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, integra