Azure Technical Architect

Azure Technical Architect (SC Security Cleared)
Preston - (1-2 days a month onsite/the rest remote)
12 Months
£519.16pd inside IR35/Umbrella

Due to the urgent nature of the role candidates must have valid and transferrable SC security clearance.

Role Description
The Azure Architect is responsible for designing secure, scalable, and resilient cloud architectures on Microsoft Azure that align with organisational strategy, governance, and security requirements.

This role provides architectural leadership across cloud infrastructure, networking, identity, security, data services, and application platforms.

The Azure Architect develops reference architectures, ensures engineering quality, and leads cloud transformation initiatives, partnering with security, operations, development, and leadership teams to deliver compliant and modern cloud solutions.

Core Duties
Define and maintain Azure cloud architecture and ensure alignment with organisational strategy and cloud governance.
Lead the design of secure, scalable, and cost optimised Azure solutions across IaaS, PaaS, and container platforms.
Provide architectural oversight, assurance, and guidance for cloud engineering teams and delivery partners.
Own Azure landing zone patterns, governance models, and enterprise cloud standards.
Drive adoption of cloud native capabilities, automation, and modern platform engineering practices.
Partner with cybersecurity teams to embed Zero Trust, network segmentation, and least privilege identity models.
Engage with stakeholders across the business to translate requirements into actionable cloud architectures.
Guide complex cloud migrations, re platforming efforts, and application modernisation programmes.
Maintain architectural artefacts such as HLDs, reference architectures, diagrams, and standards.
Enhance platform reliability, security, and operational readiness through architectural improvements.
Design enterprise Azure landing zones, network topology, identity integrations, governance, and operational models.
Architect Azure compute solutions including VMs, VMSS, App Services, Functions, and AKS.
Define storage, backup, BCDR, and data protection strategies using Azure native capabilities.
Lead the design of Azure network infrastructure including VNets, Firewalls, Private Link, routing, and secure connectivity.
Establish governance baseline with Azure Policy, RBAC, tagging standards, and cost management principles.
Support CI/CD and DevOps patterns using GitHub Actions, DevOps pipelines, Infrastructure as Code, and automation.
Define observability standards using Azure Monitor, Log Analytics, alerts, dashboards, and diagnostics.
Review and validate engineering designs, ensuring alignment to standards and architectural patterns.
Provide expert guidance for hybrid cloud, express routes, VPN gateways, and identity integrations with Entra ID.
Lead cloud security architecture including encryption, key management, privileged access, and workload protections.
Support capacity planning, environment design, life cycle management, and platform scalability.
Engage in incident reviews, risk assessments, and continuous platform improvements.

Knowledge, Skills & Qualifications
Knowledge:
In depth understanding of Azure architecture across IaaS, PaaS, networking, identity, and security services.
Knowledge of Azure landing zone design, Cloud Adoption Framework, and Architected Framework principles.
Strong understanding of Azure networking including virtual networks, segmentations, Firewalls, DNS, routing, and connectivity patterns.
Familiarity with container architecture, AKS, registries, and cloud native deployment patterns.
Understanding of hybrid cloud, identity federation, Entra ID, service principals, and managed identities.
Knowledge of storage architectures, resiliency patterns, backups, and Azure Site Recovery.
Understanding of monitoring, observability, and operational readiness within Azure environments.
Familiarity with DevOps, CI/CD, and Infrastructure as Code concepts and tooling.
Knowledge of cloud security concepts including Zero Trust, workload protection, encryption, and compliance controls.
Awareness of cost management, optimisation techniques, and cloud financial governance.

Skills:
Ability to design enterprise grade Azure solutions using architectural best practices and security frameworks.
Strong communication skills to articulate architectural decisions to engineers, leaders, and business stakeholders.
Skilled in reviewing technical designs and providing actionable architectural guidance.
Ability to work across multiple teams including engineering, security, networking, and development.
Strong diagramming and documentation skills using Visio, Lucidchart, or similar tools.
Ability to lead workshops, architectural reviews, and design sessions.
Skilled in interpreting business requirements and translating them into technical architecture.
Strong analytical and diagnostic capabilities for complex cloud problems.
Hands on familiarity with IaC (eg, Bicep, Terraform), Scripting, and automation.
Ability to drive cloud adoption, standardisation, and operational maturity.

Qualifications:
Microsoft Certified: Azure Solutions Architect Expert (AZ-305) (highly desirable).
Additional certifications such as Azure Administrator, Azure Security Engineer, or DevOps Engineer Expert.
Architecture frameworks such as TOGAF, SABSA, or cloud-centric equivalents (beneficial).
Proven experience delivering large'scale Azure transformations or migrations.
Strong background in cloud engineering, infrastructure architecture, or platform engineering.
Experience working in complex enterprise environments or regulated industries.
ITIL Foundation or similar operational governance exposure.
Evidence of continuous learning in cloud, architecture, and security disciplines.
Degree in Computer Science, Engineering, or equivalent industry experience (preferred but not required).