Summary
As an Associate Director in Solutions Architecture, you will lead the design and orchestration of complex, scalable solutions that align with business strategy and deliver measurable value. While this role does not have direct reports, it requires strong leadership through influence — working closely with cross-functional teams, external partners, and business stakeholders to ensure architectural integrity, feasibility, and alignment with enterprise standards.
Main Responsibilities
Strategic & Technical Leadership
Translate business needs into high-impact architectural solutions that support long-term goals.
Shape solution strategy in collaboration with product, delivery, and technology teams.
Balance innovation with enterprise constraints such as lifecycle management, compliance, and cost.
Cross-Functional Collaboration
Act as a key liaison between business stakeholders, delivery teams, and technical experts.
Influence architectural decisions across cross-functional teams, even without direct authority.
Ensure shared understanding of design scope, dependencies, and governance.
Solution Design & Governance
Lead the development of end-to-end solution architectures across multiple initiatives.
Ensure solutions adhere to enterprise architecture standards, security policies, and regulatory frameworks (e.g., GxP, GDPR).
Contribute to architecture review boards and governance forums.
Innovation & Continuous Improvement
Stay current with emerging technologies and trends to inform solution design relevant to pharma R&D (AI/ML, data platforms, digital twins, etc.).
Identify opportunities to improve delivery efficiency, scalability, and maintainability.
Knowledge, Abilities & Experience
Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Computer Science, Engineering, or related field.
Significant experience (typically 8–12+ years) designing and delivering enterprise-grade solutions in complex, regulated environments (pharma/life sciences a plus). Strong ability to influence without direct authority across diverse teams and stakeholders.
Experience working with external vendors and delivery partners.
Familiarity with Agile/SAFe delivery models and DevOps practices.
Excellent communication and stakeholder management skills.
Key Technical Competencies
End-to-End Solutions Architecture – design of scalable, modular, and resilient systems.
Cloud-Native Design – experience with AWS, Azure, or GCP.
API & Microservices Architecture – building loosely coupled, reusable services.
Data Architecture – modeling, governance, and performance optimization.
DevOps & CI/CD – automation pipelines and continuous delivery practices.
Security by Design – embedding security and compliance from the start.
Emerging Technologies – awareness of AI, edge computing, IoT, etc.
System Integration – orchestrating diverse platforms and technologies.
Infrastructure as Code (IaC) – using tools like Terraform or Ansible.
Technical Governance – contributing to architecture standards and review boards.
We are committed to creating a workplace where everyone feels heard, valued, and supported; where we embrace “The Real Us”. The value we place on different perspectives and experiences drives our commitment to inclusion and equal opportunities. When we include diverse ways of thinking, we make more thoughtful decisions and discover more innovative solutions. Together we strive to better understand the communities we serve. This means we also want to help you perform at your best when applying for a role with us. If you require any adjustments or support during the application process, please let the recruitment team know. This information will be handled with care and will not affect the outcome of your application. Ipsen is an equal opportunity employer that strictly prohibits unlawful discrimination. We recruit, employ, train, compensate, and promote without regard to an individual’s race, color, religion, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity/expression, national origin/ancestry, age, mental/physical disability, medical condition, marital status, veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by law.
