Cloud Architect, lead

Our client is seeking a strategic and hands-on Lead Cloud Architect with deep expertise in Microsoft Azure. This senior-level role will drive the design, implementation, and optimization of scalable, secure, and cost-efficient cloud solutions. The ideal candidate will serve as a cross-functional thought leader, collaborating with engineering, infrastructure, product, data, and security teams to guide enterprise cloud adoption and governance.

This is a FTE/ Direct hire opportunity! The team is onsite in Austin, Texas!

What you get to go do in this exciting role:

Champion Azure architecture best practices across the organization, using principles of the Well-Architected Framework: security, reliability, performance efficiency, cost optimization, and operational excellence.

Design robust reference architectures, reusable patterns, and deployment blueprints for cloud-based applications, integrations, and data platforms.

Provide guidance on business continuity and disaster recovery planning, including configuration auditing and failover/fail-back testing strategies.

Collaborate with DevOps and engineering teams to define infrastructure-as-code standards (e.g., Bicep, Terraform) and CI/CD pipelines (e.g., GitHub Actions, Azure DevOps).

Lead cloud governance initiatives, including tagging strategies, cost controls, policy enforcement, and guardrail automation.

Evaluate emerging Azure services and third-party technologies, leading proof-of-concept efforts and offering recommendations for adoption.

Participate in architectural reviews and post-incident analysis to identify improvements and drive root-cause solutions.

Produce and maintain comprehensive architecture documentation and conduct internal knowledge-sharing sessions.

Mentor and support technical teams, promoting continuous learning and architectural excellence.

Advise senior leadership on cloud strategies, innovation trends, and platform scalability.

What you need to be successful:

Proven expertise in designing and operating Azure-based solutions across compute, storage, networking, identity, and platform services.

In-depth understanding of cloud networking (e.g., VNet, ExpressRoute, DNS, firewalls, load balancing, and Private Link).

Strong hands-on experience with infrastructure automation and DevOps pipelines using Bicep, Terraform, GitHub Actions, or Azure DevOps YAML.

Familiarity with regulatory frameworks and compliance standards relevant to financial services (e.g., SOC 2, ISO 27001, PCI DSS, FINRA, SEC).

Exceptional communication and influence skills—able to explain complex technical concepts to non-technical stakeholders.

Passion for automation, reliability, and cost efficiency in cloud environments.

Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science, Information Systems, Engineering, or related field (or equivalent experience).

8+ years of experience in cloud architecture and solution design, with a strong focus on Azure.

Experience in financial services or other regulated environments is a plus.

Certifications (Preferred):

Microsoft Certified: Azure Solutions Architect Expert (AZ-305) or equivalent.