This role is part of the internal IT organization, not product development. Its scope covers the systems JTL itself runs on: the M365 tenant, identity and access (Entra ID / hybrid Active Directory), endpoint management with Intune, hybrid infrastructure, and workplace services.
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. 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.
Architecture Domains
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 of key user journeys (joiner/mover/leaver, team setup, onboarding of new entities)
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.Responsibilities
Technical Architecture & Strategy Execution
- Define target architecture, architecture principles, and technical guardrails for systems, platforms, and integrations
- 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: 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