AI Application Architecture Manager

Join Avanade UK's Software Engineering Practice as a hands-on AI Application Architect, helping design intelligent, agentic, cloud-native application designs. You will apply advanced AI techniques to accelerate every phase of the delivery lifecycle - from analysis and design to build, test, deploy, and operate - driving transformation across complex enterprise legacy portfolios. This role operates across solution architecture, Agentic platform innovation, and commercial deal shaping, with a focus on building and scaling agentic engineering capabilities across the Software Development Lifecycle (SDLC).

As part of a growing Software Engineering Practice, you will focus on modern application architecture while pioneering the use of agentic AI in real delivery scenarios. You will collaborate closely with other Practices on direct deals, leading during solutioning phases as well as during critical delivery phases. Whether modernising legacy systems or building greenfield solutions from scratch, you will apply agentic AI to transform how projects are executed end-to-end. This is a unique opportunity to influence Avanade's architecture direction, elevate engineering productivity, and lead high-impact initiatives across our client base.

What you'll do:

• Lead C-Level application modernisation strategy discussions, workshops and executive briefings.
• Act as a trusted advisor to senior stakeholders, influencing decisions and driving digital transformation initiatives.
• Design and Lead Proof of Value work for application transformation clients.
• Provide SME capabilities on application remediation, technologies and transformation, both infrastructure and software as well as application integration.
• Validate Solution approach for modernisation projects, own deliverability of the technical and functional solution, ensuring correctness and achieve sign off.
• Collaborate with delivery, sales, and partner teams to shape proposals and ensure successful execution.
• Provide technical leadership to delivery teams and mentor solution architects.
• Lead assessments and transformation of legacy environments defining modernisation strategies (refactor, replatform, replace, etc).
• Establish modernisation frameworks and enforce architectural standards across programs.
• Apply AI agents across all delivery phases: analysis, design, build, test, deploy, and operations.
• Drive AI adoption cross-practice and cross-region, enabling AI-driven solution roadmaps.
• Develop accelerators, reference architectures, and reusable assets for agentic AI patterns.
• Guide engineering, data, and DevOps teams on AI automation and pipeline integration.
• Travel occasionally for high-value client engagements.

Skills and Experience:

• 6-8 years of experience designing and developing enterprise-scale applications.
• Strong foundation in software engineering including frontend, backend, APIs, data, and cloud architecture.
• Expertise in C# or Java as a primary language; experience with Python and TypeScript/JavaScript an advantage.
• Proven delivery experience applying agentic AI to modernise legacy systems or building new custom solutions.
• Hands-on expertise with agentic AI frameworks such as Microsoft Agent Framework, LangChain, or equivalents.
• Ability to apply AI agents across all phases of delivery: requirements, architecture, coding, testing, documentation, and deployment.
• Experience with LLMs, prompt engineering, open models and orchestration patterns.
• Strong Azure expertise preferred.
• Extensive experience of agentic engineering with GitHub Copilot and/or Claude Enterprise preferred.
• Experience with integrating AI into distributed systems, microservices, APIs, and event-driven architectures.
• DevOps experience including CI/CD, IaC, automated testing, observability, and deployment automation.
• Familiarity with Responsible AI, and enterprise governance.
• Cloud, AI engineering, or architecture certifications are a plus.

About You:

• Passionate about driving transformation with AI with hands-on experience helping clients to transform their legacy applications.
• Comfortable leading business transformation, software engineering, AI, cloud, and automation.
• Clear communicator across senior technical and non-technical stakeholders.
• Ability to drive sales and lead client conversations about AI Apps transformation.
• Enjoy mentoring teams and raising overall AI engineering maturity.
• Continuously explore emerging AI frameworks, tools, and architectural approaches.

At Avanade, we advance the world through the power of people and Microsoft. Join us to shape your skills and the future with bold ideas and innovative solutions. Our partnership with Microsoft and Accenture empowers you to unlock your full potential. Working at Avanade offers the chance to build a career path that suits your skills and interests and the freedom to be your authentic self. We are committed to your growth, well-being, and success. This is where passion meets opportunity, technology meets humanity, and every challenge is a chance to make a genuine impact on colleagues, clients, and communities. Together, we do what matters.