ICT Architect (Expert)
Gent & Brussels, Belgium (Hybrid)
Full-time Contract | Freelance / Consulting Assignment
Start Date: 1 June 2026
Contract Duration: Until 15 July 2027
Application Deadline: 27 May 2026
We are looking for an experienced ICT / Solution & Development Architect to define and drive the architectural direction of critical public sector digital platforms. In this role, you will ensure technical coherence, scalability, maintainability, and long-term evolution of applications within a high-impact government digital ecosystem.
You will work closely with product owners, technical analysts, and development teams to translate business needs into robust technical architectures, while actively guiding design decisions and ensuring alignment with enterprise architecture standards.
Role Focus
* Define and steer architectural direction for digital applications and platforms
* Ensure scalability, maintainability, and technical coherence across systems
* Translate business requirements into robust system designs and technical solutions
* Support platform evolution and integration across government data systems
* Contribute to roadmap planning with technical epics and architectural work packages
* Document architectural decisions and provide clear technical guidelines
* Collaborate with enterprise architects and architecture governance teams
* Promote sustainable design principles and avoid technical debt
Key Responsibilities
* Design end-to-end architectures for applications such as automated advisory systems and data integration platforms
* Define and oversee system integrations (APIs, REST, SOAP, event-driven systems)
* Guide development teams through architectural decisions and trade-offs
* Ensure alignment with governance frameworks and architecture standards
* Contribute to system lifecycle management and platform evolution
* Support implementation of rule-based systems and data-driven services
* Coordinate with cross-functional teams to ensure delivery consistency
* Evaluate technology choices with a focus on long-term sustainability
* Maintain architecture documentation (models, diagrams, specifications)
Required Experience & Skills
Must-Have
* 8+ years of experience as a specialist architect or enterprise architect
* Strong experience in Java / Spring Boot ecosystems
* Deep knowledge of API design (REST and SOAP)
* Experience with architectural modelling tools and methods:
o ArchiMate
o TOGAF
o UML
o Sparx EA
* Strong understanding of business processes and system design principles
* Experience with project management aspects (planning, costing, coordination, estimation)
* Fluency in Dutch (CEFR C2 level required)
Preferred Qualifications
* Experience with linked data / semantic web technologies (RDF, JSON-LD)
* Experience with MAGDA or similar government data platforms
* Messaging systems: RabbitMQ, Kafka
* Test-driven development (TDD)
* Tools like WireMock
* Agile and systems thinking methodologies
* Strong background in distributed architectures and integration platforms
Ideal Candidate
You are a pragmatic and experienced architect who balances technical depth with business understanding. You prefer structured, well-reasoned architectural decisions over trends, and you thrive in environments where reliability, governance, and long-term sustainability are critical. You are comfortable guiding teams, making final design decisions, and aligning multiple stakeholders around a shared technical vision.
Additional Information
* Hybrid working model (Brussels & Ghent)
* Expected workload: ~4000 hours
* Minimum 50% onsite presence (Brussels fixed day Monday)
* Strong focus on ownership, collaboration, and delivery mindset
* Candidate weighting: 50% quality / 50% price
* Must comply with sustainability (DNSH) EU funding requirements
* Interviews expected within 2 weeks after deadline
Apply
If you are passionate about enterprise architecture, large-scale government platforms, and building robust digital ecosystems, we would love to hear from you.