There are two types of Cloud Architect roles at this level.

The first type is essentially a quality control function. Reviewing other people's work, writing standards documents, attending too many meetings. The second type is where someone with real engineering instincts gets to shape a platform that really matters.

This is the second type.

A well-known Australian software business is mid-way through a serious cloud transformation. Not a pilot, not a proof of concept. They need an architect who can set the technical direction and stay close enough to the teams building it to make sure it lands properly.

What the role involves:

You'll work across several engineering teams to define where the cloud platform is heading and what good looks like when it gets there. You'll be across cross-domain technical decisions and represent the business in senior forums with external partners and vendors, which means being just as sharp in those conversations as you are internally.

There's a genuine mentoring element too. The engineers and architects around you are capable and motivated. If developing people alongside doing the work sounds appealing rather than a distraction, that's worth knowing.

What they're looking for:

Someone who came up through engineering and hasn't forgotten it. You have serious Azure depth across networking, identity, security, governance and migration, and you've built cloud solutions at enterprise scale with proper attention to resilience, scalability and recovery. Your delivery fundamentals are strong: infrastructure as code, CI/CD pipelines, test automation, environment configuration.

AWS experience is a genuine asset here given the environment being migrated from. The ability to think across both platforms is more useful than deep familiarity with only one.

You communicate well under pressure. The people you'll work with are technically sharp and not easily impressed. You'll need to influence through credibility rather than seniority, and hold your ground in a room where that will be tested.

If most of your experience sits in on-premise environments, data platforms or AI/ML architecture, this role is probably not the right match.

Non-negotiables:

• Enterprise-scale Azure architecture across networking, identity, security and governance
• A real engineering foundation, hands-on experience building not just advising
• Strong CI/CD and IaC fundamentals
• Demonstrated ability to mentor and guide engineers without slowing things down
• Azure certifications
• Communication skills that work equally well with engineers, executives and external partners

Melbourne-based or willing to be. Hybrid working.