technology Solution Architect to drive AI-driven automation, technology rationalization, and innovation in our retail business. This role requires a deep understanding of retail operations, AI/ML, hyper automation (RPA, intelligent workflows), and enterprise architecture optimization.

As a key leader reporting to the CTO, you will define technology roadmaps, rationalize legacy systems, evaluate new investments, and mitigate risks while ensuring alignment with business objectives. You will act as a trusted advisor, translating complex technical concepts into actionable strategies for executive stakeholders.

Responsibilities:

AI & Automation Leadership

• Architect AI/ML-driven solutions (predictive analytics, personalized recommendations, demand forecasting, chatbots, computer vision for retail).

• Design hyper automation strategies (RPA, process mining, workflow automation) to optimize retail operations (supply chain, inventory, customer service).

• Identify opportunities for generative AI (GenAI) applications in retail (dynamic pricing, content generation, virtual shopping assistants).

Technology Portfolio Rationalization & Roadmaps

• Conduct current-state assessments of retail tech stack (eCommerce, POS, ERP, CRM) and define modernization paths.

• Develop 3–5-year technology roadmaps aligned with business growth, balancing innovation with cost efficiency.

• Lead legacy system sunsetting, cloud migration, and consolidation initiatives to reduce complexity.

Investment Strategy & Business Case Development

• Clearly articulate a point of view on new technology investments (e.g., AI platforms, composable commerce, edge computing).

• Build ROI-driven business cases for tech initiatives, partnering with Finance and Product teams.

• Evaluate build-vs-buy-vs-partner decisions for retail solutions.

Risk Management & Governance

• Proactively identify technical, security, and compliance risks in retail systems (PCI, GDPR, AI ethics).

• Define architectural guardrails to ensure scalability, resilience, and regulatory adherence.

• Establish vendor risk assessment frameworks for third-party AI/automation tools.

Stakeholder Collaboration & Leadership

• Present executive-level recommendations to CTO and business leaders on tech strategy.

• Partner with Data Science, Engineering, and Operations teams to implement AI/automation at scale.

• Mentor teams on emerging tech trends and best practices in retail architecture.

People Management
The incumbent holds no direct supervisory responsibilities but is expected to engage effectively within their function and collaboratively across cross-functional teams. This role contributes meaningfully, whether through operational contributions and/or by offering specialized expertise, guidance, and support, to ensure alignment with either functional and/or strategic organizational goals and objectives.

Functional / Technical Competencies:

• Enterprise and solution architecture design

• AI/ML solutioning and implementation (GenAI, predictive modelling, MLOps)

• Hyper automation platforms (RPA, process orchestration)

• Cloud-native platforms and microservices architecture (AWS, Azure, GCP)

• API-first and event-driven system design

• Data architecture concepts including data mesh and real-time analytics

• Risk management, compliance, and IT governance

• Strategic planning, portfolio management, and technology investments

• Cross-functional leadership and agile delivery

Experience:

o 16+ years in solution/enterprise architecture, with 5+ years in retail/eCommerce.

o Proven track record in AI/ML implementations, automation (RPA, workflow tools), and cloud-native architectures (AWS/Azure/GCP).

Strong experience in SQL, Python.

o Strong background in technology portfolio rationalization and roadmap development.

o Hands-on with AI frameworks (TensorFlow, PyTorch), GenAI tools, MLOps, and automation platforms (UiPath, Power Automate).

o Knowledge of retail tech stacks (e.g., SAP, Salesforce Commerce Cloud, Adobe Experience Cloud).

o Familiarity with data mesh, event-driven architectures, and API-first design.

Certifications:

• AI/ML: AWS/Azure AI Certifications, Google Professional ML Engineer

• Automation: UiPath Certified RPA Architect, Microsoft Power Platform

• Architecture: TOGAF, AWS/Azure Solutions Architect

• Retail: NRF Certifications, Retail Technology Council