Principal Architect

WHO WE ARE

Mariner innovates always and everywhere, turning novel ideas into practical solutions. From products and services to venture creation, we build better futures powered by people.

Our purpose has always been to be a great, everlasting technology company for those who make an impact - elevating people, data, and technology in the best way to solve hard problems. 

We partner with people embracing change, leveraging data, cybersecurity, cloud, and change management to drive successful business outcomes that matter to our customers. 

Mariners build for change. Like SHIFT Energy, our energy management and decarbonization company. Or East Valley Ventures, created to scale social economic impact in our communities through investment and mentorship of emerging change-makers and their companies. 

Mariner’s purpose has always been to be a great, everlasting technology company and the core values that guide us every day are: 

OUR VALUES

• We care for our team.
• We care about the impact we have on our community.
• We serve by solving complex problems.
• We grow because growth fuels opportunities.
• We innovate always and everywhere.
• We build a business that lasts.

OVERVIEW OF THE ROLE

We are looking for a Principal Architect to join the Mariner team — a senior technical leader with the business acumen, strategic vision, and hands-on expertise to strengthen and grow our Architecture Practice. The right person will lead our architectural strategy, elevate our team of architects, serve as a trusted advisor to client executives, contribute to business growth, and be a recognizable voice in the technology community.This is a role for someone who wants to shape how we do architecture at Mariner — and who is energized by the opportunity to grow alongside the practice

WHAT YOU’LL BE DOING IN THE ROLE:

Architecture Strategy & Practice Leadership

• Define and drive Mariner’s overall architecture strategy and roadmap, translating business goals into scalable, forward-looking architectural plans that span application, data, infrastructure, security, and AI domains
• Lead and continuously evolve the Architecture Practice: setting standards, building the community of practice, driving knowledge sharing, and establishing governance processes that scale.
• Identify and recruit strong architectural talent; actively shape team composition and mentor architects at all levels to build a high-performing, cohesive practice.
• Align technology initiatives with enterprise architecture frameworks (e.g., TOGAF), ensuring consistency and integration across all architectural domains.
• Identify architectural risks, assess trade-offs, and define mitigation strategies to ensure robust, resilient solution design at enterprise scale.
• Champion innovation by staying ahead of industry trends — particularly in Data, AI/ML, cloud, and cybersecurity — and translating emerging capabilities into strategic advantage for clients.

Executive Advisory & Client Engagement

• Serve as a trusted executive advisor to C-suite and senior leadership stakeholders at client organizations, communicating complex architectural concepts with clarity, authority, and business relevance.
• Lead executive-level architecture reviews, workshops, and strategy sessions — building lasting client relationships and reinforcing Mariner’s value as a strategic partner.
• Translate technical architecture into business value narratives that resonate with non-technical decision makers, including boards, executives, and procurement leaders.
• Support and influence major technology investment decisions at client organizations, ensuring architectural alignment and strategic coherence across large-scale programs.

Business Development & Growth

• Play an active role in pre-sales and business development — engaging with prospective clients, contributing to solution design during the sales cycle, and helping shape proposals and pitches that win.
• Bring architectural credibility and executive presence to client discovery sessions, RFP responses, and competitive pursuits, particularly for complex, high-value engagements.
• Identify and develop new business opportunities within existing client accounts, leveraging deep relationships and architectural insight to surface unmet needs.
• Collaborate with account teams, practice leads, and executives to develop go-to-market positioning for Mariner’s architecture and Data/AI offerings.
• Contribute to thought leadership — white papers, conference presentations, industry forums — that strengthen Mariner’s brand and competitive differentiation.

Delivery & Technical Oversight

• Provide technical leadership and architectural oversight across large-scale, multi-stream programs — contributing to planning, budgeting, resource allocation, and quality assurance.
• Evaluate and select technology vendors and products in collaboration with procurement and client teams, ensuring alignment with architectural standards and organizational goals.
• Ensure that all architectural decisions deliver measurable business value and are grounded in a clear understanding of organizational objectives and constraints.

WHAT SKILLS / QUALIFICATIONS YOU’LL NEED TO DO THE JOB:

Experience & Credentials

• 12+ years of progressive experience in IT architecture, with at least 5 years in a senior, principal, or director-level architecture role in a consulting or professional services environment.
• Demonstrated experience building or leading an architecture practice, including establishing governance, developing talent, and setting standards at an organizational level.
• Deep cross-domain expertise spanning application, data, cloud infrastructure, security, and AI/ML architecture — with the ability to engage credibly across all domains at a senior level.
• Proficiency in enterprise architecture frameworks, particularly TOGAF (certification preferred); familiarity with other frameworks such as Zachman, FEAF, or industry-specific equivalents.
• Proven track record of executive-level stakeholder engagement — navigating complex organizations, building trusted advisor relationships, and influencing major technology decisions.
• Experience with public sector clients is a strong asset; familiarity with government procurement processes and compliance frameworks is an advantage.
• Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science, Engineering, Information Systems, or a related field; advanced degrees, certifications (TOGAF, AWS/Azure/GCP architect certifications, CISSP, etc.) are assets.

Consulting & Communication Skills

• Exceptional executive communication skills — able to move seamlessly between technical depth and board-level business conversation, adapting style and substance for any audience.
• Experienced facilitator and presenter: comfortable leading high-stakes workshops, architecture reviews, and strategic sessions with senior client leadership.
• Strong written communication skills, including the ability to produce compelling proposals, strategy documents, and thought leadership content.
• Commercial instinct and business development fluency — understanding how to identify opportunity, structure an engagement, and articulate value in ways that close business.
• Comfortable holding a position in complex stakeholder environments — able to navigate competing priorities and organizational dynamics while keeping things moving and relationships intact.

Leadership & Character

• A natural leader who brings people along — building teams that are collaborative, high-performing, and focused on shared goals.
• Self-directed and comfortable with autonomy — able to build structure and drive progress without needing a lot of hand-holding.
• Genuinely curious and committed to continuous learning — someone who stays current with technology and architecture trends because they find it interesting, not just because it’s expected.
• Comfortable with complexity and pressure; approaches difficult problems with clear, structured thinking.
• Aligned with Mariner’s values and motivated by the kind of work that creates real impact for clients, teams, and communities.

MARINER OFFERS YOU: 

• A values-driven workplace where people really matter 
• Flexible work location
• Support for remote work/work from home
• Competitive salary, retirement savings program, and rewards program
• Comprehensive health, dental, vision, life, and disability insurance plans and access to e-health care
• Paid vacation, maternity/parental leave, paid sick leave, and paid Mariner MyLife days
• Unlimited Training

WHY MARINER?

We believe in making a positive impact in the communities where we live and work! Not only are we passionate about nurturing a thriving technology sector here in Atlantic Canada, but we are also committed to solving technology challenges that will make an impact worldwide. Technology is everlasting, and we take pride in connecting world class talent to world class projects and business solutions.

If you are an IT Professional, Software Professional, or Management Consultant, that is passionate about career development, data, and problem solving, we want to hear from you! If this sounds like someone you know, share this with them so they do not miss the opportunity to experience Mariner!

To achieve this, we know we need to be all in on training and development of our team so we can continue to move the needle in the technology sector together. Of course, we offer competitive compensation and benefits packages to our team, but our competitive edge is the development and training that our team experiences every day.

Be part of our vibrant community that values diversity and embraces inclusion at every level. We are committed to fostering a culture where individuals from all backgrounds and walks of life feel empowered to contribute their unique perspectives. Our collaborative environment celebrates the richness of ideas and experiences, and we believe that by embracing diversity, we can achieve greater innovation and excellence together. Come and help us create a workplace that reflects the beautiful tapestry of our global community.

Join our growing team!