Lead Platform Architect
Location: Brussels
Employment type: Full-time (hybrid working possible)
We are looking for a Lead Platform Architect to help shape the technical foundation of our in-house developed ERP platform. You combine vision, technical depth, and hands-on experience while working within a multidisciplinary team of technical team leads, developers, business analysts, product owners, QA Manager, testers, UI/UX specialists, and service desk staff.
You are able to defend and implement client decisions—or decisions based on your own expertise—in a constructive way within the wider team.
You work proactively, take on an advisory role, and report directly to the Director of Organization and Development. You are responsible for end-to-end platform architecture, simplify complexity, and inspire a team of 10–15 developers to work according to high-quality standards.
Your Impact
You define the technical direction of the platform and build a scalable, secure, and sustainable architecture that includes application, integration, and cloud components. You ensure that internal and external parties can contribute in a structured and high-quality manner. You advise the management and project leadership so that strategic decisions are well-founded.
Your Responsibilities
Platform Architecture & Strategy
* Design a forward-looking platform architecture, considering both functional and non-functional requirements.
* Define technology choices, architectural principles, standards, and guidelines.
* Identify and manage risks, dependencies, performance, and scalability challenges.
* Evaluate and introduce new technologies, including proof-of-concepts to assess feasibility and impact.
* Translate functional and non-functional requirements into technical specifications and software designs that meet business needs.
Technical Quality & Implementation
* Ensure security, performance, availability, and maintainability.
* Design and monitor high-quality integrations between systems, components, and cloud services.
* Support development teams during implementation, including code reviews and technical coaching.
* Maintain clear, complete documentation so external partners can contribute efficiently.
* Evaluate existing technical documentation, supplement it, or produce it if missing.
Leadership & Collaboration
* Provide technical leadership for a team of 10–15 developers; guide, inspire, and manage with a focus on quality.
* Collaborate with tech leads, developers, analysts, product owners, QA Manager, testers, UI/UX experts, and service desk teams.
* Proactively advise the Director of Organization and Development with clear reporting on decisions, risks, and impact.
* Promote knowledge sharing and strengthen a professional, open engineering culture.
Your Profile
Education & Experience
* Master's degree in Computer Science, Software Engineering, Business Engineering, or an equivalent technical master's degree.
* Minimum 10 years of relevant experience in software development, architecture, and technical leadership roles.
* Experience in complex enterprise environments is a strong advantage.
* Additional assets: Azure architecture certifications and DevOps certifications.
Technical Expertise
* Proven experience designing and implementing highly available, scalable cloud solutions for complex environments in large organizations.
* Deep knowledge of cloud-native architectures, including microservices, containerization, and serverless solutions.
* Extensive hands-on experience with Microsoft Azure as a cloud platform.
* Strong technical background in .NET and the broader Microsoft ecosystem.
* Solid expertise in Docker and managed Kubernetes environments.
* Experience designing API-driven architectures and applying modern integration patterns such as REST, JSON, and messaging.
* Strong understanding of application architecture, code structures, and monitoring quality and architectural standards.
* Plus points:
* Experience with or knowledge of event-driven architectures (e.g., Marten and event sourcing).
* Familiarity with GraphQL, PostgreSQL, Elasticsearch, RabbitMQ, and MassTransit.
* Knowledge of Domain-Driven Design (DDD).
* Experience with Azure infrastructure management (Infrastructure as Code, governance, security).
* Affinity with and active interest in open-source ecosystems.
Personal Skills
* Strong strategic and conceptual thinking; can structure complex domains clearly.
* Excellent communication skills, with impact on technical teams, management, and business stakeholders.
* Proactive, advisory, and forward-looking in technical decisions.
* Stress-resistant, mentally strong, and reliable in critical phases.
* Able to manage multiple initiatives and priorities in parallel without losing oversight.
* Coaching and inspiring leadership with a pragmatic approach; acts as a trusted advisor and ensures the architectural vision aligns with client goals.
What We Offer
* A key role in a socially relevant platform project.
* The opportunity to take on a hybrid architecture role with impact across all platform layers.
* A modern technology stack with space for innovation and architectural influence.
* A multidisciplinary team with expertise in development, analysis, user experience, testing, and service management.
* An open, collaborative culture where quality, knowledge sharing, and sustainable solutions are central.
Skills
* Analytic Thinking and Problem Solving: Yes
* Azure DevOps: Yes
* Financial Administration: Yes
* Good Planning Skills: Yes
* Leadership and Team Coaching: Yes
* Security & Privacy: Yes
* Stakeholder Reporting and Communication: Yes