Principal Cloud Architect

This is a fully remote position, open to applicants in United Kingdom.

📋 Description

• Drive the cloud architecture strategy for key accounts, major proposals, RFPs, and intricate transformation initiatives.

• Serve as the appointed design authority for high-stakes, high-value, or technically challenging cloud projects.

• Design enterprise cloud solutions encompassing Azure, AWS, landing zones, migration, modernization, security, resilience, governance, and FinOps.

• Convert intricate business needs into secure, scalable, maintainable, and commercially feasible architecture recommendations.

• Offer program-level architectural guidance across various projects, workstreams, and technical interdependencies.

• Validate complex solution designs and ensure alignment between presales commitments, architectural frameworks, and delivery results.

• Provide counsel to senior customer stakeholders regarding cloud strategy, transformation roadmaps, architecture alternatives, and technical risks.

• Work in tandem with commercial, portfolio, engineering, and delivery teams to enhance solution feasibility.

• Facilitate architecture governance, design evaluations, and activities of the Architecture Review Board.

• Create reusable reference architectures, design patterns, accelerators, and architectural guidance.

• Mentor Cloud Solutions Architects and Senior Cloud Solutions Architects.

• Recognize opportunities to leverage automation and AI to boost architecture productivity, assurance, and the development of reusable solutions.

⛳️ Requirements

• Extensive experience in leading architecture for complex, enterprise-scale cloud transformations.

• Advanced knowledge of public cloud architecture, with significant experience in Azure or AWS and relevant multi-cloud insights.

• Experience functioning as a senior design authority across complex, high-risk, or commercially sensitive projects.

• Strong understanding of cloud landing zones, migration, modernization, cloud-native architecture, and cloud operating models.

• Profound knowledge of cloud security, identity, networking, resilience, observability, automation, governance, and FinOps.

• Proven track record in steering technical strategy for major proposals, RFPs, bids, or strategic client opportunities.

• Capability to outline architecture roadmaps, solution alternatives, reference architectures, design patterns, and governance methodologies.

• Strong grasp of platform engineering, DevOps, Infrastructure as Code, and operational service transition.

• Ability to balance customer outcomes, technical excellence, cost, risk, delivery feasibility, and long-term operability.

• Confidence in presenting intricate architecture recommendations to senior customer and internal stakeholders.

• Acute commercial awareness, including scope, assumptions, dependencies, delivery models, and technical risks.

• Experience in influencing multidisciplinary teams through technical authority, expertise, and trust.

• Microsoft Certified: Azure Solutions Architect Expert, including AZ-305 (desirable).

• AWS Certified Solutions Architect, Professional (desirable).

• TOGAF or equivalent enterprise, solution, or security architecture qualification (desirable).

• Credentials in FinOps, cloud governance, cloud security, AI, or program architecture (desirable).

• Experience supporting an Architecture Review Board or formal architecture assurance process (desirable).

• Proven experience in creating reusable architecture assets, accelerators, and standardized design patterns (desirable).

• Background in mentoring or developing senior cloud and solution architects (desirable).

• Experience in public speaking, technical thought leadership, or architecture community leadership (desirable).

🏝️ Benefits

• Option for remote work.

• Commitment to an inclusive workplace and accessible hiring practices.

• Participation in Employee Resource Groups, including Diversity and Inclusion, Telefónica Tech Pride, Neurodiversity, ELEVATE (African and Caribbean heritage network), and Sustainability.

• Opportunities to mentor and cultivate architects.

• Chances for technical thought leadership and leadership within the architecture community.