Cloud Native Lead Architect

Cloud Native Architecture & Strategy:

Design and implement cloud-native architectures that support scalable, reliable, and secure applications and platforms.

Drive best practices in microservices, containerization, serverless architecture, and DevOps automation.

Develop and maintain cloud governance frameworks to ensure alignment with enterprise standards.

Business & Operating Model Transformation:

Collaborate with business leaders to translate business objectives into innovative cloud-native strategies.

Lead initiatives to transform the organization's business and operating models, leveraging cloud-native capabilities to create new efficiencies and revenue streams.

Provide thought leadership on the evolution of digital business models driven by cloud-native technologies.

Team Leadership & Cross-Functional Collaboration:

Lead and mentor technical teams in the adoption of cloud-native architectures and DevOps practices.

Work closely with product, IT, security, and operations teams to ensure seamless integration of cloud solutions.

Foster a culture of continuous improvement and innovation across engineering and operations teams.

Value Articulation & Stakeholder Engagement:

Act as a trusted advisor to executive leadership, articulating the value of cloud-native approaches in transforming the

business and achieving strategic goals.

Lead the development of business cases for cloud-native investments, demonstrating ROI and long-term business impact.

Conduct workshops and training sessions to educate stakeholders on cloud-native technologies and their potential impact on the organization.

Cloud Platform & Technology Innovation:

Drive innovation in cloud platform technologies, ensuring adoption of emerging trends such as Kubernetes, multi-cloud strategies, AI/ML integration, and edge computing.

Ensure cloud platforms are optimized for performance, cost efficiency, scalability, and security.

Partner with vendors and cloud providers to evaluate new technologies and services, identifying opportunities for competitive advantage.

Cloud-Native Skills, Experience and Qualifications:

7+ years of experience in cloud architecture, with a focus on cloud-native solutions.

Proven experience in leading business model and operating model transformations.

Demonstrated ability to lead and mentor engineering teams in cloud-native technologies.

Experience with container orchestration (Kubernetes), microservices, CI/CD pipelines, infrastructure-as-code, strong DevSecOps experience to include full-stack development processes and expertise.

Strong understanding of cloud security, networking, governance and compliance best practices.

Excellent communication and stakeholder management skills. Strong public speaking and presentation skills with the ability to simplify complex topics for diverse audiences.

Ability to balance strategic thinking with pragmatic delivery.

Expertise in articulating the business value of cloud-native solutions.

Proven ability to drive innovation and transformation at an enterprise level.

Pro-active, independent thinker with high energy/positive, inclusive and collaborative attitude.

Proven experience in cloud-native computing, with a focus on cloud-native technologies (Kubernetes, Docker, serverless, microservices, agenticAI etc.).

Experience building or working with large-scale cloud-native applications.

Deep understanding of modern DevOps practices and CI/CD pipelines.

Familiarity with open-source ecosystems, tools, and communities.

Experience with service mesh technologies, API gateways, cloud-native security and GenAI.

Prior experience as a technical Lead Architect or advocate role within the cloud ecosystem, including experience writing technical blogs, whitepapers, and creating developer-focused content.

Experience working in a cross-functional, global organization with a high degree of ambiguity and influence.

Education:

Bachelor's or Master's degree in Computer Science, Information Technology, or a related field. Cloud certifications (AWS, Azure, GCP, CNCF) highly desired for most successful candidate.