Solutions Architect

Solution Architect.

About Us

Mars is a family-owned business with more than $35 billion in global sales. We produce some of the world’s best-loved brands: M&M’s®, SNICKERS®, TWIX®, MILKY WAY®, DOVE®, PEDIGREE®, ROYAL CANIN®, WHISKAS®, EXTRA®, ORBIT®, 5™, SKITTLES®, BEN’S ORIGINAL®, and COCOAVIA®. Alongside our consumer brands, we proudly take care of half of the world’s pets through our nutrition, health and services businesses such as Banfield Pet Hospitals™, BluePearl®, Linnaeus, AniCura, VCA™ and Pet Partners™. Headquartered in McLean, VA, Mars operates in more than 80 countries. The Mars Five Principles – Quality, Responsibility, Mutuality, Efficiency and Freedom – inspire our 130,000 Diverse Associates to act daily towards creating the world we want tomorrow.

Job Description

Pet Nutrition (PN) is the most vibrant category in the FMCG sector. Being part of Mars Petcare, we are on a mission to create a better world for Pets. As part of the new operating model at Pet nutrition, we are redoubling our focus on the Operating entities (North America, LATAM, Europe, ANZ & Asia) to drive value. At any given point in time, are a number of key initiatives at the OE(Operating entity) that require thought leadership for a digital technology solution architect, this could be brand new initiatives to improve a certain capability that is not present in the organization locally or globally. In other instances, it may also be items that are classified as operational imperative which helps protect the continuity of the business.

Are you passionate about being the technical thought leader to bring exciting new technologies to solve high impact business problem? Do you have the strategic vision, technical expertise, and leadership skills to drive end to end DT solutions? Do you want to work in a dynamic, fast-growing category? If so, you might be the ideal candidate for the role of OE Solution architect in the Enterprise Architecture function for Pet Nutrition (PN) at Mars.

This role is a permanent BAU role and will be located at OE you support and hence you will naturally be an extended member of the OE DT team.

What are we looking for?

• Bachelor’s degree or Equivalent (IT Degree preferred in particular computer science, data science or related field)
• Knowledge of SAP, E-commerce, ERP or salesforce highly desirable
• Previous experience as an Enterprise Architect desirable
• Supply Chain Supply Logistics nice to have.
• Work with stakeholders to understand business needs and translate them into technical requirements.
• Develop high-level architecture and design solutions that meet business goals and non-functional requirements.
• Ensure solutions are scalable, secure, maintainable, and aligned with industry best practices.
• Evaluate and recommend appropriate technologies, tools, and frameworks.
• Stay current with emerging technologies and industry trends to incorporate into solutions.
• Design integration strategies for various systems, ensuring seamless interoperability.
• Plan and manage data flow and communication between systems.
• Develop prototypes or POCs to validate the feasibility of proposed solutions.
• Ensure the quality of the solution by conducting reviews.
• Implement and enforce coding standards and best practices.
• Identify potential risks and develop mitigation strategies.
• Ensure compliance with regulatory and security standards.
• Proven track record of delivering value through data products in a fast-paced, agile environment.
• Present solution options to design authorities and governance forums
• A strong customer centric mindset especially within an internal customer base with the purpose of driving adoption and use
• Experience working in a global-region model with potentially conflicting needs/views and ability to navigate a complex organizational landscape
• Must be customer focused with demonstrated ability to form productive relationship including business & DT leaders

What will be your key responsibilities?

• Mars Principles: Live and exemplify the Five Principles of Mars, Inc. within self and team.
• Strategy and Thought Leadership: Work with PN OE business & Digital Leadership to create and execute the DT strategy and roadmap for the OE, in alignment with the Pet Nutrition’s business strategic priorities and goals. Bring the "outside-In" by maintaining an external network of digital professionals to deliver value faster and build our capabilities of the future.
• Stakeholder Engagement: Collaborate with OE business leaders, OE DT leaders, Global DT leaders and hero product/program leaders from digital first program. You align with and support Enterprise architecture efforts in Mars Nutrition, Petcare, Global delivery organisation (GDO), CISO teams.
• Architectural governance, review and assurance: you are responsible for effective and proportionate governance, prepare high level solution designs, solution architectures to be presented at the PN ARB. You ensure that critical DT design decisions and issues escalated by delivery teams across PN Digital technology (DT) & business are reviewed and resolved promptly. You drive architectural governance, review and assurance in partnership with the Technology Leadership Team, PN/Petcare/Corporate EAs and colleagues in the wider Mars PN.
• Roadmap to achieve the target architecture: you are responsible for setting out a roadmap to move from the current state architecture to the target architecture for the OE, taking account of the change portfolio and expected future change plans. You ensure that the roadmap is maintained to account for evolving requirements. You will also input into global products regarding Market Archetypes where appropriate to ensure global solutions are fit for the OE and implemented successfully.
• Work with development team: you are expected to work with development teams/Sis to guide and offer expert advice to ensure the application is built the highest standards and is in line with Mars PN EA architecture principles and above all, the solutions meet business requirements. Ensure comprehensive documentation, including solution architecture diagrams, technical specifications, and user guides are produced. You are expected to challenge development team to come up with reusable global solutions whilst allowing exceptions where appropriate (e.g. retailor specific nuances)

What can you expect from Mars?

• Work with over 140,000 diverse and talented Associates, all guided by the Five Principles.
• Join a purpose driven company, where we’re striving to build the world we want tomorrow, today.
• Best-in-class learning and development support from day one, including access to our in-house Mars University.
• An industry competitive salary and benefits package, including company bonus.

#TBDDT