Cloud Architect

Position Description

The Cloud Architect is the senior-most technical authority for cloud computing within Enterprise Architecture, responsible for defining the enterprise cloud strategy, target-state architecture, and long-term technology direction across public, hybrid, and multi-cloud environments. This role owns how cloud platforms, security, networking, identity, data, applications, and automation fit together to support the organization's business, regulatory, and operational objectives.

This position establishes the enterprise cloud vision and multi-year roadmap, guiding how cloud technologies are adopted, evolved, and integrated across domains. The Cloud Architect provides architectural leadership across all major cloud initiatives, ensuring consistency, interoperability, and long-term sustainability of the cloud ecosystem.

The Cloud Architect maintains active technical involvement through targeted prototyping and architectural experimentation to validate strategy and reduce enterprise risk. Working in close partnership with Principal Cloud Engineers and other domain architects, this role serves as the final arbiter for cross-domain cloud decisions and the primary steward of the organization's cloud architecture.

Key Responsibilities

Enterprise Cloud Architecture

• Define and own the enterprise cloud strategy, target-state architecture, and multi-year roadmap across public, hybrid, and multi-cloud environments.
• Define the enterprise cloud platform portfolio, including core cloud services, shared platforms, and enterprise enablement capabilities.
• Define the enterprise landing zone, tenant, subscription, and network architecture that forms the foundation for all cloud workloads.
• Define the enterprise hybrid and multi-cloud strategy, including coexistence and transition models for on-premise and cloud platforms.
• Establish workload classification, cloud readiness, and hosting models that guide where and how applications and platforms run.
• Evaluate, select, and retire cloud platforms and major services based on technical capabilities, regulatory requirements, and total cost of ownership.
• Define enterprise cost, consumption, and optimization architecture to ensure sustainable cloud adoption.

Cross-Domain Cloud Architecture

• Serve as the primary authority for cross-domain cloud architecture decisions spanning application, data, security, AI, and infrastructure domains.
• Define how cloud platforms integrate with enterprise applications, data, analytics, and AI architectures.
• Resolve architectural conflicts and tradeoffs between delivery teams, domain principals, and enterprise stakeholders.
• Ensure architectural consistency, interoperability, and long-term sustainability across cloud initiatives and technology portfolios.

Cloud Governance and Security

• Define the enterprise approach to cloud governance, risk management, and compliance in partnership with Information Security and Governance, Risk, and Compliance (GRC) teams.
• Establish enterprise cloud security and compliance architecture, including identity, network, platform, and data protection models.
• Define enterprise cloud resiliency, disaster recovery, and business continuity architecture.
• Ensure regulatory, privacy, and risk requirements are embedded into cloud target architectures and long-term platform strategy.

Architecture Stewardship and Executive Leadership

• Maintain active technical engagement through architectural experimentation, targeted prototyping, and technical deep dives to validate strategy and reduce enterprise risk.
• Evaluate emerging technologies, vendor offerings, and platform designs against enterprise objectives and architectural direction.
• Guide Principal Cloud Engineers and other domain architects through architectural review, mentorship, and technical leadership.
• Represent the organization's cloud architecture with executive leadership, vendors, and strategic partners.
• Communicate cloud strategy, architectural direction, and investment tradeoffs to senior leadership and key stakeholders.

Minimum Requirements

• 10+ years of progressive experience in cloud engineering, cloud architecture, or infrastructure platform roles, with demonstrated ownership of enterprise-scale cloud strategy and platform design.

Critical Skills

• Expertise in cloud architecture and platforms, including Microsoft Azure and hybrid and multi-cloud environments.
• Comprehensive understanding of enterprise-scale cloud architecture, including identity, networking, security, data platforms, application hosting, and automation.
• Expertise in evaluating and selecting cloud platforms, services, and vendors based on technical, financial, and strategic criteria.
• Advanced knowledge of cloud governance, security, compliance, and risk management architectures.
• Strong practical understanding of infrastructure-as-code, automation, and CI/CD principles sufficient to validate architecture and guide engineering teams.
• Strong grounding in non-functional requirements including scalability, resiliency, performance, cost efficiency, observability, and disaster recovery.

Additional Skills & Qualifications

• Demonstrated ability to define enterprise technology direction and lead cross-domain architectural decision-making.
• Strong executive communication and stakeholder management skills, with the ability to articulate architectural tradeoffs and strategy to technical and non-technical audiences.
• Proven ability to influence and align multiple teams and leaders around a shared cloud strategy and target architecture.
• Ability to balance short-term delivery needs with long-term architectural sustainability and enterprise risk.
• Strong analytical and critical thinking skills applied to complex, ambiguous, and high-impact technology decisions.
• Continuous learning mindset with the ability to evaluate and apply emerging cloud technologies strategically.
• Demonstrated ability to mentor Principal Engineers and domain architects, developing architectural judgment, technical depth, and alignment across the Enterprise Architecture team.

Education

• Bachelor's degree in Computer Science, Computer Engineering, Information Technology, or a related field relevant to cloud architecture, or
  
  
  
  • 15+ years of professional experience in cloud engineering, cloud architecture, or related technical leadership roles in lieu of a formal degree.
  
  
  
  
• Microsoft Certified: Azure Solutions Architect Expert is strongly preferred.

Physical Requirements

• General office demands
  
  
  
  • Prolonged periods of sitting at a desk and working on a computer.
  • Frequent reaching, handling, and fine manipulation for using office equipment, filing, and managing paperwork.
  • Manual dexterity sufficient to operate a keyboard, mouse, and other office tools.
  • Occasional standing, walking, and bending.
  • Ability to lift up to 10-20 pounds occasionally.
  • Vision abilities required include close vision for computer work and reading documents.
  • Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.