Snr Cloud Solution Architect : Infrastructure in London

Senior Cloud Solution Architecture - Azure Infrastructure (Public Sector)

With more than 45,000 employees and partners worldwide, the Customer Experience and Success (CE&S) organization is on a mission to empower customers to accelerate business value through differentiated customer experiences that leverage Microsoft’s products and services. We drive cross-company alignment and execution, ensuring that we consistently exceed customers’ expectations in every interaction, whether in-product, digital, or human-centered. CE&S is responsible for all up services across the company, including consulting, customer success, and support across Microsoft’s portfolio of solutions and products. Join CE&S and help us accelerate AI transformation for our customers and the world.

We’re looking for a Cloud Solution Architect (CSA) to work in our Public Sector Industry to help customers migrate, modernize and secure their infrastructure, applications, and data on Microsoft Azure, laying the foundation for scalable, production-ready AI solutions. As part of the Cloud + AI Infrastructure team, you’ll deliver engagements focused on migration, modernization, operational excellence and resilient architecture using frameworks like Cloud Adoption Framework (CAF) and Well-Architected Framework (WAF). You’ll leverage existing Repeatable IP and execution engines for critical milestones, ensure infrastructure, application, and database readiness for AI workloads, and ensure successful deployment that accelerates adoption. You’ll work closely with customer IT leaders to design and implement scalable solutions, resolve blockers, and accelerate adoption of Azure services through repeatable IP and delivery excellence. With deep expertise across Azure infrastructure, applications, databases, SAP, and hybrid environments, you’ll play a key role in helping customers unlock the full value of their Microsoft Azure investments.

Please note that this position is based in Paddington, London. Security Clearance is required for this position therefore you must be a UK / British citizen who has been living in the United Kingdom for the past 5 years.

Microsoft’s mission is to empower every person and every organization on the planet to achieve more. As employees we come together with a growth mindset, innovate to empower others, and collaborate to realize our shared goals. Each day we build on our values of respect, integrity, and accountability to create a culture of inclusion where everyone can thrive at work and beyond.

Responsibilities

• Delivers solutions in line with company methodologies, ensuring proven practices and patterns are followed to prepare complex customers for operational readiness and achievement of their business goals and targets.
• Proactively helps the customer deploy for long-term organizational adoption to increase customer satisfaction and drive consumption/usage.
• Guides complex customers/partners towards a well-architected solution to increase retention and expansion opportunities.
• Articulates the value of Unified and supports sellers, partnering with account teams to build consumption plans aligned with appropriate services.
• Provides feedback to Unified Delivery Team on VBDs to refine and further develop content.
• Proactively identifies and anticipates new cross-solution opportunities for Consumption, Usage & Unified expansion.
• Strategically consults with customers/partners, building trust to advocate for alternative architectures/solutions/approaches.
• Identifies, anticipates, and evaluates industry trends, gathering customer/partner insights and mapping solutions to business outcomes.
• Anticipates, identifies, escalates, and mitigates blockers using appropriate tools and processes.
• Operates according to required operational excellence and proven practice standards throughout all sales stages.
• Orchestrates and collaborates across Microsoft and customer/partner teams to achieve objectives and increase satisfaction.
• Proactively manages business and technical risks, adapting methodology and applying governance principles.
• Continuously prioritizes among competing demands and ensures alignment with business priorities and goals.

Customer Centricity

• Proactively identifies and translates customer/partner problems into industry solutions aligned with Microsoft product and platform strategy.
• Builds relationships with technical decision makers and provides direction to them.
• Leads interactions with customers/partners' C-level roles to bridge understanding of security, compliance, operational and risk requirements.
• Acts as the voice of the customer/partner, sharing ideas, feedback, insights, and strategic input with internal teams.
• Presents business cases to advocate for and influence product roadmaps.
• Drives self and guides team members to focus on customer/partner experience through efficient delivery.
• Creates and executes strategies to improve customer experience and value realization.

Partner Specialization

• Identifies and directs attention to multiple, strategic opportunities that align with revenue goals.
• Leads assistance with partner and sales teams to clarify complex opportunities.
• Understands and anticipates market opportunities and proactively leads initiatives to address them.
• Influences and supports partners in developing scalable offerings and investing in new technologies.
• Maintains active visibility in solution area-specific communities.
• Collaborates with internal stakeholders to provide field-based insights related to products/solutions.

Technical Leadership

• Leverages market insights to assist leadership in identifying areas for up-skilling and/or accreditations.
• Role models technical readiness and influences team to drive their own technical readiness.
• Acts as a mentor, leading readiness and upskilling activities.
• Demonstrates deep industry knowledge and drives recognition for Microsoft solutions.
• Participates in and leads external community events that elevate the Microsoft brand.
• Proactively identifies and communicates gaps to relevant stakeholders.
• Develops and contributes to modifications of Microsoft's structured frameworks and methodologies.

Qualifications

• Strong and proven experience in cloud/infrastructure technologies, IT consulting/support, systems administration, network operations, software development/support, technology solutions, practice development, architecture, and/or consulting OR equivalent experience OR Bachelor's Degree in Computer Science, Information Technology, Engineering, Business, Liberal Arts.
• Bachelor's Degree in related field AND 12+ years experience OR Master's Degree in related field AND 8+ years experience OR equivalent experience.
• Experience working in a customer-facing role.
• Experience leading technical projects.
• Technical Certification in Cloud (e.g., Azure, Amazon Web Services, Google, security certifications).

This position will be open for a minimum of 5 days, with applications accepted on an ongoing basis until the position is filled.

Microsoft is an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to age, ancestry, citizenship, color, family or medical care leave, gender identity or expression, genetic information, immigration status, marital status, medical condition, national origin, physical or mental disability, political affiliation, protected veteran or military status, race, ethnicity, religion, sex (including pregnancy), sexual orientation, or any other characteristic protected by applicable local laws, regulations and ordinances.

If you need assistance with religious accommodations and/or a reasonable accommodation due to a disability during the application process, read more about requesting accommodations.