Principal IT Architect - DC17

YOUR NEW ROLE

This role is for CODE LEAP's client company - JTL-Software

JTL-Software is one of Germany's leading providers of e-commerce and ERP solutions. More than 50,000 retailers rely on JTL every day to run their business. Our global development center in Vietnam is looking for talented people to build the next generation of these products. You'll work in an international team that pairs German software quality and Vietnamese speed to innovate.

The Principal IT Architect operates at the most senior individual contributor level within the IT team, carrying significant ownership for architecture, solution design, and technical quality across our corporate IT landscape: M365, identity, endpoints, and hybrid infrastructure. The role ensures that initiatives are implemented sustainably, scalably, and in alignment with the IT strategy.

This is not a management role in the traditional sense. Influence comes from technical depth, clear judgment, and the ability to bring teams and stakeholders along. Principals at this level shape the technical standard of the IT organization collectively — with clear ownership within their domains and on equal footing with peer Principals.

The Principal IT Architect owns the target architecture across the five domains of internal IT:

• Unified Digital Workplace & Identity — M365, Entra ID, Intune, Teams/SharePoint: identity and permission models (least privilege, JIT/JEA), Conditional Access guardrails, tenant structures; design of M&A onboardings (identity/mail migration, device takeover, workspace alignment)
• Help Desk & Operations Excellence — technical escalations at platform level, root-cause analysis of structural failures, resilience measures (remediation, drift control, telemetry, logging)
• IT Fundamentals, Security & Compliance — security and compliance controls (identity protection, endpoint baselines, device hardening), technical risk and impact analyses as decision input
• Automation, Integration & AI Enablement — JML lifecycle automation, Graph API integrations, telemetry pipelines, AI-powered support automation within policy guardrails
• Business Alignment & User Enablement — stakeholder and management communication, end to-end ownership

How we work: Cloud-first and integration-first, with golden paths instead of tool sprawl. Speed over perfection — with guardrails: small, shippable increments and traceable rollbacks. Users are partners, not risks: enablement over restriction, policies with minimal friction. Fundamentals first: patching, backups, inventories, and audits are measurable routines, not special projects. Documentation, roadmap, and support are transparent and English-first.

YOUR EXCITING TASKS

Technical Architecture & Strategy Execution

• Define target architecture, architecture principles, and technical guardrails for our corporate IT systems and platforms: M365 tenant, Entra ID / hybrid Active Directory, Intune endpoint management, and supporting infrastructure
• Translate strategic goals into concrete technical initiatives and prioritize by business value and risk
• Evaluate new technologies, platforms, and tools: benefits, risks, costs, strategic fit
• Design solutions according to modern architecture principles: cloud-native, Zero Trust, automation
• Own integration and platform strategies for IT services: consistent interfaces, API usage, system integration

Solution Ownership & Quality Assurance

• Structure complex requirements into technical work packages and document solution designs
• Guide teams through critical implementation phases and drive sound technical decisions
• Review architectures, designs, and implementations for consistency, quality, and strategic alignment
• Identify technical risks and develop mitigation measures
• Ensure complete, clear, and current documentation of systems and solutions
• Take technical lead on major incidents and structural problems

Mentoring & Capability Development

• Mentor senior and mid-level engineers, supporting individual growth and technical depth
• Share best practices and experiential knowledge in a structured way
• Identify skill gaps and initiate appropriate development measures
• Actively introduce and model modern technologies and ways of working

Innovation, Automation & Commercial Stewardship

• Identify automation opportunities and implement them through scripting, workflows, or platform solutions
• Evaluate and integrate AI-powered tools to improve efficiency and decision quality
• Build AI competence within the team
• Evaluate technical solutions from an economic perspective: TCO, ROI, scaling costs, vendor lock-in
• Develop structured option comparisons and decision materials for leadership
• Identify cost savings through tool consolidation, decommissioning unused services, and cloud optimization

On-site IT for the Ho Chi Minh City office

• Own local endpoint provisioning, network setup, and hardware lifecycle
• Serve as the primary on-site escalation point for Vietnam-based staff
• Act as the direct interface to IT leadership in Germany — ensuring local IT operations fully align with JTL's security baselines and global standard

YOUR PROFILE AND YOUR PERSONALITY

• 5+ years in a technical leadership role as Architect, Tech Lead, or Principal Engineer in corporate IT / IT infrastructure (not software product development)
• Proven architecture competence in Microsoft environments: M365, Intune, hybrid infrastructure, and Active Directory / Entra ID — designed and owned at tenant/organization scale, not as application integration
• Deep understanding of modern architecture patterns: cloud-native, Zero Trust, API-first, automation
• Experience leading teams functionally without disciplinary authority
• Strong ability to communicate technical topics clearly to technical and non-technical audiences
• Cost awareness in technical decision-making
• High reliability and sound judgment in sensitive or high-stakes situations — someone who can be trusted to act independently on critical systems, escalations, or strategic decisions without constant check-ins
• Fluent English

Nice To Have

• Background in security architecture (Zero Trust, IAM, compliance requirements)
• Experience running IT in an ERP, e-commerce, or SaaS company environment
• Comfortable using AI tools for productivity and technical decision support

Benefits Await You

• A key technical role with direct influence over the IT organization’s technical direction
• Close collaboration with IT leadership and business departments
• Room to shape cloud and platform strategy
• Competitive salary and benefits
• Year-end bonus (13th-month salary)
• Generous annual leave of up to 18 days
• Additional premium health insurance
• Enjoy an endless selection of delicious refreshments, including gourmet coffee, beverages, snacks, and fresh fruits, all complimentary
• Dynamic, fun, and agile environment, perfect for sharing and creativity
• Open-minded, kind & humble colleagues

CONTACT

Come to talk to us at [email protected]