Lead Front-end Architect

Company Description

We Elevate. Digitally.

SQLI is a European player in customer experience and digital transformation. We help major international brands create value through technology and digital innovation.

From strategy to implementation, we design and build robust digital platforms, scalable architectures and engaging customer experiences by combining advanced technology with deep technical expertise.

To strengthen our teams of 2,200 employees across 12 countries, we are looking for driven people who share our values: Creativity, Engagement and a Future-minded approach.

SQLI Ghent creative agency; that’s us: more than 50 digital specialists working every day on projects that truly matter. As part of an international group, we combine the scale and expertise of a large digital agency with the commitment and agility of a close local team.

Our clients increasingly rely on composable, headless and API-first front-end solutions, with AI becoming an important part of how these platforms are designed and delivered.

That is why we are looking for a Lead Front-end Architect.

This role is for someone who has outgrown the traditional senior developer label. Someone people turn to when the technical challenges become difficult and important decisions need to be made.

That’s where you come in.

This position is only open to candidates who will be employed directly by us. We do not work with contractors or agencies for this role.

Job Description

As Lead Front-end Architect, you are the technical authority for front-end development across your projects.

You define the architecture, guide the technical delivery and make sure the final solution meets the client’s expectations, from the first pre-sales conversation through to production.

You will work primarily on one client project while also contributing to architecture, innovation, pre-sales and coaching across SQLI. We intentionally combine hands-on project work with enough room for technical leadership.

Writing code will remain an important part of your day. You will not be designing architectures from the sidelines. You will help build them.

You will:

• Own the front-end architecture of complex digital projects

• Translate business and functional requirements into scalable technical solutions

• Break down large solutions into clear technical designs, epics and development plans

• Challenge functional analyses and identify risks, dependencies and missing requirements

• Develop complex components and establish strong engineering standards

• Make informed technical decisions and clearly explain them to clients and delivery teams

• Support pre-sales through workshops, solution design, estimations and client presentations

• Validate estimates and help safeguard the technical and commercial health of projects

• Work closely with Project Managers on staffing, planning, epics and sprint preparation

• Coach developers through mentoring, code reviews and constructive technical guidance

• Create reusable architecture blueprints and contribute to new service offerings

• Maintain and improve modern development platforms, CI/CD pipelines, Docker environments and cloud deployments

• Use AI tools such as Claude and GitHub Copilot responsibly to improve productivity without compromising quality

• Work closely with Project Managers, UX and UI designers, architects, developers and account managers across our international teams

• As Lead Front-end Architect, you are the technical authority for front-end development across your projects.

  You define the architecture, guide the technical delivery and make sure the final solution meets the client’s expectations, from the first pre-sales conversation through to production.

  You will work primarily on one client project while also contributing to architecture, innovation, pre-sales and coaching across SQLI. We intentionally combine hands-on project work with enough room for technical leadership.

  Writing code will remain an important part of your day. You will not be designing architectures from the sidelines. You will help build them.

  You will:

• Own the front-end architecture of complex digital projects

• Translate business and functional requirements into scalable technical solutions

• Break down large solutions into clear technical designs, epics and development plans

• Challenge functional analyses and identify risks, dependencies and missing requirements

• Develop complex components and establish strong engineering standards

• Make informed technical decisions and clearly explain them to clients and delivery teams

• Support pre-sales through workshops, solution design, estimations and client presentations

• Validate estimates and help safeguard the technical and commercial health of projects

• Work closely with Project Managers on staffing, planning, epics and sprint preparation

• Coach developers through mentoring, code reviews and constructive technical guidance

• Create reusable architecture blueprints and contribute to new service offerings

• Maintain and improve modern development platforms, CI/CD pipelines, Docker environments and cloud deployments

• Use AI tools such as Claude and GitHub Copilot responsibly to improve productivity without compromising quality

• Work closely with Project Managers, UX and UI designers, architects, developers and account managers across our international teams

Qualifications

We are looking for someone who combines deep technical expertise with leadership, ownership and commercial awareness.

You have strong experience with:

• Defining front-end architectures and contributing to technical quotations and estimations
• Fluent in English & Dutch - French is a plus
• React and Next.js
• HTML, CSS and Tailwind CSS
• JavaScript and preferably TypeScript
• Headless and composable architectures
• Headless CMS platforms such as Contentful and Strapi
• Shopify, ideally including Hydrogen, Liquid or theme extensions
• GraphQL and REST APIs
• Git and CI/CD pipelines
• Docker and cloud-based deployments
• Vercel hosting
• Unit testing with tools such as Vitest
• Accessibility and performance testing with tools such as Lighthouse and WAVE
• Story mapping and translating requirements into a workable technical delivery plan

Experience with some of the following is a strong plus:

• Drupal front-end theming
• Vue.js
• Node.js
• Builder.io
• Storybook
• shadcn/ui
• Vite or Webpack
• Bootstrap
• n8n

Additional Information

A challenging role is important, but so is the environment around it.

At SQLI, you’ll work on varied projects for leading brands such as Nestlé, Colruyt, Pierre Fabre and Jaguar Land Rover. You won’t spend years working on the same platform or solving the same problems. Each client brings new challenges, giving you the opportunity to broaden your experience and keep developing your expertise.

• You’ll have the freedom to take ownership and make an impact. Your ideas will be heard, your expertise will be trusted and the work you deliver will be visible across the company. You won’t simply step into a predefined role. You’ll have the opportunity to shape it as you grow.
• And we’ll actively support that growth. Through dedicated R&D time, training, certifications, seminars, mentoring, events and regular knowledge sharing, you’ll have the space to explore new technologies and strengthen the skills that matter to you. Regular feedback and development conversations will help you decide what your next step should look like.
• As part of SQLI Group, you’ll also become part of an international network of 2,200 colleagues across 12 countries. You’ll exchange knowledge with experts from different markets, work with international teams and gain exposure to projects beyond Belgium.
• We offer flexibility in how you organise your work, while still making time to come together as a team. Our recently redesigned office in Sint-Martens-Latem offers outdoor space, informal meeting areas and comfortable places to focus or recharge. Regular drinks and team events give us the chance to connect outside the usual (project) meetings.
• You’ll receive a competitive salary package that reflects your experience, including a company car, an Apple laptop, a phone subscription and everything else you need to do your job well.
• Most importantly, you’ll join a welcoming and experienced team where people share knowledge, challenge each other constructively and step in when someone needs support.

At SQLI, we help ambitious brands turn digital complexity into meaningful growth by bringing strategy, marketing, design and technology together.

Our values are straightforward:

• Curiosity
• Pragmatism
• Achievement
• Trust

They shape how we collaborate, make decisions and communicate: openly, directly and without unnecessary complexity.

Interested?

If you’re looking for challenging work, genuine ownership, international opportunities and the freedom to keep growing, let’s talk.