Sr Manager, Solutions Architecture

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Date: Jun 12, 2026

Location: Chicago, IL, US, 60607

Company: McDonald's Corporation

Company Description: 

McDonald’s growth strategy, Accelerating the Arches, encompasses all aspects of our business as the leading global omni-channel restaurant brand. As the consumer landscape shifts we are using our competitive advantages to further strengthen our brand. One of our core growth strategies is to Double Down on the 3Ds (Delivery, Digital and Drive Thru). McDonald’s will accelerate technology innovation so 65M+ customers a day will experience a fast, easy experience, whether at one of our 25,000 and growing Drive thrus, through McDelivery, dine-in or takeaway.  

McDonald’s Global Technology is here to power tomorrow’s feel-good moments.   

That’s why you’ll find us at the forefront of transformative technology, exploring new and innovative ways to serve our millions of customers and spread happiness one delicious Hot Fudge Sundae-dipped fry at a time. Using AI, robotics and emerging tech, we’re digitizing the Golden Arches. Combine that with our unparalleled global scale, and we’re reshaping all areas of the business, industry and every community that is home to a McDonald’s restaurant. We face complex tech challenges every day. But that’s where our diverse and talented teams come in. They’re made up of the best and brightest from all over the globe, and they thrive in the space where feel-good meets fast-paced.   

Check out the McDonald’s  Global Technology Technical Blog to learn how technology and our global team are directly enabling the Accelerating the Arches strategy.  

Department Overview

This opportunity is part of the Global Technology Enterprise Products & Platforms, focused on enabling enterprise-wide services through McDonald’s global ServiceNow platform, where our vision is to “Always be a people led, product centric, future focused & trusted technology partner of choice.” 

 The Sr. Mgr., Solutions Architect role is responsible for defining end-to-end solution architecture for products and business workflows delivered on McDonald’s global ServiceNow platform. This role partners closely with product engineering teams, business stakeholders, enterprise architecture, platform architecture, security, and operations to design scalable, secure, resilient, and supportable solutions that align with business objectives and enterprise technology strategy. The role is accountable for translating business needs into solution designs across multiple products, guiding implementation decisions, enabling effective integration with enterprise systems, and driving architectural consistency across initiatives. This role also leads a small team of Solutions Architects, providing direction, coaching, prioritization, and quality oversight to ensure consistent, high-quality architectural outcomes across the portfolio. This role reports to the Sr. Manager, Technical Product Management. 

Responsibilities & Accountabilities:

Solution Design and Architecture

  • Work closely with stakeholders to understand business objectives, challenges, user needs, and functional requirements across products and workflows.
  • Develop end-to-end solution designs for ServiceNow-enabled products and workflow capabilities that meet business requirements and integrate effectively with existing McDonald’s systems and platforms.
  • Define solution architecture across relevant ServiceNow capabilities, including ITSM, HRSD, CSM, SPM, App Engine, portal experiences, workflow automation, and enterprise integrations.
  • Ensure solutions are scalable, secure, usable, and aligned with enterprise and platform standards.
  • Create and maintain architectural documentation including solution designs, process flows, architecture diagrams, and technical specifications.
  • Define reusable solution patterns and ensure consistent implementation with product and engineering teams.
  • Communicate architecture decisions, tradeoffs, dependencies, and impacts clearly to stakeholders.
  • Lead solution architecture across design and delivery phases to ensure alignment with business outcomes.
  • Oversee integrations including APIs, identity flows, data exchange, and orchestration patterns.
  • Own solution architecture ensuring alignment across workflows, data, security, user experience, reporting, and support models.

Technology Strategy and Roadmap

  • Collaborate with product leadership to define the solution architecture roadmap aligned with business priorities.
  • Identify opportunities to enhance product capabilities, automation, and end-user experience.
  • Lead evaluation and recommendations for new capabilities, integrations, and vendor solutions based on value and technical fit.

Cross-Functional Collaboration

  • Partner with product, engineering, operations, cybersecurity, enterprise architecture, data, and business teams to align architecture and delivery.
  • Lead and develop a team of Solution Architects, ensuring consistency and quality across deliverables.
  • Facilitate architecture reviews and decision forums to drive alignment and resolve tradeoffs.

Implementation and Support

  • Partner with engineering teams to implement approved designs and guide complex solution challenges.
  • Ensure proper architectural support, escalation, and resolution of design-related risks.
  • Support delivery through design reviews, dependency management, and transition planning.

Governance and Compliance

  • Ensure solutions comply with enterprise architecture, security requirements, and company policies.
  • Identify risks, gaps, and dependencies, and define mitigation strategies.
  • Partner with cybersecurity and risk teams to align with standards and controls.
  • Provide architectural governance across initiatives to ensure consistency and quality.

Qualifications

 

  • 10+ years of experience in solution architecture, enterprise applications, product engineering, or related technology leadership roles within large-scale, global environments 
  • 8+ years of experience architecting and delivering ServiceNow-based solutions across multiple products, workflows, or business capabilities 
  • Experience leading, coaching, or managing architects or other technical professionals, including prioritizing work, reviewing deliverables, and developing talent 
  • Bachelor’s or master’s degree in Computer Science, Information Technology, or a related field 
  • Strong understanding of ServiceNow solution architecture, workflow design, data flows, security concepts, integration patterns, and enterprise application architecture principles  
  • Demonstrated knowledge of business solution design and workflow orchestration in a QSR, retail, enterprise applications, or back-office systems environment 
  • Knowledge of software engineering and delivery practices across the full software development life cycle, including requirements, design, testing, release management, and operational support 
  • Strong knowledge of APIs, integration frameworks, identity and access patterns, data architecture principles, and enterprise application interoperability 
  • Experience applying product and agile ways of working, including best practices and lessons learned to standardize and refine delivery approaches 
  • Highly experienced in working collaboratively with business partners, product teams, architects, and engineering teams to drive outcomes and solve complex business and technical challenges across a global matrixed organization 
  • Demonstrated ability to influence solution design decisions and provide technical leadership across internal teams, suppliers, and implementation partners 
  • Strong communication and interpersonal skills, with the ability to articulate complex technical concepts, solution tradeoffs, and business impacts to non-technical and executive stakeholders 
  • Strong problem-solving and innovation skills to identify, develop, and improve techniques, procedures, services, or products 
  • Demonstrated ability to create an environment that encourages learning, constructive challenge, thoughtful risk-taking, and continuous improvement 
  • Relevant ServiceNow and industry certifications are a plus 

Compensation

Bonus Eligible: YES

Long - Term Incentive: YES

Benefits Eligible: YES

Salary Range

The expected salary range for this role is $167,366.00 - $209,207.00 per year
 
The above represents the expected salary range for this job requisition. Ultimately, in determining your pay, we may also consider your experience, and other job-related factors.

Additional Information: 

Benefits eligible: This position offers health and welfare benefits, including but not limited to comprehensive health insurance, which includes medical, prescription drug, mental health, dental and vision coverage, as well as, life insurance.

Bonus eligible: This position is eligible for a bonus, calculated based on individual and company performance. 

Long term Incentive eligible: This position is eligible for stock or other equity grants pursuant to McDonald’s long-term incentive plan. 

McDonald’s is an equal opportunity employer committed to the diversity of our workforce. We promote an inclusive work environment that creates feel-good moments for everyone. McDonald’s provides reasonable accommodations to qualified individuals with disabilities as part of the application or hiring process or to perform the essential functions of their job. If you need assistance accessing or reading this job posting or otherwise feel you need an accommodation during the application or hiring process, please contact mcdhrbenefits@us.mcd.com. Reasonable accommodations will be determined on a case-by-case basis. 

McDonald’s provides equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants for employment and prohibits discrimination and harassment of any type without regard to sex, sex stereotyping, pregnancy (including pregnancy, childbirth, and medical conditions related to pregnancy, childbirth, or breastfeeding), race, color, religion, ancestry or national origin, age, disability status, medical condition, marital status, sexual orientation, gender, gender identity, gender expression, transgender status, protected military or veteran status, citizenship status, genetic information, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state or local laws. This policy applies to all terms and conditions of employment, including recruiting, hiring, placement, promotion, termination, layoff, recall, transfer, leaves of absence, compensation and training. 

Nothing in this job posting or description should be construed as an offer or guarantee of employment. 


Nearest Major Market: Chicago