Principal Consultant - Cloud & Engineering in London

Founded in Switzerland in 1968, Zühlke is a global transformation partner with engineering and innovation at its core.

Role Summary: Provide senior technical and engineering leadership across complex client engagements, shaping cloud adoption, optimisation and migration strategies that support business goals.

Responsibilities:

• Lead client-facing engagements, solving complex problems and turning strategic intent into high-quality outcomes.
• Act as a trusted advisor, helping clients understand how cloud, data and AI capabilities can support strategy and improve products, services and operations.
• Facilitate discovery and design sessions, technical workshops, architecture reviews, proof-of-concept projects and evaluations of new technologies and vendors.
• Develop a compelling vision for technology transformation, cloud optimisation and migration journeys.
• Guide and de-risk programmes and projects, promoting iterative delivery and incremental value.
• Provide technical leadership to cross-functional teams prototyping platforms, services and products across diverse technology environments.
• Define functional and non-functional requirements, ensuring solutions address performance, capacity, scalability, availability, security, manageability, sustainability and operational needs.
• Make pragmatic technology decisions, explain trade-offs and value to technical and non-technical stakeholders.
• Improve engineering effectiveness, delivery practices, automation, DevSecOps and Infrastructure as Code.
• Collaborate with software engineering, platform engineering, data, AI, security, operations, product, delivery and finance teams.
• Provide guidance on privacy, information security, resilience, responsible AI and regulatory considerations.
• Apply expertise across applications, platforms, infrastructure, data, integration, identity and observability.
• Stay up-to-date with developments in cloud, data engineering, analytics, Generative AI, foundation models and responsible AI practices.
• Manage and mentor colleagues, fostering technical, consulting and leadership growth through coaching, feedback and career support.

Qualifications:

• Clear understanding of business value and a focus on delivering that value transparently.
• Confident decision-making and the ability to explain technical choices and implications.
• Experience as a Principal or Lead Cloud Architect, Technical Architect or Engineering Leader across multiple programmes and projects.
• Strong experience designing and delivering cloud solutions with modern engineering practices.
• Experience working across complex, distributed or changing technology environments.
• Understanding of how software, platforms, data and AI capabilities work together to deliver business value.
• Strong software and engineering judgement across applications, platforms, infrastructure, data and cloud services.
• Direct experience with delivery teams, prototyping, technical problem-solving or hands-on guidance.
• Experience in fast-paced, Agile, delivery-oriented environments focused on quality and a “show by doing” approach.
• Experience mentoring and developing colleagues through feedback, coaching and career support.
• Open, proactive and adaptable mindset, responding constructively to change and learning from experience.
• Experience in consulting, presales, proposals or bid management is a differentiator.

Benefits:

• Work-life blend: safe & healthy workplace, flexible working hours and the possibility to work from home.
• Profit-share scheme in addition to annual salary, based on company performance.
• Access to a global and diverse community with learning opportunities and inclusive culture.
• Commitment to professional development and investment in skill building.

Equal Opportunity Employment: We welcome people from all backgrounds, regardless of gender, personality, national origin, race, religion, colour, sexual orientation, gender identity, age, marital status, disability or veteran status.