Role Overview

The Solution Architect is responsible for creating and delivering innovative solutions for our clients. This person must be comfortable working in an agile manner and be able to spot opportunities for the Azure practice, both within KPMG and customer environments. The person should be comfortable presenting Azure services and solutions to technical and non-technical audiences, articulating the benefits to their business, with the goal to drive growth for the Azure practice. The Solution Architect will work with clients, manage technical teams during projects and act as the Technical Design Authority (TDA) for projects.

Main Responsibilities

• Cloud Strategy and Solution Delivery
• Work with clients on their Microsoft cloud adoption strategy.
• Lead cloud engagements.
• Create high-level architectural designs based on customer requirements for infrastructure and applications.
• Deliver product presentations and configured demonstrations to prove our ability to meet a prospect’s cloud adoption needs.
• Act as the Technical Design Authority on projects alongside the Technical Architects.
• Provide governance to projects and mentor members of the team.
• Showcase our propositions to customers via online webinars and face-to-face workshops.
• Engage with KPMG stakeholders and ensure our solutions are understood throughout the firm.
• Engage with customers on a long-term basis and drive Microsoft Azure adoption.
• Create collateral and go-to-market (GTM) ideas to enhance our offering in the marketplace.
• Work on proposals and bids alongside the sales and pre-sales teams.
• Maintain technical knowledge by working closely with Microsoft account teams.
• Assist in the recruitment process for the team.
• Propose and work on new intellectual property (IP) for products and services supporting GTM initiatives.
• Serve as a Technical Lead for a specific domain within the cloud capability.

Practice Responsibilities

• Actively participate in practice development, collaborating with colleagues to create or enhance reusable tools, frameworks, and guidelines that drive excellence and innovation in Data & AI delivery.
• Uphold and promote the values of our company in all professional interactions.
• Always represent KPMG in a professional and positive manner.
• Ensure timely completion of internal processes and mandatory training.
• Contribute to RFP and RFQ responses, providing technical solution outlines, architectural diagrams, and effort estimates.
• Willing to travel abroad when required
• Provide on-site support as required by company or client
• To carry out additional duties as may occur from time to time as instructed and agreed by the Practice management team
• Always represent KPMG Microsoft Business Solutions in a professional and positive manner 
• Within your role, you have the responsibility of protecting all information that is shared with you in the course of your association with KPMG (including information provided by clients) in line with the requirements of the Information Security Policy as stated within your contractual agreement. Reference is being made to the link to policy below: Information security policy (sharepoint.com). Policies are subject to regular review and change and hence the employee is obliged to remain updated accordingly. 
• Performance manage and/or mentor junior members of the team

Experience and Background

• 12+ years’ experience in cloud or infrastructure delivery.
• Builds and cultivates strong relationships and shows technical and operational leadership to deliver quality, client-centric solutions using Microsoft technologies.
• Manages the architecture, preparation and delivery for large projects and engagements. 
• Advocate’s innovation both within the firm and with clients and takes a leading role in developing team members to their full potential and promoting collaboration among larger teams. 
• Provides advanced technical knowledge, direction and training to others and participates in team practice decisions such as resource allocation, recruitment, and training.
• Datacentre transformation experience – migration of applications, virtual machines and databases. 
• Experience leading client engagements and managing technical teams. 
• Experience or knowledge of how to modernise applications and processes using the Azure platform and technologies. 
• Excellent interpersonal skills and the ability to influence and manage a range of relationships in a complex environment.
• Able to produce high quality and professional presentations.
• Excellent attention to detail and ability to ensure documents are consistent in language, terminology and style.
• Flexible approach to work with a focus on delivery to deadlines and high standards.
• Ability to handle highly confidential information with tact and discretion.
• Ability to engage with C level stakeholders

Skills and Qualifications

Core Technical Knowledge Required:

• Proven experience in leading technical projects (Cloud Adoption, Landing Zone design and deploy, Cloud Migration, Cloud Readiness, Cloud Maturity)
• Solid background in on premises infrastructure, virtualisation technologies or applications.
• Proven experience with Azure IaaS (virtual machines, storage, networking, security).
• Proven experience with Azure Backup & Recovery Services.
• Proven experience with Azure Governance (Blueprints, policies, tagging, cost management).
• Proven experience with Azure SQL Databases (Managed Instances, PaaS,m-IaaS).
• Proven experience with Azure Security (Zero Trust, Defender for Cloud, Sentinel, Azure AD, AIP).
• Proven experience with Azure Serverless and integration (Batch, Function, Logic Apps, EventGrid).
• Proven experience with Azure Containers (AKS, ACI, ACR).
• Proven experience with Active Directory (Entra ID, Entra ID DS, on premises AD DS, Service Principals, Managed Identities).
• Experience with Windows Server\Linux OS.
• Experience with Infrastructure as Code (ARM, Bicep, Terraform, PowerShell).
• Proven experience with Solution Architecture (Cloud, Security, Hybrid).
• Experience with Azure migrations and security.
• Experience with Power Platform.
• Excellent communication skills in English, both verbally and in writing

Desirable Technical Skills

• SAP on Azure
• Integration Architecture
• Data Architecture