Lead Solutions Architect

Job Description:

About the Role Merkle is seeking an accomplished Solution Architect to own the end-to-end technical vision and delivery quality for enterprise-grade digital platforms. This role sits over the top of all technology on an engagement, defining a unified architecture across every domain while serving as the primary client-facing technical leader on the engagements you lead. You operate with full project autonomy and are accountable for end-to-end technical excellence, supported by domain architects (such as frontend and backend) whom you direct and consult with.

You will design architecture solutions for high performance and scalability across applications and architecture domains, translate business and IT strategy into architectural designs, and guide architects, lead engineers, and development teams through delivery. As a trusted advisor to our clients, you establish governance, maintain architecture documentation, drive continuous improvement, and lead solution architecture efforts for client engagements from pitch through go-live.

We strive to find technical leaders who pair deep hands‑on expertise with the judgment to make sound, defensible decisions at scale. A natural curiosity to explore new technology, the determination to rise to complex challenges, and a genuine desire to empower teams and the broader technical community all resonate well here.

Solution Ownership & Technical Vision Own overall project technical quality and delivery across all technology domains, operating with full project autonomy and accountability for end-to-end technical excellence. Define and own the unified technical vision across every domain on the engagement, collaborating with and directing domain architects (frontend, backend, and others) to ensure alignment. Lead architecture solution design across applications and all architecture domains to ensure high performance, scalability, and adherence to defined standards and policies.

Provide architectural oversight across all domains, including platform, CMS, integration, and middleware, partnering with the relevant domain architects on detailed design. Define overall technical standards and enforce them through the architect team, remaining hands‑on where the work demands it. Make final technical decisions and resolve cross-domain conflicts, acting as the project's ultimate technical decision maker. Identify and own proof of concepts to de‑risk architectural direction and validate technical decisions, partnering with relevant domain architects as needed.

Act as the primary client technical point of contact, building strategic and technical rapport with stakeholders to influence decision making. Prepare and present architecture and solution recommendations to obtain stakeholder buy‑in, translating complex technical decisions for non‑technical audiences. Lead solution architecture pitches and client work, partnering with strategy, design, engineering, and business analysis teams. Partner with business analysts to understand the requirements they define, and with development teams to ensure solutions are built to support those requirements and optimal performance.

Identify and communicate cross‑area and cross‑release issues that affect other project areas.

Establish and enforce architecture governance and practices to ensure architectural integrity and consistency across the software development lifecycle. Define, create, and maintain comprehensive architectural documentation and decision records across all domains. Own the technical risk register, managing high‑impact technical risks and resolving cross‑domain conflicts throughout the project lifecycle. Lead go‑live planning and feature sequencing during project planning, and own order‑of‑magnititude feature sizing and estimates.

Participate in project planning and estimation activities and consult on sprint ceremonies and showcase demos.

Mentor and coach domain architects, and technical teams within your project. Drive continuous improvement within your project’s technical teams,…