IT infrastructure Architect

The IT Infrastructure Architect takes responsibility for defining and evolving the infrastructure architecture strategy across all LKQ Europe segments. Balancing strategy and design, this is a senior technical role and leads architecture for key transformation programs.

This role ensures that designs are scalable and secure, transitioning smoothly into business as usual (BAU) operations. The Infrastructure Architect collaborates with teams and stakeholders on long-term planning, technology roadmaps and standards, while guiding and influencing engineering teams across multiple regions.

Key Responsibilities

• Shaping and managing the infrastructure architecture strategy, reference designs, standards and technology roadmaps for LKQ Europe
• Producing designs for new infrastructure solutions and ensuring alignment with enterprise architecture standards, security policies and business requirements
• Defining and maintaining configuration baselines, design patterns and technology standards to ensure consistency across all LKQE segments
• Embedding Zero Trust principles, segmentation strategies, encryption standards and secure access controls into all architectural designs
• Participating and providing expert technical guidance in architecture review boards, design authorities and change advisory processes
• Supporting lifecycle planning and end-of-life (EOL)/technical debt reduction programs with architecture input, business case development and migration strategies
• Working closely with the European IT Operations Manager on long-term planning, technology transitions and handoff of delivered solutions into business as usual (BAU) operations
• Partnering with solution architecture and enterprise architecture teams to ensure that infrastructure designs align with wider IT and business strategies
• Collaborating with infrastructure delivery to support project execution; providing architecture reviews, readiness assessments and expert technical input throughout the delivery lifecycle
• Acting as a senior technical authority and escalation point for complex infrastructure design decisions, providing guidance to European and offshore engineering teams.

Key Stakeholders

• LKQ Europe IT senior team
• LKQ global information security team
• LKQ North America infrastructure and architecture counterparts
• LKQ Europe infrastructure delivery team
• LKQ Europe infrastructure operations team
• LKQ Europe solution architecture and enterprise architecture teams.

Skills and Experience

• Proven experience as an infrastructure architect or senior infrastructure engineer within a large enterprise environment
• In-depth knowledge of Microsoft Azure including hybrid cloud architectures
• Experience with VMware and Microsoft Hyper-V virtualization platforms
• Knowledge of enterprise storage, backup, disaster recovery and business continuity solutions, with experience of Oracle EBS or other enterprise platforms beneficial
• Knowledge of automation and infrastructure as code technologies such as PowerShell, Terraform or Ansible is preferred
• Experienced in ITIL-based operations, architecture governance, lifecycle planning, technical debt reduction and service transition, with a strong understanding of how architecture decisions impact operational stability
• Prior experience developing architecture standards, roadmaps and solution designs and delivering cloud migration, infrastructure transformation and data center modernization initiatives
• Confident and effective communicator including with senior IT management and stakeholders, able to translate complex technical concepts into clear business language
• Calm and decisive when working under pressure
• Fluency in written and spoken English with further European languages advantageous.