Cloud Architect

The Cloud Architect is responsible for defining, designing, and governing the organisation€™s cloud strategy, architecture, and implementation roadmap. The role ensures that cloud platforms and services are secure, scalable, resilient, cost-effective, and aligned to business and technology objectives. The Cloud Architect works closely with business stakeholders, solution architects, engineering teams, security teams, and technology partners to enable cloud adoption and digital transformation initiatives.

Key Responsibilities
Cloud Strategy & Architecture
- Develop and maintain enterprise cloud architecture standards, principles, and reference architectures.
- Define cloud adoption roadmaps aligned to business and technology strategies.
- Evaluate cloud technologies and services to support current and future business requirements.
- Establish cloud governance frameworks, architecture patterns, and best practices.

Solution Design & Delivery
- Design secure, scalable, highly available, and resilient cloud solutions.
- Provide architectural leadership across cloud transformation, application modernization, data platforms, AI, and digital initiatives.
- Review and approve solution designs to ensure alignment with enterprise architecture standards.
- Support migration of applications, data, and infrastructure from on-premise to cloud environments.

Security, Risk & Compliance
- Ensure cloud solutions comply with security, risk, regulatory, and governance requirements.
- Collaborate with cybersecurity teams to implement cloud security controls and monitoring.
- Define cloud identity, access management, encryption, and network security architectures.
- Support audit, compliance, and risk management activities.

Cloud Operations & Optimization
- Promote cloud operational excellence through automation, monitoring, and observability.
- Drive cloud cost optimization and FinOps practices.
- Establish standards for availability, resilience, disaster recovery, and business continuity.
- Support performance optimization and capacity planning initiatives.

Stakeholder Engagement
- Work closely with business leaders, product owners, engineering teams, and technology partners.
- Provide architectural guidance during planning, budgeting, and project execution.
- Present architecture strategies and recommendations to senior management and governance forums.
- Mentor solution architects, engineers, and technical teams on cloud best practices.

Minimum Qualifications
- Bachelor's Degree in Computer Science, Information Technology, Engineering, or related discipline.
- Postgraduate qualification advantageous.

Professional Certifications (Preferred)
- Microsoft Certified: Azure Solutions Architect Expert
- Microsoft Certified: Azure Administrator Associate
- AWS Certified Solutions Architect Professional
- Google Professional Cloud Architect
- TOGAF Certification
- Certified Kubernetes Administrator (CKA)
- FinOps Practitioner Certification

Experience
- 8-12 years of IT experience with at least 5 years in cloud architecture roles.
- Experience designing and implementing enterprise-scale cloud solutions.
- Proven experience with cloud migration and modernisation programmes.
- Experience with hybrid cloud and multi-cloud environments.
- Experience within financial services, banking, insurance, or highly regulated industries is advantageous.
- Experience leading large-scale transformation initiatives and technology delivery teams.

Technical Skills
Cloud Platforms
- Microsoft Azure (Preferred)
- Amazon Web Services (AWS)
- Google Cloud Platform (GCP)

Infrastructure & Networking
- Virtual Networks
- Software Defined Networking
- VPN and ExpressRoute Connectivity
- Load Balancing and Traffic Management
- Infrastructure as Code (IaC)

DevOps & Automation
- Azure DevOps
- GitHub
- CI/CD Pipelines
- Terraform
- Bicep
- Ansible
- PowerShell
- Python

Containers & Modern Platforms
- Kubernetes
- Docker
- OpenShift
- Container Security

Security & Compliance
- Cloud Security Architecture
- Identity & Access Management
- Zero Trust Architecture
- Encryption & Key Management
- Regulatory Compliance Frameworks

Data & AI Platforms
- Azure Databricks
- Microsoft Fabric
- Azure Synapse Analytics
- Azure Data Lake Storage (ADLS Gen2)
- AI/ML Platform Architecture

Key Competencies
- Strategic Thinking
- Enterprise Architecture
- Leadership & Influencing Skills
- Stakeholder Management
- Problem Solving & Decision Making
- Risk Management
- Financial & Commercial Acumen
- Communication & Presentation Skills
- Innovation & Continuous Improvement

Key Performance Indicators (KPIs)
- Cloud adoption and transformation success rate.
- Architecture compliance and review outcomes.
- Cloud platform availability and resilience metrics.
- Reduction in technical debt and legacy infrastructure.
- Cloud cost optimization and value realization targets.
- Security and compliance audit outcomes.
- Delivery of strategic cloud initiatives within agreed timelines.