Senior Consultant - Infrastructure Architecture

Responsible for defining, reviewing, and governing the architecture of hybrid and cloud-based solutions across Microsoft Azure and Google Cloud Platform (GCP).

To lead the architectural design process, oversee deployments, and ensure all solutions meet standards for security, performance, and compliance. The role involves guiding technical teams, evaluating technology options, enforcing governance, and coordinating with stakeholders, vendors, and project teams throughout the solution lifecycle.

Architecture Governance & Design Review

• Define architecture principles, patterns, and reference models for cloud and on-prem environments.
• Review and validate solution designs prepared by project or vendor teams to ensure alignment with enterprise architecture standards.
• Provide technical oversight during implementation and deployment phases.
• Evaluate scalability, performance, and security of proposed designs before approval.
• Ensure all architecture decisions are documented and traceable to business objectives.

Cloud & Hybrid Solutions

• Review the design of hybrid and multi-cloud solutions across Azure and GCP.
• Ensuring integration of SaaS and PaaS services follows best practices and organizational policies.
• Oversee infrastructure deployments and configuration activities, ensuring adherence to approved design and governance.
• Define standards for cost optimization, monitoring, and operational resilience.

Migration & Repatriation

• Lead and review migration and repatriation strategies, such as moving workloads from Azure West Europe to Azure Qatar Central.
• Validate migration plans, timelines, and rollback procedures for compliance and minimal downtime.
• Oversee execution by vendors and internal teams, ensuring outcomes meet quality and performance expectations.

Identity & Access Management (IAM)

• Review and approve IAM architecture covering Azure AD, Entra ID, and hybrid Active Directory.
• Govern design and configuration of identity synchronization, SSO, and access management.
• Ensure enforcement of least privilege, Conditional Access, and role-based policies.
• Oversee periodic IAM reviews and compliance reporting.

Office 365 & Collaboration

• Oversee design and configuration standards for Exchange Online, SharePoint, and Teams.
• Review governance and security models for Office 365 workloads to ensure compliance with policies

Cloud Security & Resilience

• Validate design and configuration of virtual networks, firewalls, and connectivity (e.g., ExpressRoute).
• Oversee implementation of backup, disaster recovery, and resilience strategies.
• Ensure all architectures comply with information security and regulatory frameworks.

Infrastructure & Database Oversight

• Review infrastructure and database design across Azure services (VMs, App Services, SQL, Cosmos DB).
• Ensure capacity, redundancy, and security standards are met before deployment.
• Provide architectural direction for optimization, monitoring, and incident response processes.

DevOps & Automation Governance

• Define and enforce governance standards for CI/CD pipelines across managed services and project deployments.
• Review Infrastructure as Code (IaC) templates and automation frameworks (Terraform, Bicep, ARM) for compliance and quality.
• Oversee the integration of monitoring, alerting, and change tracking into DevOps pipelines.

Project Coordination & Vendor Management

• Act as the architectural authority for IT and cloud projects, ensuring alignment with enterprise standards.
• Review project readiness, design deliverables, and implementation plans.
• Work with vendors and service providers to validate solutions, delivery approaches, and compliance with contractual obligations.
• Contribute to activities including RFP drafting, proposal evaluation, and vendor assessment.

Governance, Compliance & Documentation

• Maintain architectural governance frameworks and ensure solutions adhere to internal and regulatory compliance standards.
• Review and approve technical documentation, architecture blueprints, and runbooks.
• Support DR and BCP planning by reviewing and validating architecture and operational runbooks.

Stakeholder Engagement

• Collaborate with internal teams, management, and vendors to align architecture decisions with business priorities.
• Communicate risks, design impacts, and key technical decisions clearly to both technical and non-technical audiences.
• Provide guidance and mentorship to technical teams involved in project delivery.

Technology Evaluation & Innovation

• Evaluate new technologies through RFPs, proofs of concept (POCs), and pilot initiatives.
• Recommend innovative approaches to improve architecture efficiency, cost management, and security posture.
• Continuously refine standards based on lessons learned and industry best practices.

• Bachelor’s or master’s degree in computer science, Information Technology, or a related field.
• Certifications (preferred):
  • Microsoft Certified: AZ-104, AZ-305, AZ-700, AZ-500, SC-100
  • Google Cloud: Professional Cloud Architect
  • DevOps Engineer Expert or Terraform Associate
• Experience:
  • 12-15 years in IT infrastructure and cloud architecture across Azure, GCP, and on-prem environments.
  • Proven record of overseeing cloud migration, hybrid integration, and repatriation projects.
  • Strong background in governance, compliance, and architecture review.
  • Hands-on familiarity with IAM, Entra ID, Office 365, and hybrid identity design.
  • In-depth understanding of network, storage, compute, and database architecture principles.
  • Knowledge of DevOps, Infrastructure as Code (Terraform, ARM, Bicep), and automation practices.
  • Strong vendor and stakeholder management experience.
  • Excellent communication, documentation, and presentation skills.
  • Arabic proficiency is an advantage but not mandatory.