Microsoft Cloud Architect - Pre-Sales

Job Description & Summary

The opportunity

PwC isseekingan experienced and client-focused Microsoft Cloud Architect to join ourCloud Engineering, Data & Analytics team in Bucharest. This role bridges the gap between client business challenges and cloud technology solutions, with a strong emphasis on pre-sales engagement, opportunity identification, and solution design.

You will work alongside client executives, practice leaders, and delivery teams to translate complex business requirements into technology-enabled solutions that deliver measurable business value. As a trusted advisor, you will shape cloud and AI transformation strategies whileleveragingMicrosoft Cloud technologies to support business development, solution design, and strategic client engagements.

What you will be doing

Client Engagement & Pre-Sales (50%)

• Lead discovery sessions, workshops, and assessments toidentifybusiness challenges, strategic priorities, and cloud & AI transformation opportunities.

• Build trusted relationships with executives, business stakeholders, and technical teams, developing a deep understanding of clientobjectivesand operating environments.

• Present cloud and AI value propositions, architecture solutions, technology demonstrations, and executive recommendations.

• Support RFPs, POCs, competitive bids, and go-to-market initiatives in collaboration with sales and delivery teams.

• Assess cloud and AI readiness, define transformation opportunities, and represent PwC at client and industry events.

Solution Architecture & Design (35%)

• Design scalable Microsoft cloud solutions integrated with AI and advanced analytics capabilities.

• Translate business requirements into architecture blueprints, technical specifications, and implementation roadmaps.

• Develop business cases, ROI analyses, and TCO modelsdemonstratingthe value of cloud and AI initiatives.

• Design secure, compliant, and cost-optimized architectures enabling AI-ready infrastructure, cloud migration, application modernization, and hybrid-cloud adoption.

• Architect AI solutions using Azure AI Services, Machine Learning, Cognitive Services, and Azure Synapse.

• Conduct security, governance, and compliance assessments and ensure alignment with client strategy, budget, and organizational capabilities.

Proposal Development & Commercial Execution (10%)

• Lead the development of business and technical proposals, including executive summaries, solution approaches, delivery methodologies, implementation plans, pricing models, and resource estimates.

• Define business outcomes, success criteria, KPIs, and value realization metrics.

• Ensure proposal quality, accuracy, competitiveness, and alignment with market positioning.

Thought Leadership & Capability Development (5%)

• Maintainexpertisein Microsoft cloud technologies, AI/ML capabilities, advanced analytics, and industry best practices.

• Contribute to internal knowledge assets, reusable solution templates, and PwC cloud and AI capability initiatives.

• Mentor junior architects and consultants andparticipatein industry events, webinars, conferences, and thought leadership activities.

What we need from you:

Professional Experience

• 8+ years of experience in cloud architecture, enterprise IT solutions, digital transformation, or consulting environments.

• 5+ years of hands-on Microsoft Azure experience across multiple client engagements.

• Experience delivering AI/ML, advanced analytics, data engineering, or cloud transformation projects.

• Proven success leading enterprise transformation initiatives, developing business cases, and supporting complex pre-sales engagements.

• Experience working with C-level executives, business stakeholders, and technical teams.

Technical Expertise

• Expert knowledge of Microsoft Azure, including infrastructure, networking, databases, security, governance, migration, hybrid-cloud, and multi-cloud architectures.

• Strong understanding of cloud-native development, DevOps, automation, Infrastructure as Code (IaC), modern application architectures, and cloud cost optimization.

• Experience with Azure AI Services, Azure Machine Learning, Azure OpenAI, Azure Synapse, and advanced analytics platforms.

• Knowledge of data engineering, data platforms, AI/ML deployment, monitoring, governance, compliance, and enterprise integration patterns, including API management.

• Familiarity with Python, Databricks, or similar AI and analytics technologies.

Certifications

• Azure Solutions Architect Expert (AZ-305)-REQUIRED.

• Additional Azure certifications strongly preferred: Azure Administrator (AZ-104), Azure Data Engineer (AZ-400), or Azure Security Engineer (AZ-500).

• Azure AI certifications preferred: Azure AI Engineer Associate (AI-102) or Azure Data Scientist Associate (DP-100).

Consulting & Leadership Skills

• Ability to translate complex business challenges into cloud and AI solutions with clear business value and measurable outcomes.

• Strong communication, presentation, stakeholder management, and relationship-building skills.

• Excellent analytical, problem-solving, and strategic thinking capabilities.

• Ability to manage multiple stakeholders, competing priorities, and complex sales cycles.

• Understanding of consulting methodologies, project delivery, and business development activities, including opportunity identification and solution shaping.

• Ability to connect cloud infrastructure decisions with AI and analytics-driven business outcomes.

• Collaborative leadership style with a strong focus on client success, innovation, and delivery excellence.

Preferred Qualifications

• Previousexperience in consulting or professional services environments.

• Industryexpertisein one or more sectors such as Financial Services, Healthcare, Manufacturing, Government, Retail, Energy, or Automotive.

• Experience with Azure Synapse, Azure Cognitive Services, Azure IoT, Azure Stack, or similar Microsoft technologies.

• Exposure to emerging technologies and their business applications beyond cloud and AI.

• Experience contributing to thought leadership through speaking engagements, blogs, whitepapers, case studies, or industry publications.

• Fluency in English.

We Offer:

• Opportunities to impact: Work on high-impact cloud and AI transformation initiatives across diverse industries, helping clients achieve measurable business outcomes.

• Mentoring: Access continuous learning opportunities through PwC University, professional certifications, knowledge-sharing programs, and a clear career development path within a collaborative team of cloud and AI specialists.

• Work-life balance: Benefit from flexible working arrangements and work-life balance initiatives in a supportive and inclusive environment.

• Extraperks: Enjoy a competitive compensation and benefits package, access to PwC's global network and Cloud & AI ecosystem, and recognition for exceptional performance and client impact.