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Head of Architecture

PlayPlay

PlayPlay

IT
Paris, France
Posted on May 27, 2025
Our mission at PlayPlay?
To reinvent the way companies communicate, through a video creation platform that is powerful, intuitive, and accessible.
Our ambition?
To become the leading international video solution, with sustainable and profitable growth.
At PlayPlay, innovation is at the heart of everything we do—AI, automation, and new features rolled out continuously. We are transforming video creation so that every communicator, regardless of technical skill, can produce impactful content.
Joining PlayPlay means:
- Putting the power of video into everyone’s hands, so that every company can tell its stories with impact and make them shine.
- Growing within a culture that combines excellence, genuine care for others, and responsible transparency.
- Thriving in an international, passionate, and supportive team where every idea is heard, challenged, and can help reshape the way we work.
- Finding your place in an inclusive and committed work environment, where what makes each of us unique drives the whole team forward.
- Demonstrating resilience and strong determination, because things don’t always go as planned. And that’s precisely where our culture makes the difference: it’s what makes the PlayPlay journey so exciting, rich in learning, and pushes us to give our best.
And what makes us stay?
That feeling of belonging to a team that goes above and beyond for the PlayPlay project—without ever losing sight of the people who make it happen.
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.
Here is our 5-step recruitment process to assess your skills and give you a glimpse into the PlayPlay experience:
Step 1: Video interview with a recruiter (30 minutes)
Step 2: Video interview with your future manager (45 minutes to 1 hour)
Step 3: Practical case study via video call with two subject-matter experts (1 hour to 1 hour 30)
Step 4: In-person interview at our office with PlayPlayers (1 hour)
Step 5: Final video interview with your future N+2 manager (30 minutes to 1 hour)
👉 You can find a detailed overview of our process [here].
OUR VALUES
Creative: We don't do things the same way as others and we like that. It's that madness that gives everyone the freedom to innovate and follow through with their ideas.
User-first: Our customers are at the heart of everything we do because a product is nothing without its users and it is with its users that a product grows.
United: What motivates us is to succeed together. We are specialists in cross-team projects: it is by sharing our expertise and supporting each other that we achieve our goals.
Ambitious: We are not afraid to move fast and take risks. If plan A doesn't work, there are still all the letters in the alphabet. We learn from our experiences and adapt.
Committed: We take ownership of our projects, with responsibility. We are demanding of others but above all, we give our best.
DIVERSITY & INCLUSION
At PlayPlay, we're committed to fostering an environment where diversity and inclusion are at the heart of our values. Our goal is to attract and build a diverse, equal and inclusive team, where everyone feels welcome.
As an equal opportunities employer we make sure the application process and our workplace is for everyone.