At a Glance
- Tasks: Design and optimise secure, scalable cloud platforms while leading technical strategies.
- Company: Join a fast-growing insurance leader with over 40 years of expertise.
- Benefits: Enjoy 35 days' holiday, mental health support, and flexible working options.
- Other info: Great career growth opportunities and a commitment to inclusivity.
- Why this job: Make a real impact in cloud architecture and drive innovation in a supportive environment.
- Qualifications: Experience in cloud platforms like Azure, AWS, or GCP is essential.
The predicted salary is between 75000 - 75000 £ per year.
Location: Liverpool City Centre on a Hybrid working basis
Salary: Up to £75,000 per annum DOE
Job Type: Permanent, Full Time
Working Hours: 37.5 hours per week, Monday-Friday 9.00am - 5.30pm
Acorn is looking for a passionate Cloud Infrastructure Architect who will be responsible for designing, implementing, and optimising secure, scalable, and highly available cloud platforms. This role requires technical leadership across cloud strategy, architecture governance, infrastructure modernisation, and operational excellence. The architect partners closely with business areas to ensure the cloud environment supports organisational goals and meets enterprise standards.
Responsibilities:
- Develop end-to-end cloud architectures, supporting enterprise workloads, including compute, storage, networking, identity, and automation.
- Develop a close working relationship with Platform Engineering to ensure robust design and delivery across our cloud platforms.
- Create reference architectures, design patterns, and technical standards for cloud environments.
- Design hybrid and multi-cloud strategies leveraging platforms such as Azure, AWS, and GCP.
- Evaluate new cloud services, tools, and technologies to guide technical direction.
- Lead the design and implementation of core cloud infrastructure components: virtual networks, identity and access, monitoring, encryption, resilience, and backup strategies.
- Define infrastructure-as-code patterns using tools such as Terraform, Bicep, or ARM.
- Support migration of workloads from on-premise to cloud platforms following best-practice frameworks.
- Ensure cloud designs adhere to security standards, regulatory requirements, and architectural governance.
- Implement Zero Trust principles, network segmentation, encryption, key management, and secure access control models.
- Partner with SecOps teams to ensure monitoring, logging, and incident response capabilities are embedded.
- Develop automation and service optimisation strategies to improve performance, cost efficiency, and availability.
- Conduct capacity planning, resilience engineering, disaster recovery design, and performance tuning.
- Mentor engineers across cloud, DevOps, and infrastructure teams.
About you:
Requirements:
- Proven experience across several disciplines; networking, infrastructure, cloud platform and system administration.
- Extensive experience designing and supporting cloud infrastructure on Azure, AWS, or GCP.
- Strong understanding of networking (VNETs/VPCs, routing, DNS, load balancing, firewalls).
- Knowledge of infrastructure-as-code and automation tooling.
- Experience with container platforms (AKS, EKS, GKE, Kubernetes) and serverless architectures.
- Strong background in identity and access management (Azure AD, IAM, RBAC).
- Proven experience building scalable, resilient, and secure cloud architectures.
- Solid understanding of cloud cost optimisation and FinOps principles.
Benefits:
- 35 days' holiday (including bank holidays) with additional buy/sell options.
- 24/7 mental health support & free counselling available.
- Flexible benefits, including early access to salary via our internal platform.
- Hybrid working options to support work-life balance and individual needs.
- Recognition awards, social events & more.
Our Commitment to our colleagues:
- Earn recognition and accreditation from leading organisations that share our commitment to people and growth: Mindful Employer, Disability Confident Level 1 & 2, Menopause Friendly accredited, Armed Forces Covenant signatory.
- Great Places to Work 2024/25, Best Place to Work for Development, Best Place to Work for Women.
Before applying, please know:
If your application is successful, we will run relevant employment checks prior to your employment with us. These will include a standard criminal record check and an insolvency register check.
Visa Requirements:
We can only consider applicants who have at least one year remaining on their Graduate or Post-Study Work visa. At the moment, we're not able to offer visa sponsorship.
We're Here to Support You:
We're committed to creating an inclusive, supportive workplace where everyone can flourish. If you need any adjustments during the recruitment process-or once you're part of the team-we'll work with you to make sure you can do your best work.
Please click the APPLY button to submit your CV for this role. Candidates with experience or relevant job titles of; Cloud Infrastructure Administrator, IT Architect, Systems Developer, Software Architect may also be considered for this role.
Cloud Infrastructure Architect employer: Acorn Insurance
At Acorn, we pride ourselves on being an exceptional employer, offering a vibrant work culture in the heart of Liverpool that prioritises employee well-being and growth. With generous benefits such as up to 35 days' holiday, flexible working options, and comprehensive mental health support, we empower our team to thrive both personally and professionally. Join us to make a meaningful impact in the insurance industry while enjoying a supportive environment that champions career progression and inclusivity.
StudySmarter Expert Advice🤫
We think this is how you could land Cloud Infrastructure Architect
✨Join the IT Consultancy Buzz
Get involved in local or virtual IT consultancy meetups and forums. This is where we can rub shoulders with industry professionals, get insights into what Acorn Insurance values, and even spot unadvertised opportunities. Don't miss out on these chances to make a name for ourselves in the IT world!
✨Show Off Your Skills
Create a personal project or case study relevant to the challenges Acorn Insurance might face. Use platforms like GitHub or Medium to share your findings. This not only demonstrates our consulting skills but shows a proactive attitude, making us stand out from the crowd when applying for that full-time gig.
✨Leverage LinkedIn for Connections
Follow and engage with the relevant thought leaders and influencers in IT consultancy on LinkedIn. Share insightful content and join discussions to gain visibility. A well-placed comment or shared article could catch the attention of someone at Acorn Insurance!
✨Direct Apply to Acorn Insurance
Let's not forget to apply directly through the Acorn Insurance website! Tailor your application to showcase our understanding of their consulting style and how we can contribute to their projects. A personalised approach can make a huge difference in landing that full-time position!
We think you need these skills to ace Cloud Infrastructure Architect
Some tips for your application 🫡
Showcase Your Problem-Solving Skills:In IT consulting, it's all about problem-solving, so make sure your CV highlights your analytical skills and any relevant projects you've tackled. Mention specific technologies or methodologies you've used to resolve issues or improve processes; this shows you can think critically and deliver results, which is vital for us at Acorn Insurance.
Highlight Relevant Certifications:Certifications like ITIL, PMP, or even specific tech stack qualifications can really make you stand out. Make sure to include these in your CV, as they not only demonstrate your expertise but also your commitment to staying current in the field. We love seeing candidates who are proactive about their professional development!
Tailor Your Cover Letter:Your cover letter is your chance to connect personally with us at Acorn Insurance. Share stories about your experiences in IT consulting, and how they shaped your desire to join our team. Mention why you’re excited about this particular role, and how you see yourself contributing to our projects.
Keep It Clear and Concise:We're all busy, so make sure your application is easy to read. Use bullet points for key achievements, and don’t overload us with jargon. A clean, professional layout goes a long way. Remember, the clearer your application, the more likely we are to invite you in for an interview!
How to prepare for a job interview at Acorn Insurance
✨Brush Up on Your Technical Skills
For an IT consulting role, be ready to demonstrate your technical prowess. You might face questions on systems integration, cloud technologies, or even troubleshooting specific software. If you have experience with tools like AWS, Azure, or even specific programming languages, make sure you can talk about them fluently.
✨Showcase Your Problem-Solving Approach
IT consulting is all about solving problems for clients. Think about how you can illustrate your approach to a past challenge using the STAR method (Situation, Task, Action, Result). It's a great way to show how you tackle complex issues and come up with effective solutions.
✨Know the Business Impact of IT Solutions
When discussing your experiences, focus not just on the tech solutions you implemented, but also on their business impact. Employers want to see that you can connect IT with organisational goals. Prep examples that highlight how your tech contributions improved efficiency or reduced costs for past clients or projects.
✨Prepare for Behavioural Questions
Since IT consulting often involves teamwork and client interactions, expect behavioural questions that assess your interpersonal skills. Be prepared with examples that demonstrate your adaptability, communication skills, and how you handle client feedback. Before the interview, think of situations where you worked closely with clients to create effective IT strategies or changes.
