Principal Enterprise Architect – Canadian Tire – Toronto, ON

Canadian Tire Corporation is one of Canada’s most recognized retail and technology-driven organizations, and right now they’re looking for a Principal Enterprise Architect to join their team in Toronto, Ontario. Reporting to the Associate Vice President, Enterprise Architecture, this is a senior-level role with a clear mandate: shape the company’s technology strategy with a primary focus on Data and AI.

This isn’t a role where you’ll be buried in day-to-day maintenance work. You’ll be operating at the strategic level — developing enterprise architecture standards, defining future-state technology capabilities, and driving capability mapping across a large, complex organization. If you thrive in environments where your decisions carry real weight and your voice reaches senior leadership, this one is worth a close look.

About the Role: Principal Enterprise Architect

As a Principal Enterprise Architect at Canadian Tire, you’ll be responsible for building and maintaining the architectural frameworks that guide how the organization evolves its technology landscape. From defining reference architectures and design patterns to evaluating emerging tools and technologies, your work will directly influence how one of Canada’s largest retailers operates and innovates. A key area of focus is integrating the enterprise capability model into data governance — ensuring alignment across data, AI, and organizational strategy.

You’ll also be expected to lead with influence. That means providing technical leadership and mentorship to architecture team members, collaborating with Principal Architects and Technology Leads, and communicating complex architectural concepts clearly to both technical and non-technical stakeholders at the senior leadership level. Teamwork, governance, and strategic alignment are central to how this role delivers value.

Benefits and Salary

Canadian Tire offers competitive salaries and wages, along with a strong suite of employee benefits. Eligible employees have access to store discounts, the Triangle Learning Academy for professional development, Canadian Tire Profit Sharing, and retirement and savings programs. The company’s enhanced flex benefits program includes $5,000 per year in mental health benefits for eligible employees and their families, alongside total well-being resources and mental health tools available to all staff.

Responsibilities

In this role, you’ll operate across strategic, technical, and collaborative dimensions simultaneously. From crafting architectural standards to mentoring rising architects, your daily work will directly shape how Canadian Tire’s technology ecosystem grows and modernizes. Below is a breakdown of the core responsibilities you can expect to take on:

• Define and implement architectural strategies and standards to support enterprise-wide initiatives aligned with business goals.
• Support the enterprise capability model domains by coordinating with relevant teams across the organization.
• Analyze existing systems to identify modernization opportunities, areas for improvement, and potential risks.
• Oversee enterprise standards and patterns while ensuring all solutions remain in compliance with established guidelines.
• Integrate the enterprise capability model into data governance frameworks, including associated models and processes.
• Provide technical leadership and guidance to ensure high-quality solution design across the architecture practice.
• Collaborate with cross-functional teams on strategic roadmaps, lifecycle management (LCM), and decommissioning plans.
• Develop and maintain architecture artifacts including reference architectures, design patterns, and solution blueprints.
• Drive adoption of modern technology stacks including cloud, microservices, containers, CI/CD, and data pipelines.
• Evaluate and select tools and technologies for modernization initiatives across the enterprise.
• Identify and manage technical risks in close collaboration with Principal Architects.
• Mentor and support architecture team members, helping new team members learn, grow, and contribute effectively.
• Stay current with industry trends and emerging technologies to keep architecture strategies relevant and forward-looking.

Requirements / Skills

The ideal candidate brings a combination of deep technical knowledge and the communication skills to translate complex architecture concepts for diverse audiences — from engineers to C-suite. Canadian Tire is looking for someone who has navigated large, complex IT environments and has a demonstrated track record in strategic technology planning and enterprise architecture.

• Degree in Computer Science, Engineering, or a related field is required.
• 7+ years of progressive IT experience in development and design roles, with at least 4+ years in an architect or system design capacity.
• Strong understanding of Enterprise Architecture concepts, models, patterns, best practices, and principles.
• Experience with modern technology stacks including cloud, security, middleware, data pipelines, microservices, containers, and CI/CD.
• Security best practices expertise — including the ability to interpret and apply security principles to harden infrastructure and applications.
• Proven experience developing and implementing strategic roadmaps and executing plans to deliver on them.
• Strong communication and leadership skills with the ability to speak to both abstract and concrete concepts for varied audiences.
• Ability to mentor and build high-performing architecture teams and collaborate effectively with IT and business leadership.
• Experience in the AI, Data, and Retail industries is considered an asset.

How to Apply

To apply for this Principal Enterprise Architect position at Canadian Tire in Toronto, use the link below to submit your application through their official careers portal. Make sure your resume is up to date and reflects relevant experience with enterprise architecture and data strategy before submitting.

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