About the Company :Dentsu and Santander are partnering to drive growth and prosperity by helping Small and Mid-sized Businesses to access International Trade through a world-first, global platform and ecosystem of expertise, insight and connections. This role will be an important member of the team behind our platform's launch and global success.Position Overview :The Head of Integrated Technology Architecture and Development will be the key role within the NavCo organization, accountable for defining and owning the architectural design and platform development and setting and executing the organisations technology strategy. In this role, you will work closely with key stakeholders and cross-functional leaders to align the architectural direction with business goals. You will oversee a globally distributed team, ensuring that architectural decisions drive innovation, scalability and operational excellence in line with NavCo's strategic goals.Key Responsibilities :Leadership :Accountable for defining and driving the architecture strategy for NavCo's technology landscape. Oversee six practice lines / leads (data, martech, web analytics, e&c, sales & service, advanced analytics) with a team of nearly 50 professionals across key regions (UK, Spain, Bulgaria, India).Function as a key counterpart to the Head of Domain & Technology within Santander Navigator. Ensuring seamless alignment across global technology, product, and business strategy initiatives.Represent Technology as part of integrated delivery leadership across a complex Santander Navigator global organisation, spanning (but not limited to) technology, product, brand & marketing, strategy, operations.Principal technology point of contact for technology vendors. Managing the relationship with key partners, including Adobe, Salesforce, AWS and other 3rd party vendors. Supporting on commercial considerations and contracting where necessary.Steer and support resourcing, planning, and risk mitigation efforts, collaborating closely with program and project leads and serving as a primary escalation point for major issues.Define, communicate, and champion a global, multi-market architectural vision, directly influencing deployment across 49 markets.Serve as the architectural authority and technical thought leader across all NavCo's technology domains, guiding multi-disciplinary teams to deliver cohesive, scalable, and innovative solutions.Continuously drive architectural innovation to enhance system performance, user experience, and business outcomes.Collaboration and Communication :Partner with senior executives (eg CSO, CDO, CMO, CCO) to address strategic challenges and ensure alignment across business and technology goals.Translate complex architectural concepts into actionable insights and communicate effectively to diverse stakeholder groups, including executives, technical teams, and non-technical stakeholders.Collaborate with product managers, business analysts, and stakeholders to understand requirements and translate them into architectural solutions.Cultivate a culture of collaboration and thought leadership, ensuring knowledge sharing and architectural alignment across all teams.Architecture Governance :Establish robust architectural standards and governance frameworks, driving consistent implementation across all projects and ensuring alignment with organisational and industry best practices.Identify, assess, and mitigate architectural risks, establishing proactive risk management practices to safeguard project timelines.Identify and mitigate architectural risks that may impact project delivery or system performance.Implement key technologies to ensure we are compliant in the markets we operate.Anticipate future architectural challenges and proactively address them to minimize impact on project timelines and quality.Help document tech processes to ensure business continuity and operational effectiveness.Technical Expertise :Stay abreast of emerging technologies, industry trends, and best practices in software architecture and engineering.Provide guidance on the selection and adoption of appropriate technologies and frameworks to support business objectives.Mentor development teams on architectural principles, design patterns, and coding practices.Advanced expertise in primary technologies chosen, including Adobe, Salesforce and AWS.Demonstrated success in a senior architecture or technology leadership role (10 years+), especially in guiding large-scale, complex implementations.A strategic mindset with the ability to align technical direction to business goals.Strong understanding of software architecture principles, design patterns, and architectural styles (e.G., microservices, event-driven architecture).Proficiency in designing and implementing scalable, resilient, and maintainable software systems.Excellent communication and interpersonal skills, with the ability to articulate complex technical concepts to diverse audiences.Leadership qualities with a collaborative and team-oriented approach.Experience with agile development methodologies and DevOps practices is desirable.Certifications in relevant technologies or frameworks (e.G. Salesforce, Adobe, AWS Certified Solutions Architect) is a plus.Bachelor's or Master's degree in Computer Science, Engineering, or related field.A few of the benefits :Attractive and great compensation package.Free life and health insurance.Career development through Dentsu University and LinkedIn Learning.Day off on your birthday.Annual wellness days.Merkle Care Employee Assistance Program.Flexible salary remuneration scheme.About Dentsu :Taking a people-centered approach to business transformation, we use insights to connect brand, content, commerce and experience, underpinned by modern creativity. As part of Dentsu Group Inc. we are headquartered in Tokyo, Japan and our 65,000 employee-base of dedicated professionals work across four regions (Japan, Americas, EMEA and APAC). Dentsu combines Japanese innovation with a diverse, global perspective to drive client growth and to shape society. Diversity, equity, and inclusion sits at the heart of our Social Impact strategy - our fully integrated sustainability strategy which includes our ambition to build a fair and more equal society, where everyone is equipped to thrive. If you have any reasonable adjustment needs arising from a disability or medical condition to fully participate in the recruitment process, please discuss this with our recruitment teams.Location :BarcelonaBrand :MerkleTime Type :Full timeContract Type :Permanent#J-18808-Ljbffr