Principal Consultant
Principal Consultant – Platform Engineering (Azure)
A high-performing, remote-first UK technology consultancy is seeking a Principal Consultant to join and expand its Azure Platform Engineering practice. This organisation specialises in cloud platforms, data & AI, migration, and DevSecOps, delivering complex enterprise transformation programmes with a strong emphasis on engineering excellence and strategic advisory.
This is a senior, client-facing consultancy role suited to an experienced Azure platform leader who combines deep technical authority with commercial awareness and proven pre-sales capability.
The Opportunity
The Principal Consultant will operate as a trusted advisor to senior technology stakeholders, shaping enterprise platform strategy and leading the design and delivery of scalable, automated Azure environments.
The role requires someone equally comfortable in board-level conversations, architecture design sessions, and overseeing multi-stream technical delivery. A strong consultancy background is essential, including experience working within consulting firms and contributing to pre-sales, solution shaping, and account growth.
Key Responsibilities
- Define and lead Azure platform engineering and DevOps strategy across enterprise client engagements
- Act as a strategic advisor to CIOs, CTOs, and senior technology leaders
- Design and govern modern Azure platform architectures, including landing zones, automation frameworks, and CI/CD pipelines
- Drive adoption of Infrastructure-as-Code (IaC), modular templates, and policy-as-code governance
- Lead technical delivery across multiple concurrent engagements, setting standards for platform reliability, scalability, and security
- Mentor and develop other consultants, promoting engineering excellence and best practice
- Play a leading role in pre-sales activities including discovery, solution design, client workshops, proposals, and commercial positioning
- Translate complex technical concepts into measurable business value, ROI, and transformation outcomes
Required Experience
- Demonstrable experience working within technology consultancies (essential)
- Proven track record in a Principal Consultant, Lead Architect, or senior Platform Engineering leadership role
- Strong pre-sales experience, including shaping bids, running workshops, writing proposals, and influencing buying decisions
- Deep expertise in Azure platform architecture, automation, and DevOps strategy
- Extensive hands-on experience with Infrastructure-as-Code (Terraform, Bicep, OpenTofu), modular design, and policy enforcement
- Strong knowledge of CI/CD pipelines and GitOps workflows using Azure DevOps, GitHub Actions, or GitLab CI
- Experience with scripting and automation (Python, PowerShell, Bash) and configuration management tools
- Expertise in observability and monitoring strategy (Azure Monitor, Log Analytics, Application Insights, Prometheus, Grafana)
- Experience designing containerised and serverless architectures (AKS, ACI, Azure Functions, Logic Apps)
- Ability to influence senior executives and drive adoption of engineering standards across organisations
Technical Environment
- Azure Resource Manager (ARM), Azure Landing Zones, Azure AD, networking, storage, compute
- Multi-subscription platform strategies and governance models
- Infrastructure-as-Code frameworks and declarative infrastructure pipelines
- DevSecOps practices, automation, and compliance enforcement
- Monitoring, alerting, dashboards, and anomaly detection
- Secure, scalable cloud architecture patterns
Candidate Profile
The successful candidate will demonstrate:
- A consultancy mindset and experience working in this environment: outcome-focused, commercially aware, and client-centric
- The credibility to engage at board level while retaining hands-on technical depth
- The ability to balance strategic thinking with pragmatic delivery
- Strong communication skills, capable of articulating complex technical topics in business language
- A passion for engineering quality and modern cloud practices
What's on Offer
- Fully remote, flexible working within the UK
- The opportunity to shape and scale an Azure platform engineering practice
- High-impact enterprise programmes across cloud and DevOps transformation
- Direct influence over technical standards, client outcomes, and practice growth
- A culture that prioritises technical excellence over scale
This role would suit an experienced Azure platform consultant who thrives in advisory-led environments and wants to operate at a strategic level while remaining close to modern engineering practice. Apply now online.