ERP Modernization Architect

The Opportunity 

We have a stable, revenue-generating ERP platform built on ProvideX (a Business BASIC derivative) that serves a loyal customer base. We are not looking to rebuild it from scratch. We need a senior architect who understands how legacy business logic systems work, can map the existing architecture, and build a modern API layer on top of it so we can connect AI capabilities, third-party integrations, and new product experiences to the data and workflows that already exist. 

This is a "wrap, don’t replace" strategy. The right person will see the ProvideX codebase not as technical debt, but as encoded business logic worth preserving and exposing through modern interfaces. 

What You’ll Do 

Legacy Architecture Mapping & API Strategy 

• Reverse-engineer and document the ProvideX ERP architecture: data models, keyed file structures, business rules, and process flows 

• Design and build a RESTful (or GraphQL) API layer that exposes core ERP functions and data to modern consumers without rewriting the underlying system 

• Define the integration architecture that allows AI tools, third-party platforms, and new front-end experiences to read from and write to the ERP safely 

• Establish a service boundary map: what stays in ProvideX, what gets abstracted, and what eventually migrates 

AI Enablement Through Data Access 

• Make ERP data accessible and usable for AI/ML workflows by building clean data pipelines from legacy file structures to modern data stores 

• Partner with product and leadership to identify the highest-value AI use cases that depend on ERP data (predictive analytics, workflow automation, intelligent recommendations) 

• Evaluate and recommend AI tools and platforms that can plug into the API layer you build 

• Ensure data governance, security, and compliance as legacy data becomes more broadly accessible 

Platform Stability & Incremental Modernization 

• Own the reliability and performance of the ERP platform throughout the modernization process; nothing breaks for existing customers 

• Lead incident response and root-cause analysis for production issues 

• Establish pragmatic engineering standards that acknowledge the reality of a legacy codebase while moving it forward 

• Prioritize modernization efforts based on business impact, not technical elegance 

Team & Stakeholder Leadership 

• Lead and grow the ERP engineering team, building API and integration capabilities alongside legacy maintenance skills 

• Act as the senior technical voice connecting engineering, product, support, and executive leadership 

• Translate complex technical realities ("this is ProvideX, here’s what that means for your timeline") into language that non-technical stakeholders can act on 

• Mentor engineers who may be new to legacy systems, helping them see architectural patterns rather than just old code 

Infrastructure & Cloud 

• Own the Azure environment hosting the ERP platform 

• Drive infrastructure automation, disaster recovery, and operational hygiene 

• Support the longer-term cloud and SaaS evolution strategy as the API layer matures 

What We’re Looking For 

Must Have 

• Deep experience with legacy business logic languages: ProvideX, Business BASIC (BBx/BBj), Pick/MultiValue BASIC, RPG, or COBOL. You need to be able to read procedural, record-oriented code and understand the business rules it encodes. 

• Proven track record of building API layers on top of legacy systems without full rewrites. You’ve done the "wrap and expose" pattern before. 

• Senior engineering leadership experience overseeing mission-critical enterprise systems where downtime means lost revenue. 

• Strong understanding of keyed file structures, flat-file databases, and how legacy data models differ from modern relational or document stores. 

• Cloud infrastructure experience, preferably Microsoft Azure. 

• Ability to communicate technical constraints and trade-offs to non-technical leadership clearly and without jargon. 

Strong Advantages 

• Hands-on experience with ProvideX specifically, or with Sage or SAP Business One ERP systems built on it 

• Experience designing data pipelines that make legacy data consumable by AI/ML tools 

• Familiarity with AI/ML integration patterns (you don’t need to build models, but you need to understand what they need from a data and API perspective) 

• Background in ERP environments within vertical SaaS or software portfolio companies 

• Experience with Python as a bridge language between legacy and modern systems 

What Success Looks Like 

First 90 Days: Understand and Stabilize 

• Complete architecture map of the ProvideX ERP: data structures, key business logic paths, integration points, and technical debt hot spots 

• Documented assessment of current system reliability with a prioritized stabilization plan 

• Relationship-building with the engineering team, product, support, and leadership; you understand the people as well as the code 

Months 4 through 6: Build the Bridge 

• First API endpoints live in production, exposing high-value ERP data or functions to at least one modern consumer (internal tool, integration, or AI workflow) 

• A defined and actively executing modernization roadmap that leadership, product, and engineering all align on 

• Measurable improvement in system reliability and engineering execution cadence 

Months 6 through 12: Scale and Enable 

• API layer mature enough to support multiple consumers: AI capabilities, third-party integrations, and new product features 

• At least one AI-enabled capability in production that delivers measurable business impact (revenue growth, cost reduction, or efficiency gain) built on the data and APIs you created 

• A credible, market-aligned architecture vision for the platform’s next phase that does not require burning the existing system to the ground 

• Improved customer satisfaction driven by platform stability and new capabilities 

Why This Role Matters 

Most companies with legacy ERP systems face a false choice: maintain forever or rebuild from scratch. We are choosing a third path. We want someone who can bridge decades of encoded business logic to the modern AI-enabled product landscape without losing what works. If you’re the kind of engineer who sees a ProvideX codebase and thinks "I can map this and open it up" rather than "burn it down," this role was designed for you. 

#DemandBridge