Global Cloud Architect in London

Reporting to the VP – Global IT Infrastructure & Strategy, the incumbent will play a key role in forming and leading the Crawford Global Cloud Team, which will play a large strategic and operational role in Crawford's technology transformation. As the Global Cloud Architect, you will direct a team of corporate and business IT engineers to provide service insight, response, and service management to maintain high service reliability and availability with low touch through extensible services and platforms, standardized processes, data insights, and product feedback. This role is crucial in building a transparent approach to engineering cloud solutions while ensuring the efforts are completed in the most cost‐effective manner.

Responsibilities

• Prioritize and coordinate global cloud team resources responsible for engineering and operations of our public cloud (AWS, Azure, ADO); oversee implementation of new platforms and solutions to ensure successful, timely delivery with intended positive impact to the business.
• Champion cloud technology with vision, strategy, policies, and capabilities alongside Corporate & Business IT leadership by evaluating the needs of new or existing systems, determining possible solutions, verifying solutions meet our needs, and assisting in procurement when needed.
• Work with Corporate & Business IT leadership to set long‐term strategic direction for cloud services & best practices by formulating policies and procedures that support that direction.
• Manage and forecast monthly cloud spend across our public cloud providers.
• Continually improve the talent level and competencies of the Global Cloud Team.
• Establish SLAs with technology partners and vendors.
• Act as a mentor to direct reports.
• Help develop long‐term plans and set the tactical direction for the IT cloud needs of the company.
• Work closely with the information security team to ensure compliance with all security requirements and proper prioritization.
• Work with Internal Audit to ensure effective compliance testing.
• Help the organization find, review, purchase, and implement new IT systems.
• Plan, organize, integrate, and manage system installation, configuration, and administration activities.
• Establish and maintain project and production schedules.
• Identify information management issues and opportunities, analyze problems and alternatives, and develop sound conclusions and recommendations.
• Assess user business unit needs, set priorities, and allocate resources to most effectively meet needs in a timely manner.
• Analyze and evaluate new technology solutions for corporate applications.
• Develop, implement, and adhere to appropriate procedures and controls.

Qualifications

• Prepare clear, concise, and accurate reports and other requested materials.
• Communicate effectively orally and in writing.
• Exercise sound independent judgment within general guidelines.
• Establish and maintain effective customer‐focused working relationships with managers, customers, vendors, consultants, employees, and others encountered in the course of work.
• Experience in the design and installation of information systems and hardware, including supervisory and/or management experience or an equivalent of training and experience.
• Principles, practices, and techniques of information systems management, including hardware and software options for business, engineering, and operations applications and the cost‐benefit of systems alternatives.
• Analyzing workflow, delegating project and responsibilities to balance workload and meet departmental goals.
• Proficiency in cloud technologies, modern engineering, software development techniques, and methods.
• Experience migrating and running production applications in public cloud environments with hands‐on experience.
• Systems analysis methods and techniques.
• Strong financial acumen in budgeting and expense management.
• Proven ability to recruit, retain, and motivate highly skilled technical teams.
• Understanding of technology at a detailed level but can express concepts simply to non‐technical colleagues.
• Ability to inspire teams to achieve goals and exceed expectations.
• Strong technical skills, especially in the technologies in use at the company.
• Must have strong verbal and written communication skills, including the ability to communicate effectively and equally with technical people as well as executives.