Azure Architect

Sword is a leading provider of business technology solutions within the Energy, Public and Finance Sectors, driving transformational change within our clients. We use proven technology, specialist teams, and domain expertise to build solid technical foundations across platforms, data, and business applications. We have a passion for using technology to solve business problems, working in partnership with our clients to help achieve their goals.

About the Role

We are seeking an experienced Azure Architect to join our growing Cloud and Cyber team, to design and implement enterprise‑grade Microsoft Azure cloud solutions for our diverse client base. You will be responsible for leading architectural decisions, guiding the cloud adoption journey, and ensuring solutions are secure, scalable, and aligned with business objectives. In this role, you will closely collaborate with clients, project teams, and stakeholders to deliver robust cloud architectures that support digital transformation and modernisation initiatives within regulated industries. The role requires all the key consultative duties such as assessments, strategies, roadmaps, solution design and implementation, as well as supporting the Practice Lead and sales team in presales activities, such as proposals, tender responses and SoW definitions as an SME in this arena.

Key Responsibilities

• Develop comprehensive Azure architecture designs encompassing infrastructure, platform services, networking, security, and governance.
• Advise clients on best practices for cloud adoption, migration strategies, and hybrid cloud integration.
• Create detailed architecture documentation, diagrams, and technical specifications to support implementation and governance.
• Collaborate with development, operations, and security teams to ensure seamless integration and delivery.
• Lead architectural reviews and enforce policies ensuring compliance with regulatory and organisational standards.
• Stay current with Azure technology trends and innovations to recommend improvements and optimisations.
• Own end to end technical delivery, including planning, build, testing, deployment and operational handover.

Qualifications

• Proven experience designing and delivering Microsoft Azure cloud solutions at enterprise scale.
• Strong knowledge of Azure infrastructure services, PaaS offerings, security, networking, and governance.
• Experience with Azure DevOps, Infrastructure as Code (Bicep, ARM templates & Terraform), and automation tools.
• Understanding of hybrid cloud architectures and integration with on‑premises environments.
• Deep working knowledge and understanding of Microsoft CAF and WAF.
• Familiarity with compliance standards relevant to energy, finance, or public sectors.
• Excellent communication skills with the ability to translate technical concepts to diverse audiences.
• Experience with identity management solutions such as Entra ID.
• Strong pre‑sales capabilities and proven track record for designing complex solutions for a range of customers, from Mid‑market to Enterprise scale.
• Experience of designing and successfully delivering solutions, including the creation of proposals, SoW’s, high‑level designs, RFP responses, roadmaps and strategies.
• 5+ years of experience in either a channel, vendor or customer side hands‑on technical consulting/ architect role.
• Strong background of producing high quality documentation and solution artefacts.
• Microsoft certifications and accreditations in Azure such as AZ‑305, AZ‑700 and AZ‑500 essential for this role.
• Microsoft certifications and accreditations in Azure such as AZ‑140, AI‑102 and SC‑300 desirable but not essential.
• Experience designing and implementing solutions with AWS beneficial.
• Experience and knowledge of Microsoft, ZeroTrust, NCSC, NIST, ISO27001 and Cyber Essentials frameworks and best practice and how they translate to controls, policies and configuration baselines valuable.
• Strong understanding of software development lifecycle and methodologies such as Agile and DevOps.
• Experience in planning and migrating from on‑premises or Cloud to Microsoft Azure using tools such as ASR, Azure Migrate and data migration assistant etc.
• PowerShell, Graph API and automation.

At Sword, our core values and culture are based on caring about our people, investing in training and career development, and building inclusive teams where we are all encouraged to contribute to achieve success. We offer comprehensive benefits designed to support your professional development and enhance your overall quality of life. In addition to a Competitive Salary, here's what you can expect as part of our benefits package:

• Personalised Career Development: We create a development plan customised to your goals and aspirations, with a range of learning and development opportunities within a culture that encourages growth.
• Flexible working: Flexible work arrangements to support your work‑life balance. We can’t promise to always be able to meet every request, however, are keen to discuss your individual preferences to make it work where we can.
• A Fantastic Benefits Package: This includes generous annual leave allowance, enhanced family friendly benefits, pension scheme, access to private health, well‑being, and insurance schemes.

At Sword we are dedicated to fostering a diverse and inclusive workplace and are proud to be an equal opportunities employer, ensuring that all applicants receive fair and equal consideration for employment, regardless of whether they meet every requirement. If you don’t tick all the boxes but feel you have some of the relevant skills and experience we’re looking for, please do consider applying and highlight your transferable skills and experience. We embrace diversity in all its forms, valuing individuals regardless of age, disability, gender identity or reassignment, marital or civil partner status, pregnancy or maternity status, race, colour, nationality, ethnic or national origin, religion or belief, sex, or sexual orientation. Your perspective and potential are important to us.