Principal Architect

Putting people first, every dayBDO is a firm built on a foundation of positive relationships with our people and our clients. Each day, our professionals provide exceptional service, helping clients with advice and insight they can trust. In turn, we offer an award-winning environment that fosters a people-first culture with a high priority on your personal and professional growth.
Your OpportunityThe Principal Architect is a highly technical enterprise and solution architecture lead who sets architecture direction and ensures technology designs align with business strategy, standards, and roadmaps. In this existing vacancy, as an individual contributor, the successful candidate leads complex architecture work, provides technical leadership and mentorship to architects, and gives the Manager, Architecture & Design informed feedback on performance and development.
Job responsibilities:
Serve as the technical lead for enterprise and solution architecture, setting direction, reviewing deliverables, and ensuring architecture work is rigorous, pragmatic, and aligned with business strategy.
Develop enterprise architecture principles, reference architectures, roadmaps, patterns, and standards that guide technology investment and delivery.
Lead the architecture of complex, cross-enterprise initiatives and oversee design reviews to ensure solutions are secure, scalable, resilient, and supportable.
Guide decisions across application, data, integration, infrastructure, cloud, identity, security, and emerging technology domains, resolving complex trade-offs and architecture exceptions.
Partner with business, delivery, engineering, operations, vendors, and domain architects to produce cohesive, executable designs and advance modernization, reuse, rationalization, and technical debt reduction.
Coach and mentor architects and provide the Manager, Architecture & Design with evidence-based feedback to support performance management, development planning, and work allocation.
How do we define success for your role?
You demonstrate BDO’s core values through all aspect of your work: Integrity, Respect and Collaboration
You understand our client’s industry, challenges, and opportunities;
clients describe you aspositive, professional, and delivering high-quality work
You identify, recommend, and are focused on effective service delivery to our clients
You share in an inclusive and engaging work environment that develops, retains, and attracts talent
You actively participate in the adoption of digital tools and strategies to drive an innovative workplace
You grow your expertise through learning and professional development
Qualifications & Requirements:
Degree in Computer Science, Information Technology, Engineering, or a related field, or equivalent education and experience.
At least 10 years of progressive enterprise technology experience, including substantial hands‑on enterprise and solution architecture experience in a large, complex organization.
Demonstrated success as a senior technical authority leading architects through technical credibility, influence, coaching, mentoring, and design governance.
Deep expertise in enterprise and solution architecture, with broad knowledge of cloud, applications, integration, identity, infrastructure, security, data, AI, and modern software delivery.
Proven ability to develop and critically assess complex designs using technologies such as Microsoft Azure, AWS, Microsoft Entra ID, Azure Data Factory, Databricks, Microsoft Fabric, Microsoft Foundry, integration and messaging platforms, event‑driven architecture, and API management.
Strong systems thinking, technical judgment, communication, and stakeholder influence, with the ability to explain complex decisions to senior leaders and delivery teams.
Relevant certifications, such as TOGAF, Azure Solutions Architect, AWS Solutions Architect, or ITIL, are considered an asset.
The expected range of compensation for this role is $97,000 to $147,000.
Why BDO?Our people-first approach to talent has earned us a spot among Canada’s Top 100 Employers for 2026. This recognition is a milestone we’re thrilled to add to our collection of awards for both experienced and student talent experiences.
At BDO, our people experience is guided by three core pillars—
Do work with genuine care, Do what matters with purpose, and Do what’s next
- shaping how we support our people, serve our clients, and grow together.
Our firm is committed to providing an environment where you can be successful in the following ways:
We enable you to engage with how we change and evolve, being a key contributor to the success and growth of BDO in Canada.
We help you become a better professional within our services, industries, and markets with extensive opportunities for learning and development.
We support your achievement of personal goals outside of the office and making an impact on your community.
We foster a collaborative, inclusive environment where your ideas are valued, and you can do your best work with genuine care and purpose
We encourage innovation and forward thinking, empowering you to embrace what’s next and help shape the future of our firm
Giving back adds up:Where company meets community.BDO is actively involved in our communities by supporting local charity initiatives. We support staff with local and national events where you will be given the opportunity to contribute to your community.
Total rewards that matter:We pay for performance with competitive total cash compensation that recognizes and rewards your contribution. We provide comprehensive benefits from day one, and a flexible personal time off policy. We’re committed to supporting your overall wellbeing and provide reimbursement for wellness initiatives that fit your lifestyle.
Everyone counts:We are committed to creating a workplace where employees can participate fully, contribute meaningfully and succeed without barriers. We are dedicated to fostering a workplace defined by respect, fairness, and a true sense of belonging for everyone. We recognize and celebrate the unique experiences, identities, and perspectives that each of us bring – and that these experiences strengthen how we work together. Our commitment extends to ensuring that our application process is both inclusive and accessible. If you require accommodation to complete the application process, please contact us.
Flexibility:All BDO personnel are expected to spend some of their time working in the office, at the client site, and virtually unless accommodations or alternative work arrangements are in place.
Our model is a blended approach designed to support the flexible needs of our people, the firm and our clients. It’s about creating work experiences that meet everyone’s needs and providing flexibility to adjust when, where and how we work to meet the expectations of our role.
Code of Conduct:Our Code of Conduct sets clear standards for how we conduct business. It reflects our shared values and commitments and includes guiding principles to help us make ethical decisions and maintain trust with each other, our clients, and the public.
BDO may use artificial intelligence enabled tools to support certain aspects of the recruitment process. While these tools assist our teams, our use of AI does not replace human decision making, and all employment‑related outcomes are made by BDO personnel.
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