Principal Technical Lead

Holland America Line has been exploring the world since 1873. Our ships offer innovative features and enriching experiences focused on destination exploration and personalized travel, inviting guests to savor the journey.

We’re looking for an experienced Principal Technical Lead to fill this role which is based in our Seattle office. You’ll be responsible for the architecture, design and implementation of technical solutions within their assigned tower. The ideal candidate is an SME on their team and must have experience with architectural design, data and network flow diagrams, API and integration methods, and configuration/development principles.

The Technical Principal is also a seasoned IT professional that can indirectly influence others while leading thought‑provoking strategic discussions with IT peers, business analysts, product owners, and others outside of the IT team. This role will be challenged with competing priorities and deadlines and will be required to ensure all recommendations are in compliance with corporate policies and procedures. The incumbent will also develop comprehensive error handling, disaster recovery, and high‑availability strategies while implementing a robust security and compliance framework for existing and new solutions, all while living out the company’s culture essentials.

Here’s a summary of what Holland America Line is looking for in its Principal Technical Lead. Is this you?

• Leads and manages a team of contract technical resources responsible for Infrastructure and Platform technologies. Leadership of the team includes setting clear expectations, offering constructive feedback, and nurturing professional growth. Monitoring team performance, resolving conflicts, and fostering cross‑departmental collaboration are crucial for aligning project priorities with organizational goals. Promoting continuous improvement to drive successful projects execution and ensures the team contributes effectively to achieving business objectives in the realm of infrastructure and platform technology solutions.
• Optimizes performance to provide premium service to our customers. Performs proof‑of‑concepts as required for new business and technical use‑cases. Reviews and approves technical designs in collaboration with IT technical leads. Develops and maintains audit and validation processes to detect data and system flow integrity issues. Works with technical, operations and/or software engineers internally and externally to permanently resolve integration and performance issues.
  
  Establishes monitoring, alerting strategies, and performance optimization frameworks.
• Represents their assigned area on internal Architectural Review Boards. Participates in internal team code and/or configuration reviews and provides recommendations to improve quality and to comply with architectural, design, and coding/configuration standards and best practices. Implements security best practices to protect our services and customers from threats. Defines security policies and compliance measures in partnership with Global Security team. Develops comprehensive error handling, disaster recovery, and high‑availability strategies while a robust security and compliance framework.
• Documents technical processes in a manner that is standardized across Holland America IT. Provides training and support for solutions architected. Provides guidance to engineering and development teams on best practices and architectural platforms.

• Minimum of 10 years related experience with 3 years as a lead solutions architect or equivalent in their respective tower discipline.
• Minimum 5 years in a corporate technology environment.
• Minimum 5 years architecting cloud‑based solutions.
• Strong focus on Operational Excellence.
• 5+ years in the cruise line or hospitality industry is highly desirable.
• Excellent critical thinking and problem‑solving skills with the ability to translate business needs into technology solutions.
• Experience successfully leading small‑medium architectural solutioning initiatives.
• Able to review and identify technical dependencies between application and infrastructure areas.
• Highly…