DescriptionThe Technical Director Capability Design Architect is the premier technical authority and Master Practitioner within the Individual Contributor (IC) track at ELC. Possessing zero direct administrative reports, this executive-level IC exercises multiple business capability domain and multiple sub-domains with the authority to define, govern, and pioneer the technical blueprints and composable architecture standards across ELC's most critical, complex, and high-risk global capabilities.
Reporting directly to executive TDA leadership, the Technical Director CDA solves complex technical problems that span multiple corporate domains, global brand platforms, and modern cloud infrastructure. This leader is the chief champion of ELC's Fit to Standard architectural principles, creating foundational design patterns that enable side-by-side cloud extensibility (SAP BTP, AWS microservices) and prevent legacy debt across multi-billion-dollar transaction systems. The Technical Director CDA operates as an enterprise tech innovator driving GenAI-integrated architectural automation, evaluating cutting-edge software paradigms, and authoring ELC's global engineering standards. Acting as the lead technical expert in peer design, strategy and architecture reviews, this role pressure-tests complex enterprise solutions, advises C-suite executives on critical technology choices, and elevates the technical maturity of the entire engineering community.
Key Roles & ResponsibilitiesEnterprise Capability Strategy & Blueprinting (40%)
- Author and govern the multi-year master technical blueprints for ELC's most critical flagship platforms (e.g., Global SAP S/4HANA, global supply chain networks, enterprise omnichannel integration engines). Define long-term technology roadmaps that span multiple business capability L2 domain areas and the respective sub-domains to ensure high availability, security, and global scalability.
- Solve deep technical friction and integration bottlenecks that span multiple business capability L2 domain boundaries. Ensure end-to-end technical cohesion across disparate regional, brand, and functional software ecosystems.
- Conduct high-level architectural cost-benefit analyses and Total Cost of Ownership (TCO) modeling for enterprise technology investments. Identify structural technical debt across global platforms and design systematic architectural retirement strategies.
- Map complex, multi-domain value streams using VSM and APQC frameworks, engineering high-speed data pipelines, event broker patterns, and lightweight APIs that streamline business execution across global markets.
Key Roles & Responsibilities (Continued)Composable Platform Architecture & Technical Authority (30%)
- Serve as the ultimate enterprise arbiter for Fit to Standard principles across their multiple business capability L2 domains. Establish and enforce rigid architectural standards that prohibit custom modifications within core their relevant technology landscape, mandating side-by-side cloud extensibility.
- Adhere to and enforce enterprise-wide API governance frameworks, microservice architecture standards, and integration patterns. Design composable abstraction layers that enable rapid platform replacements and seamless vendor integration.
- Possess deep, code-level and configuration-level understanding of core transactional engines, cloud integration platforms (SAP BTP, MuleSoft, AWS), and enterprise databases, serving as the top technical escalation point for complex architectural defects.
- Lead capability domain area innovation into disruptive technologies, composable software paradigms, and vendor platforms. Author white papers and proof-of-concepts to guide ELC's long-term digital evolution.
- Establish enterprise standards for architecture documentation, schema definition, and interface mapping, ensuring that all global systems are represented in automated, living repositories.
Key Roles & Responsibilities (Continued)Product Partnership & Enterprise Design Governance (15%)
- Partner with VP-level Product Leads and Domain Directors to ensure long-term product strategies align with enterprise technical architecture standards and cloud infrastructure roadmaps.
- Perform mandatory architectural audits on multi-million-dollar vendor proposals, Statements of Work (SOWs), and system integrator designs, safeguarding ELC's intellectual property and ensuring high technical standards.
- Serve as a permanent member and leader on the Enterprise Architecture Review Board, reviewing and approving major architecture variations, cloud migrations, and strategic core platform changes.
- Establish enterprise-wide software standards, API usage, and deployment speed across all product squads.
AI Innovation, Architectural Automation & Master Mentorship (15%)
- Drive the experimental adoption and enterprise deployment of Generative AI tools, AI-assisted code generation, and automated architecture analysis systems within their multiple business capability domain areas.
- Champion AI-assisted architecture workflows, training the engineering organization on how to use AI models to analyze legacy configurations, generate data schemas, and draft interface specifications.
- Act as the senior mentor to Principal, Senior Principal, and Director-level architects across the organization. Build a culture of technical excellence, problem-solving, and continuous learning without direct administrative burden.
- Serve as the Lead Master Architect in peer design, strategy and architecture review sessions. Role-model constructive technical debate, adopt rotating personas, and pressure-test complex capability designs to eliminate architectural vulnerabilities.
Qualifications- Industry-recognized mastery in designing large-scale, enterprise architectures (TOGAF, Zachman) across hybrid multi-cloud systems, global ERPs, and high-throughput transaction engines.
- Unrivaled technical authority in designing side-by-side extension patterns, event-driven architectures, headless integration layers, and enterprise API gateways that decouple legacy core engines.
- Pioneer in deploying cutting-edge Generative AI tools, custom agentic frameworks, and automated telemetry analytics to auto-generate interface specs, parse legacy codebases, and audit system health.
- Exceptional ability to articulate complex technical concepts, trade-offs, and multi-year technology blueprints clearly to C-Suite executives, SVPs, and external technology boards.
- Demonstrated experience and accountability for governing the Finance architecture, ensuring an integrated and consistent architecture spanning systems including OneStream, Finance reporting and analytics, Real Estate, Finance data, and related Finance platforms.
- Strong understanding of SAP S/4HANA Finance capabilities, including Universal Journal, Business Partner, Fiori, Central Finance, Advanced Financial Closing, Group Reporting, and S/4HANA simplifications.
Qualifications (Continued)- Knowledge of global template design, chart of accounts, legal entity structures, posting models, document flows, statutory reporting, close processes, and SAP integration points with the broader Finance landscape
- Experience architecting integrated Finance solutions across SAP and non-SAP platforms, including planning, consolidation, reporting, analytics, external data, data extraction, workflow, and Finance service delivery platforms
- Ability to review and approve designs to ensure alignment with the target Capability Architecture, including functional specifications, integration designs, configuration approaches, custom developments, data conversion strategies, and cutover plans
- Strong understanding of SAP security, segregation of duties, audit controls, compliance requirements, and data governance for Finance solutions.
- Minimum Education Level: Bachelor's degree
- Minimum Years of Experience: 8+
Pay Range:The anticipated base salary range for this position is
$139,850.00 to
$241,550.00. Exact salary depends on several factors such as experience, skills, education, and budget. Salary range may vary based on geographic location. In addition to base salary, this position is eligible for participation in a highly competitive bonus program as well as participation in the share incentive plan. In addition,
In addition to base salary, this position is eligible for participation in a highly competitive bonus program with the possibility for overachievement based on performance and company results. In addition, The Estée Lauder Companies offers a variety of benefits to eligible employees, including health insurance coverage (medical, dental, and vision insurance), wellness and family support programs, life and disability insurance, retirement savings plans, paid leave programs, education-related programs, paid holidays and vacation time, and many others. Many of these benefits are subsidized or fully paid for by the company.
