Cloud Architect

Key Responsibilities

Cloud Architecture & Design

• Lead the architecture of complex Azure-based solutions, ensuring scalability, security, reliability, and performance.
• Design cloud-native architectures (e.g., microservices, containers, serverless).
• Create reference architectures, solution blueprints, and cloud adoption roadmaps.

Technical Leadership

• Serve as a technical advisor to engineering and development teams.
• Review and guide high-level and detailed architectural designs.
• Promote best practices in infrastructure as code (IaC), DevOps, security, and automation.

Azure Services Expertise

• Deploy and optimize Azure services such as VMs, App Services, AKS, Azure SQL, Storage, Networking, Azure AD, Monitoring tools (Log Analytics, Application Insights), and Azure VDI.

Migration & Modernization

• Plan and execute migrations from on-premise or other cloud platforms to Azure.
• Modernize legacy applications using cloud-native services.

Governance, Security & Compliance

• Define and enforce cloud governance frameworks and security policies.
• Utilize tools like Azure Policy, Azure Blueprints, and Microsoft Defender for cost control and security compliance.

Stakeholder Engagement

• Collaborate with executive leadership, IT, and business units to align cloud initiatives with strategic goals.
• Lead workshops, technical deep dives, and architecture presentations.

Continuous Improvement

• Stay updated on Azure developments and industry trends.
• Mentor and upskill internal teams on Azure best practices and capabilities.

Qualifications

Required

• Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science, IT, or related field (Master’s preferred).
• 7+ years in IT, including 4+ years in Azure cloud architecture.
• Strong understanding of Azure IaaS, PaaS, and SaaS.
• Hands-on expertise in:
• Networking (VNETs, ExpressRoute, VPNs, Firewalls)
• Identity (Azure AD, RBAC, Conditional Access)
• Security (Key Vault, Managed Identities, SIEM integrations)
• Infrastructure as Code (ARM Templates, Terraform, Bicep)
• CI/CD tools (Azure DevOps, GitHub Actions)
• Containers and serverless (Docker, Kubernetes, Azure Functions, Logic Apps)
• Cloud security frameworks (Zero Trust, NIST, CIS)

Preferred Certifications

• Microsoft Certified: Azure Solutions Architect Expert (AZ-305)
• Microsoft Certified: Azure Administrator Associate (AZ-104)
• Microsoft Certified: DevOps Engineer Expert (AZ-400)

Soft Skills

• Strategic thinker and innovative problem solver.
• Strong communicator and team collaborator.
• Excellent documentation and stakeholder engagement skills.