Head of Development and Solutions - Shopify Specialist

Job Description

The Head of Development & Solutions — Shopify Specialist is a senior technical leader who combines deep Shopify expertise with strategic thinking and hands-on execution. This role sits at the intersection of architecture, delivery, and client engagement, responsible for ensuring our e-commerce solutions are technically exceptional, scalable, and directly aligned with client business objectives.

This is not a purely managerial role. The ideal candidate thrives when moving between high-level architectural decisions and the technical nuances of Shopify platform implementation. They are equally comfortable presenting solutions to clients, mentoring developers, and reviewing code or API integrations.

About Avex

Avex is a rapidly growing eCommerce agency that partners with merchants in the fashion, lifestyle and premium products space. From high-growth DTC brands to enterprise, we have partnered with companies such as: KITH, LVMH, TAG Heuer, Hugo Boss, Enjoy Life, Mondelez, Brandon Blackwood, Undefeated, Rumpl, HAUS, O'Neill, Serta Simmons Bedding, Badgley Mischka and many others. We design, build and optimize eCommerce experiences on Shopify Plus for global brands.

Our Values

BUILD our clients’ businesses, INSPIRE our employees to grow, CHALLENGE the norm, and DELIVER on our commitments.

We design and build digital commerce experiences that connect brands to people through creative, technology and culture. We believe that our work should not only produce amazing results for our clients but should also be fun and rewarding for our team. Avex believes in a strong work-life balance, not just churning out projects. The happier our team is, the more enjoyable the experience is, and the better the results will be for our clients.

We ensure that our team members and partners possess these traits. We feel that it is important to prioritize these core values over everything else. This allows us to deliver results for our clients, as well as a safe and fun work environment.

• Teamwork
• Passion
• Respect
• Talent
• Accountability
• Resourcefulness
• Radical Transparency
• Visionary

Role & Responsibilities

The Head of Development & Solutions leads the technical direction of our Shopify practice while remaining closely connected to the work being done on the ground. This role requires both the strategic vision to guide the team and the hands-on depth to make smart technical calls.

Shopify Platform Leadership

• Own the technical standards, architecture patterns, and best practices for all Shopify builds across the agency.
• Stay ahead of Shopify platform releases, new APIs, and ecosystem trends, translating them into actionable improvements for the team and clients.
• Serve as the ultimate technical authority on complex Shopify challenges including custom theme development, Liquid templating, Hydrogen/Headless implementations, and advanced API integrations.

Solutions Architecture & Pre-Sales

• Partner with Client Services and Account teams during pre-sales to assess technical feasibility, scope solutions, and contribute to proposals and estimates.
• Design and document technical architectures for complex projects, including platform migrations, third-party integrations, and multi-system data flows.
• Translate business requirements into clear, implementable technical solutions that balance ambition with practical delivery.

Platform Migration Management

• Lead end-to-end replatforming projects, specifically migrating clients from enterprise platforms (e.g., Salesforce Commerce Cloud, Magento, BigCommerce) to Shopify or Shopify Plus.
• Oversee data migration strategy, including product, customer, order, and content data, ensuring accuracy, integrity, and minimal disruption to client operations.
• Coordinate with cross-functional teams to identify dependencies, mitigate risks, and maintain smooth client communication throughout transitions.

Technical Oversight & Quality

• Oversee all development projects, ensuring solutions are scalable, secure, and meet both client expectations and agency standards.
• Lead architectural decisions and provide guidance on complex problem-solving, including custom app development, Shopify integrations, and API connections.
• Establish and maintain standards for coding, testing, deployment, and documentation across all technical projects.

Team Leadership & Development

• Lead, mentor, and support the development team, fostering a culture of technical excellence, collaboration, and continuous learning.
• Conduct regular performance evaluations and provide growth opportunities for team members, including training and professional development.
• Work closely with HR to recruit top technical talent, ensuring alignment with agency values and technical standards.

Cross-functional Collaboration

• Collaborate closely with Project Managers, Designers, and Strategists to ensure seamless project execution and timely delivery.
• Partner with Account Managers and Client Services teams to communicate technical concepts clearly, aligning solutions with client business goals.
• Participate in high-level client meetings as the senior technical representative, helping translate complex technical concepts into understandable language.

Process & Workflow Optimization

• Establish and refine development processes to improve efficiency, quality, and client satisfaction.
• Implement and uphold best practices in QA, security, data protection, and regulatory compliance across all projects.
• Drive innovation by exploring emerging technologies and tools that enhance our Shopify capabilities and service offering.

Requirements

We have expectations and so should you. We want to make sure we’re aligned on what is expected from both sides.

• Minimum 5 years of hands-on experience with the Shopify platform, including Shopify Plus, with deep knowledge of Liquid templating, theme customization, and API integrations.
• Proven experience architecting and leading large-scale e-commerce replatforming projects, particularly from enterprise platforms such as Magento, Salesforce, or BigCommerce to Shopify.
• Strong understanding of frontend and backend technologies including HTML, CSS, JavaScript frameworks, and REST/GraphQL APIs.
• Demonstrated experience with Shopify’s ecosystem: custom apps, Shopify Functions, Hydrogen/Oxygen (headless), and third-party integrations.
• Solid understanding of data structure, mapping, and migration challenges, with a focus on minimizing data loss and maintaining workflow integrity.
• Familiarity with project management principles and Agile methodologies, including resource allocation, budgeting, and timeline management.
• Excellent communication skills — able to engage confidently with clients, translate technical concepts for non-technical stakeholders, and collaborate across departments.
• Ability to think strategically, aligning technical decisions with client business objectives and long-term growth.
• You hold yourself and others accountable.
• You’re competitive and love winning as a team.
• You have high standards and expect the same from your team.
• You understand we’re a growing company and everyone wears multiple hats.
• You understand that there will be “easy weeks” but also “busy weeks” where we need to help each other out.
• You can work autonomously without being micromanaged.

Benefits

Working at Avex

• We offer unlimited PTO
• We offer remote or flexible working
• We value work-life balance
• We reward people based on their accomplishments and contributions
• We strive to make a difference in our clients' businesses
• We take burnout seriously and do our best to monitor it
• We treat people like adults, as long as they treat others with the same respect
• We have extremely high standards
• We're highly competitive in the industry and we love winning as a team
• We prioritize people over profits
• We donate a percentage of revenue to No Kid Hungry

Compensation and Benefits

We’re an equal opportunity employer. All applicants will be considered for employment without attention to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, veteran or disability status.

• 401K with company matching
• Remote (Optional / Hybrid)
• Untracked PTO and sick days
• Paid holidays
• At home WiFi monthly stipend
• Aetna Healthcare, Dental, Vision
• Wellness Reimbursement