IT Architect, Architecture & Analytics – Enterprise Analytics

At Saputo we bring good to the table by making high-quality products investing in our people and supporting communities around the world . As a top 10 global dairy processor we value contributions that matter and strive to foster an inclusive growth-driven work environment. Ready to bring your best

Overview of the role:

Saputo is seeking a highly skilled and motivated IT Analytics Architect to join our Data Engineering & Analytics team. Reporting to the Senior Director of Data Engineering & Analytics this role will play a critical part in the design and evolution of our enterprise data lake platform hosted on Microsoft Fabric. This role is responsible for defining scalable secure and high-performance data architectures with a strong focus on integrating systems into a unified analytics ecosystem.

The ideal candidate combines deep technical expertise in modern data platforms with strong architectural vision enabling advanced analytics self-serve reporting data science and AI capabilities across the organization.

How you will make contributions that matter:

• Enable enterprise-wide data access and trust by delivering a unified well-architected data lake on MS OneLake that transforms fragmented data into a single reliable source of truth.
• Accelerate business decision-making through scalable high-performance data architectures that support near real-time analytics and self-service insights.
• Unlock value by designing robust integration patterns that bring previously siloed operational SaaS and external data into the analytics ecosystem.
• Drive cost efficiency and scalability by optimizing data pipelines storage strategies and platform usage within Microsoft Fabric.
• Strengthen data governance and compliance by partnering closely with the Analytics Governance and DevOps Specialist to ensure security lineage and quality controls are embedded in architecture design ensuring data is both accessible and responsibly managed.

Key Responsibilities:

Architecture

• Lead and participate in formal architecture reviews for analytics and data solutions ensuring alignment to enterprise architecture standards security requirements and governance models.
• Define publish and maintain analytics reference architectures architectural guardrails approved design patterns and overall architecture of the enterprise data lake using Microsoft Fabric for structured and unstructured data.
• Define data models storage strategies and data lifecycle management frameworks.

• Establish standards for data ingestion transformation and consumption layers (e.g. Bronze Silver Gold architecture) working closely with Governance and DevOps Specialist and Data Engineer team
• Promote reusable patterns templates and frameworks across teams.
• Review and approve architectural deviations and exceptions in partnership with Data Engineer team.
• Own architectural considerations across the full analytics lifecycle: ingestion transformation modeling consumption performance optimization archival and decommissioning.

Source System Integration

• Architect integration patterns for enterprise systems (e.g. Workday MS Dataverse Manhattan WMS SaaS platforms operational systems external data providers).
• Design scalable ingestion frameworks for batch streaming and near real-time data pipelines.
• Define and implement API-based event-driven and file-based ingestion patterns.
• Ensure data quality consistency and traceability across all ingestion pipelines following policies and procedures developed in partnership with Governance and DevOps Specialists and other Architects.

Platform & Technology Leadership

• Provide technical leadership on Microsoft Fabric capabilities including Data Factory OneLake Lakehouse Warehousing OneLake Catalog Fabric IQ Synonyms & Linguistics and Real-Time Analytics.
• Evaluate and recommend tools across Microsoft and non-Microsoft platforms (i.e. Databricks AWS etc..) frameworks and best practices for modern data architecture.
• Ensure alignment with enterprise IT strategy security standards and governance policies.
• Support business Data Analysts to ensure strong design patterns are followed in self-serve report and dashboard development.

Performance & Scalability

• Optimize data pipelines and storage for performance cost-efficiency and scalability.
• Design architectures that support high-volume high-velocity data processing.
• Guide and assist citizen developers to create scalable high-performing semantic models.

Collaboration & Stakeholder Engagement

• Partner with business stakeholders data engineers analysts and data scientists to understand requirements and translate them into architectural solutions.
• Act as a trusted advisor for data-driven initiatives and digital transformation programs.

Governance

• Partner closely with the Analytics Governance & DevOps Specialist to ensure governance security privacy and deployment controls are reflected in architectural standards and solution designs.

Cost & Capacity (FinOps)

• Balance performance scalability usability and cost when defining architectural trade-offs.
• Design solutions aligned with capacity planning FinOps principles and cost optimization strategies.

Success Measures

Success in this role is measured by:

• Adoption of approved reference architectures and architectural standards across analytics initiatives.
• Improved solution scalability performance and operability as platform usage grows.
• Reduced rework and production issues through strong architectural guardrails and design reviews.
• Improved cost transparency and optimization through architecture decisions aligned to capacity and FinOps practices.
• Strong alignment between analytics solutions governance requirements and enterprise architecture strategy.

Required Skills & Experience:

• Bachelors degree in Computer Science Information Systems or a related field.
• 6 years of experience in data and analytics architecture data engineering and big data analytics platforms
• Proven experience designing enterprise-scale data lakes or Lakehouse architectures.
• Hands-on experience with Microsoft Fabric or closely related Azure data services.
• Strong expertise in data integration patterns (ETL/ELT APIs streaming event-driven architecture).
• Knowledge of real-time analytics and streaming technologies.
• Experience integrating non-ERP enterprise systems with structured and unstructured data into data lake via cloud services.
• Proficiency in Medallion Architecture Fabric Workloads PySpark SQL KQL DAX Semantic Model Designs and Power Query.
• Experience working in highly motivated cross-functional environments with both technical and business stakeholders.
• Experience with large scale modern data and analytics transformations within a CPG company implementing new platforms and data lakes defining new ways of working to drive business value and outcomes through data and analytics in a self-serve culture.
• Serve as a primary liaison facilitating effective communication and collaboration among Data Engineering Business Intelligence Security Architecture teams and various business units.
• (Preferred) Understanding of data requirements of Agentic AI and MLL
• (Preferred) Certifications in Azure (AZ-305) and Fabric (DP-700 DP-600)
• (Preferred) Familiarity with data governance tools and frameworks.
• (Preferred) Experience with DevOps/DataOps practices and CI/CD for data pipelines.
• Key Competencies
  • Strategic thinking and architectural design expertise
  • Strong problem-solving and analytical skills
  • Excellent communication and stakeholder management
  • Ability to balance innovation with practical implementation
  • Leadership and mentorship capabilities

We support and take care of our employees and their families by offering :

• Generous and complete benefit coverage with group insurance
• Group retirement plan with employer contribution
• Telemedicine and assistance program for employees and their families
• Employee Share Ownership Plan with an employer match
• Paid Parental Leave program
• Paid time off: Sick days floater days and volunteer day off
• Opportunity to contribute to a collective RRSP & TFSA
• Training and development programs
• Saputo Flex Program flexible work environment (schedule/location/time off) according to department needs
• Organized activities for employees and their families
• Advantageous discounts on Saputo products

Salary: $117560 to $154300

*Salary offers will vary commensurate with experience education skills and training.

STATEMENT ON AI

All applications are carefully considered by our Talent Acquisition team.

Artificial Intelligence tools may be used in screening applications.

Artificial Intelligence is not used to assess or select applications.

In Canada Saputo is a leading cheese manufacturer and fluid milk and cream processor with a portfolio of well-loved brands such as Dairyland Armstrong Neilson Alexis de Portneuf and many more. Whether your expertise lies in manufacturing operations supply chain management sales quality assurance or in any other function your role is integral to our success. You will make contributions that matter all while working alongside colleagues who genuinely care about your success and who will roll up their sleeves to help.

The material contained herein is provided for informational purposes only. All open jobs offered by Saputo Inc. and all companies corporations partnerships limited partnerships and other entities controlled by Saputo Inc. (collectively Saputo) on Saputos web site are subject to specific job skill requirements. The job skill requirements qualifications and preferred experience are determined by a Saputo subsidiary office or department and all positions are subject to local prevailing employment laws and restrictions. This would include immigration laws pertaining to work authorization requirements and any other applicable government permissions or compliance. The materials on this site are provided without warranties of any kind either expressed or implied including but not limited to warranties regarding the accuracy or completeness of the information contained on this site or in any referenced links. While Saputo attempts to update this site on a timely basis the information is effective only as of the time and date of posting. Strict confidentiality will be observed at all times. Saputo is an equal opportunity employer. The information on this site is for information purposes only and is not intended to be relied upon with legal consequence.

We support employment equity. Saputo strives to embed diversity and inclusion in its operations and invites candidates from all horizons to join its family. Saputo welcomes and encourages applications from people with disabilities. Accommodations up to the point of undue hardships are available on request for candidates taking part in all aspects of the selection process.