Head of Architecture

Job description

About

PlayPlay is the video creation platform that enables marketing and communication teams to turn any message into a memorable video.

Since 2017, PlayPlay has been growing exponentially:

·  2500+ large and mid-sized companies across the globe (including two-thirds of the CAC40)
·  230+ employees in Paris, New York and Berlin;
·  65 M$ raised (series A and B);
·  Member of the French Tech 120 and recently ranked #26 in the Top100 rising B2B Scale-up in Europe by Sifted!

PlayPlay is the company for you if you want to:

·  Join a hyper-growth scale-up that allows you to invest in multiple projects and benefit from rapid evolution opportunities
·  Work on a product loved by our customers (68+ NPS) and in constant improvement
·  Learn from great colleagues in a positive work environment that thrives on ambition, drive, humility, transparency, and teamwork (our 4.6/5 rating on Glassdoor is proof of that!)
·  Enjoy activities organized by the Happiness team (Music Quizzes, concerts, seminars, etc.)
·  Work in a hybrid model remote/office and have additional four weeks of full-remote per year (overseas is allowed in any country with a time difference of 3 hours or less)

We are backed by investors such as Insight Partners (HubSpot, Twitter), Balderton (Revolut, Aircall) and Point9 (Loom, Zendesk) who are helping us become the global leader in video creation. And to achieve this, we are looking for the best talent in the market!

Read more about "The 100 good reasons to join PlayPlay":

·  In French https://bit.ly/3OsuHdX
·  In English https://bit.ly/3O88yBO

Job Description

At PlayPlay, we empower teams to create powerful storytelling through video at scale. As we grow, we're seeking an architectural leader to shape our technical future while maintaining the agility that drives our success.

Your Role: Vision, Leadership, Execution

Reporting to the VP of Engineering, you'll lead 6-8 senior/staff engineers focused on core platform capabilities, define our architectural vision, and chair the Architecture Committee to ensure technical excellence across the organization.

Key Responsibilities

Architecture Leadership (40%) (Technical Vision & Governance, System Design & Platform Evolution)

• Define and evangelize PlayPlay's architectural vision, principles, and technical strategy

• Lead the Architecture Committee and establish our ADR process

• Create a technical roadmap balancing innovation, scalability, and technical debt

• Design scalable systems supporting our video creation and delivery capabilities

• Ensure our architecture supports enterprise-grade security, performance, and reliability

Team Leadership (30%) (Engineering Excellence & Mentorship, Cross-Functional Collaboration)

• Lead a high-performing transversal engineering team

• Mentor and develop architectural thinking across the engineering organization

• Partner with Product, Security, and Infrastructure teams on strategic initiatives

• Effectively communicate complex technical concepts to all stakeholders

• Represent architecture in leadership forums and strategic planning

Technical Execution (30%) (Platform Capabilities, Technical Excellence)

• Lead development of core platform services that accelerate product development

• Guide the evolution of our frontend, backend, and data architectures

• Champion software quality practices and performance optimization

• Lead architectural reviews for complex technical challenges

• Evaluate emerging technologies for potential adoption

What We're Looking For

Essential Experience

• 12+ years of software engineering with 3+ years in architectural leadership

• Experience designing scalable, cloud-native architectures for SaaS products

• Strong technical background in modern web technologies, microservices, and distributed systems

• Track record of mentoring senior engineers and implementing effective governance

• Excellent communication skills for varied audiences (both in French & English)

Technical Knowledge

• Deep understanding of cloud architecture (preferably GCP)

• Strong knowledge of API design and service-oriented architectures

• Understanding of modern frontend architectures and data systems

• Familiarity with security principles for enterprise applications

• Experience with video processing and content delivery networks - BONUS

You'll Stand Out If

• You've led architectural transformations in fast-growing organizations

• You've implemented successful technical governance models in agile environments

• You're passionate about developer experience and platform engineering

• You've published or presented on architectural topics in professional forums

• You have experience with both B2B SaaS and enterprise software architectures

• You have experience scaling media/video processing platforms (BONUS)

• You have experience with AI/ML architecture patterns and implementation (BONUS)

What We Offer

•Leadership role with significant impact on PlayPlay's technical direction

• Opportunity to build and mentor exceptional engineers

• Collaborative culture, competitive compensation, and hybrid work environment

• If you're passionate about building scalable architectures that power creative experiences, we'd love to hear from you.

Additional Information

·  Contract Type: Full-Time
·  Location: Paris
·  Possible partial remote