Senior Solution Architect AI

About the role

• Barry Callebaut Digital (BC Digital) is on a mission to lead the digital revolution in the chocolate industry, and we're looking for a Senior Solution Architect, to help us build a foundation to drive and foster innovation across our operations at Barry Callebaut. Based in our Singapore-based AI Center of Excellence, your role will focus on designing and overseeing the implementation of complex AI solutions, ensuring alignment with business goals and technical standards. This role requires deep expertise in AI technologies, strong leadership skills, and a strategic mindset to drive innovation.
• As part of the BC Digital Chief Data and Analytics Officer (CDAO) organization, you will work closely with data scientists, AI engineers, product owners, and business stakeholders to prioritize and deliver impactful AI solutions that meet business objectives. This is a dynamic opportunity to influence transformative growth and promote a culture of data-driven insights at Barry Callebaut.

Key responsibilities include 

• Solution Design & Architecture o Architect and design scalable AI solutions tailored to business needs.
  • Analyze and translate business requirements into technical specifications.
  • Identify potential risks and challenges related to AI implementations and develop mitigation strategies
  • Ensure compliance with data privacy regulations and ethical AI practices.
  • Design applications based on the newest research and innovation around Artificial Intelligence
• Technical Leadership
  • Provide guidance and mentorship to engineering teams in the development and deployment of AI systems.
  • Lead the evaluation and selection of appropriate AI tools and technologies.
  • Communicate complex technical concepts to both technical and non-technical stakeholders.
• Ecosystem Collaboration
  • Facilitates workshops and design sessions to gather requirements and communicate architectural vision.
  • Collaborate with business stakeholders to identify areas of our business to uplift through advanced AI use cases (e.g. GenAI, process automation)
  • Collaborate with stakeholders from our operative business functions to understand their business problems and identify innovative solutions to uplift our operative processes
• Implementation Oversight
  • Oversee the implementation of AI solutions, ensuring adherence to best practices and architectural guidelines.
  • Conduct code reviews and provide feedback to ensure quality and performance.
• Ensure projects are completed on time, within scope, and meet quality standards.
  • Review the implementation of user requirements in line with the solution design and guidelines
  • Provide technical guidance and mentorship to developers, and act as contact person for questions on system and software architecture
  • Conceptualize and optimize application architecture and integration, review design changes and support during implementation
  • Perform risk and problem analyses, create technical specifications and support the implementation of security measures and standards
• Research and Innovation
  • Stay up-to-date with the latest advancements in AI and machine learning technologies.
  • Contribute to the continuous improvement of AI practices and methodologies.
  • Support programs and workshops to encourage idea generation and drive employee engagement in innovation.
• Travel requirements: Global role requires ability and willingness to travel (up to 20%)

About you

• Graduate degree in IT/technology, data, computer science, engineering, business administration, or a comparable field
• Proficient in English
• Relevant certifications appreciated (e.g. Azure AI Engineer, Solution Architect)
• Extensive experience as an AI Solution Architect in a comparable role, with a minimum of 6-8 years of progressive experience
• Proficient in various AI and ML models and sound understanding of AI technologies and applications in various industries.
• Deep understanding of processes and technologies concerning the newest developments around Innovation, Automation & AI
• Deep understanding of innovation practices, e.g. design thinking, open innovation, agile, etc.
• Sound understanding of project management tools and methodologies incl Agile ways of working
• Extensive experience in AI solutions architecture and familiarity with data engineering, ETL, and data pipeline best practices.
• Skills to create internal and external partnerships/networks across the organization
• Excellent problem-solving skills and a structured way of working
• Creative and strategic thinker, with a passion for driving innovation and continuous improvement
• Experience in the chocolate or food industry is a plus, but not essential
• Exhibits a passion for Innovation and AI, constantly seeking new and creative solutions to enhance processes, decision-making and user experiences
• Puts a strong emphasis on teamwork and cross-functional collaboration, with the ability to build and maintain relationships across different levels of the organization and with external partners
• Is capable of effecting communication, conveying complex problems clearly and persuasively to internal and external stakeholders
• Possesses excellent problem-solving skills and analytical thinking
• Demonstrates ability to analyze complex situations, identify critical issues, and make bold, strategic decisions to drive progress
• Can create internal and external partnerships/networks across the organization with technical and non-technical stakeholders
• Is outcome-oriented and can assess and resolve impediments in a proactive manner
• Independent and self-driven personality with strong analytical skills and techniques