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Fanatics

China-based licensed sports merchandise retailer

Distinguished Architect - Enterprise Data & Integration

Full-Time
$300k - $375k
Expert
Bachelor's, Master's
Redwood City, CA, USA+1 moreMore locations: Atlanta, GA, USA
HybridIn-office presence in Redwood City or Atlanta is required Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday.
Data & AnalyticsData Management
Company Historically Provides H1B Sponsorship

About the job

Requirements
  • At least 15 years in enterprise software architecture, primarily in data and integration architecture at enterprise scale, with experience across multiple technology generations and strong grounding in application and distributed systems architecture, including service decomposition, domain boundaries, and large-system tradeoffs.
  • Extensive experience in data modeling and data management across complex, multi-system environments, including master and reference data, data quality, and lineage, and experience architecting enterprise-scale data lake and warehouse environments using modern platforms such as Snowflake, StarRocks, and Iceberg.
  • Deep expertise integrating transactional systems, including order management, inventory, warehouse management, manufacturing, enterprise resource planning, and commerce platforms, including systems inherited through acquisition; experience integrating external trading partners through electronic data interchange and modern application programming interface-based onboarding.
  • Command of enterprise integration patterns, including event-driven architecture, application programming interface design and governance, and messaging and streaming platforms such as Kafka, with a clear understanding of their use in large-scale commerce and supply chain environments.
  • Experience designing a semantic or metrics layer for analytics and operational consumers, and judgment to assess enterprise data readiness for artificial intelligence applications and conversational experiences.
  • Demonstrated ability to set technical direction across an organization without direct authority, mentor senior architects, and raise architectural practice standards.
  • Exceptional written and verbal communication skills, including presenting architecture to executives, engineering audiences, and public forums, and producing durable documentation and decision records.
  • Strong enterprise-scale cloud architecture skills and architectural experience in environments with significant privacy and regulatory exposure, including data classification, residency, and retention obligations.
  • A bachelor's degree in Computer Science, Engineering, or a related field is required.
Responsibilities
  • Partner with engineering, product, and data leaders to set architectural direction for data and integration platforms, shape major platform transitions, and develop the technical and economic case for vendor and build decisions across Fanatics Commerce.
  • Serve as a primary architecture voice to engineering and a trusted partner to technology and business leaders; represent Fanatics architecture externally through speaking, writing, and participation in public forums.
  • Contribute to enterprise architecture through application, platform, and security design decisions across the broader technology organization.
  • Mentor senior and principal architects, raise architectural practice standards, and enable engineering teams to build against established standards and reference patterns.
  • Communicate architectural direction clearly to executive and engineering audiences, ensuring decisions are understood, documented, and revisitable.
  • Own integration architecture across transactional systems, data lakes and warehouses, and external trading partners, maintaining the resiliency and availability of order, inventory, product, and customer data flows.
  • Support enterprise data architecture that makes data trustworthy and accessible for artificial intelligence applications and conversational experiences, enabling fan-facing commerce and personalization.
  • Ensure external trading-partner integration architecture—including marketplaces, wholesale customers, third-party logistics providers, and carriers—is robust and supports the global fan experience.
  • Partner with Data Governance, Information Security, and Compliance to ensure data and integration architecture meets privacy, regulatory, and contractual obligations.
  • Define enterprise data architecture, including canonical models and standards, and set direction for incorporating new and acquired systems.
  • Drive design of a semantic or metrics layer for analytics and operational consumers, and assess enterprise data readiness for artificial intelligence and agentic applications across commerce and supply chain.
  • Shape enterprise-scale data lake and warehouse environments, including coexistence and transition among platforms such as Snowflake, StarRocks, and Iceberg, and make platform-selection and build-versus-buy decisions.
  • Apply enterprise integration patterns, including event-driven architecture, application programming interface design and governance, and messaging and streaming platforms such as Kafka, to advance integration maturity.
  • Establish data and integration architecture standards and reference patterns, and maintain durable architectural direction through models, diagrams, and decision records.
  • Design integrations across order management, inventory, warehouse management, manufacturing, enterprise resource planning, and commerce platforms for failure, recovery, and reconciliation.
  • Ensure architecture accounts for data privacy and regulatory exposure, including data classification, residency, and retention obligations.
  • Lead technical and economic cases for major platform investments, including ongoing operating costs, and hold the organization accountable for strategically sound and financially disciplined architecture.
  • Apply artificial intelligence and technology to improve efficiency, quality, and outcomes; use data and digital tools to inform decisions and enhance performance; adopt new technologies and ways of working; and contribute to innovation and continuous improvement.
Desired Qualifications
  • Retail, ecommerce, or consumer goods experience.
  • A master's degree.

About the company

Fanatics China is a joint venture between Fanatics Inc. and Hillhouse Capital that localizes and scales licensed sports merchandise for China. It designs, manufactures, and markets fan gear for Chinese consumers, operating a multi-channel model that includes building and running e-commerce sites for global leagues and teams, exploring online marketplaces, and developing physical retail concepts. Its product workflow combines technology, data, and on-demand manufacturing to manage the entire supply chain, enabling fast response to demand. The company differentiates itself through a China-focused approach backed by Hillhouse’s network and investments, its end-to-end vertical commerce model, and partnerships with hundreds of sports organizations, which together help it navigate China’s complex retail landscape. The goal is to satisfy a previously underserved Chinese market for licensed sports merchandise by creating localized products and channels that connect fans with official gear.

Company Size

10,001+

Company Stage

Growth Equity (Venture Capital)

Total Funding

$5.2B

Headquarters

Huangpu, China

Founded

1995

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Simplify's Take

What believers are saying

  • Fanatics Sports & Casino launched September 2, 2026, broadening monetization beyond merchandise.
  • Fanatics Collectibles opened Paris flagship plans after London's success, expanding global premium retail.
  • NFL added Fanatics as official betting operator, validating the company's sportsbook ambitions.

What critics are saying

  • Three antitrust suits were dismissed September 30, 2026, but Panini's case still threatens.
  • Fanatics laid off 286 Florida workers for Riverview closure effective March 1, 2026.
  • Sportsbook and prediction-markets integration intensifies rivalry with DraftKings, FanDuel, and regulators.

What makes Fanatics unique

  • Fanatics controls leagues, teams, and factories through vertical commerce, not simple retail markup.
  • Fanatics signed long-term NFL, UEFA, FIFA, and Ryder Cup rights in 2026.
  • Fanatics China pairs Hillhouse Capital with local manufacturing and Shanghai operations.

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Benefits

  • Work Life Balance - At Fanatics we place our focus on results and empowerment and encourage you to enjoy your time on and OFF the field with our competitive time off policies.
  • Recognition and Rewards Program - Fanatics values our internal fans too! Our programs are designed to thank and reward Fanatics athletes for their hard work and commitment to winning as a team.
  • Company Sponsored Events - From breakfast to happy hour and every hour in between – Fanatics employees can enjoy time together at one of our many company events.
  • Fanatics.com Employee Discount - As an employee you will receive a special discount on all of your favorite sports merchandise and memorabilia.
  • Give Back - Fanatics cares about the fans around us. We encourage you to partner up with your teammates in giving back and serving the communities where we work and play.
  • Meet & Greets - You never know who will show up to the office. You might just meet one of your all-time favorite athletes.
  • Invest in You - Here at Fanatics we want you to accomplish your goals. We offer tuition reimbursement.
  • Healthy Lifestyle - Fanatics cares about helping and supporting our teams in their busy lifestyles. Through wellness relationships with fitness and weight management partners we are here to support you in whatever your lifestyle goals.
  • Wellness Coverage - Your health is important to you – and it’s important to us too! We offer a number of benefit plan options for convenience and flexibility.
  • Financial Security - Through our plans, Fanatics offers you a way to budget for health care expenses that you’d typically pay for out of pocket.
  • Retirement - The sooner you begin planning for your retirement, the better. Fanatics offers generous plans to help you prepare for the future.
  • Network of Support - Fanatics understands that sometimes you may need someone in your corner. Through the Life Assistance Program, you and your family have access to support 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

Company News

CNBC
Sep 30th, 2025
Scorability raises $40M to transform recruiting

Scorability, a sports tech platform, raised $40 million in funding led by Bluestone Equity Partners, with participation from Fanatics and others. The startup, founded in 2023 by Brian Cruver, aims to modernize college sports recruiting. It has 1.2 million athletes and 3,000 college sports program users. Scorability is free for athletes, while colleges pay $10k-$40k annually. The platform simplifies recruitment by providing comprehensive data and AI-driven tools for coaches.

Instagram
Aug 25th, 2025
Black Sports Business Symposium on Instagram: "Day one of #BlackSportsBiz launched the inaugural @BlackSportsWallStreet + @Pitch.Black.Sports, presented by @Fanatics, while also featuring @CariChampion, Eli Kumekpor, @RyanHoward_006 and @1JeremiahBrown! 🎤🛍️ Congrats to @Reel_Analytics for winning Pitch Black Sports! We can’t wait to see what’s next for Cory and his team. 📈 🎥: @travisellisonproductions @aumemedia"

417 likes, 21 comments - blacksportsbiz on May 30, 2024: "Day one of #BlackSportsBiz launched the inaugural @BlackSportsWallStreet + @Pitch.Black.Sports, presented by @Fanatics, while also featuring @CariChampion, Eli Kumekpor, @RyanHoward_006 and @1JeremiahBrown! 🎤🛍️ Congrats to @Reel_Analytics for winning Pitch Black Sports! We can’t wait to see what’s next for Cory and his team. 📈 🎥: @travisellisonproductions @aumemedia".

Wall Street Journal
Dec 8th, 2024
WSJ News Exclusive | Fanatics Valuation Rises to $18 Billion as It Plans to Expand Sports Offerings

Fanatics raised a new round of funding valuing the online sports-merchandise retailer at $18 billion, people familiar with the matter said, roughly tripling its valuation from a year ago.

Sports Yahoo
Sep 12th, 2024
Fanatics Launching Events Division With Investment From IMG

Fanatics is launching a new events vertical, in partnership with IMG, to capitalize on the company’s growing suite of business ventures, including merchandise, memorabilia, fashion, music, trading cards and sports betting. Starting next year, Fanatics Events will create fan festivals that feature athletes and brands from across the industry, including those in the Fanatics orbit. […]

Fanatics, Inc.
Sep 12th, 2024
History — Fanatics Inc

What began as a single e-commerce deal in 2002 has grown into a mobile-first, tech and data-fueled consumer brand, built to satisfy global fans who purchase gear in-the-moment when passion is burning highest. Fanatics provides the ultimate shopping experience to sports fans whether buying gear onlin