IT Cloud Architect

Uisce Éireann Irish Water; Dublin; On-site; EUR 100,000 - 140,000; Full time

Job summary

Uisce Éireann Irish Water is hiring an IT Cloud Architect to shape and deliver scalable cloud architectures across Azure and OCI. You will collaborate with IT stakeholders to align roadmaps, promote best practices, and ensure secure, compliant cloud solutions that support Ireland’s water services strategy.

This role requires strong experience in solution and cloud architecture, with a focus on modernization, security, and cost efficiency in a large-scale public utility environment.

Qualifications

• 5+ years' experience in solution, cloud or infrastructure architecture.
• Experience designing cloud architectures on Microsoft Azure and/or OCI.
• Experience with cloud transformation, migration or modernization in large enterprises.
• Desirable: relevant third-level qualification or accreditation.
• Desirable: 5+ years in water, utilities, or similar industries.

Responsibilities

• Interpret the enterprise architecture strategy to create scalable, secure cloud architectures.
• Ensure cloud infrastructure and applications are cost-effective and optimized for needs.
• Maintain secure, compliant cloud environments per industry standards.
• Define and promote cloud guidelines, governance and best practices.
• Collaborate with architecture teams and stakeholders across IT to align roadmaps.
• Keep up-to-date with cloud trends and emerging technologies.
• Drive adoption of digital agenda balancing cost efficiency, flexibility and security.
• Oversee design patterns and handover of capabilities to operations.

Skills

Cloud architecture

Solution architecture

Azure/OCI experience

Stakeholder management

Analytical thinking

Security & compliance

Communication

Education

Third level qualification

Tools

Terraform

Azure DevOps

IaC

Job description

This role is available in either Dublin or Cork.

We are Uisce Éireann. Every day, we are responsible for the delivery of secure, safe, and sustainable water services for the people of Ireland. As Ireland’s national regulated water utility, our vision is a sustainable Ireland where water is respected and protected, for the planet and all the lives it supports.

Our purpose at Uisce Éireann is to rise to the challenge of delivering transformative water services that enable communities to thrive. That means we are proud to take on the responsibility of protecting our water supply and passing on a safe and secure water system to a rapidly growing population and empowering Ireland’s social and economic growth.

So, we’re passionate about helping our people to do the best work of their lives, to enable them to make a positive difference to communities all over Ireland. Our aim is to attract and develop talented and skilled people with diverse backgrounds and an evolving range of expertise and insight. We believe that such a strong workforce will help us achieve our goals and allow us to continue investing in, and advancing, Ireland’s water services.

The Role:

Uisce Éireann IT (UÉ IT) provides IT services and support to the wider Uisce Éireann business, and across the Local Authority user base. IT Operations is responsible for all operational run activities across Applications, Operational Technology, Service Management and Infrastructure.

IT Build & Delivery activities span across solution architecture, applications, infrastructure, and

technical delivery. The IT Build & Delivery teams have a pivotal role to play in the implementation of new solutions, applications and infrastructure for the organisation, working closely with the wider IT teams and Business Change. The Build and Delivery Team are responsible for managing technical project delivery through the project lifecycle through to point of transition to BAU across a portfolio of project, as well as managing a team of technical resource planners in technical assurance across IT project delivery. They also have responsibility for the development of strong relationships with the relevant stakeholders for the successful management and alignment of technical projects across Uisce Eireann.

Reporting to the IT Solutions Architecture Manager, the IT Cloud Architect will be responsible for the archicture, design, implementation and operability of new and updated cloud-based solutions for Uisce Éireann. This role will demonstrate strong understanding of IT, excellent analytical and conceptual skills.

Main Duties and Responsibilities:

• Interpret the Enterprise Architecture strategy to create best-in-class solution architectures and cloud-based solutions that are scalable, secure and efficient cloud architectures to meet the current and future technical needs of Uisce Éireann.
• Ensure that cloud infrastructure and applications are optimised for the organisation’s needs and maximise cost-effectiveness
• Ensure the cloud environment is secure and compliant with industry standards and regulations
• Support the establishment and implementation of policies and best practices for cloud technologies to ensure consistency and adherence to UÉ standards
• Ensure IT cloud solutions enhance flexibility, consistency, integration, and use for our customers
• Collaborate with Architecture teams to maintain practical and value adding architecture models, baselines, and on the sequencing of roadmaps
• Build strong relationships across the IT organisation to optimise co-operation and maximising efficiencies across IT
• Stay up to date on cloud trends and latest advancements in cloud technologies
• Be a positive influence for change and improvement by driving adoption of the digital agenda and emerging technologies balancing greater cost efficiency and platform flexibility, useability, and security
• Participate in the evaluation/selection of technology solutions, where required.
• Ensure IT capital programs related to cloud technologies stay aligned to Uisce Éireann’s technology strategy, detailed sub-strategies and EA roadmaps while optimising use of existing components and capabilities across the technology landscape.
• Model and define the roadmap for both Azure and OCI cloud tenanacies and design capabilities in line with the UÉ Cloud Strategy
• Oversee low level design patterns and successful transition of capabilities into operations

General Duties and Responsibilities

• Collaboration with key internal stakeholders across the UÉ business, including but not limited to;
• IT Operations Teams
• Cyber Security
• Project Teams across the organisation, as required
• Responsible for promoting and delivering health and safety commitments across UÉ and its supply chain, reinforcing positive behaviours and delivering health and safety objectives and requirements to the highest industry standards.
• Support the delivery of the Uisce Éireann Transformation Programme, driving results required within the Directorate and supporting organisation-wide objectives.
• Conducts duties and responsibilities in accordance with Uisce Éireann’s Information Security policies, standards, processes and controls to protect the confidentiality, integrity and availability of UÉ business information and delivery of critical services, in accordance with the NIS Directive and any other relevant cybersecurity regulation
• Other duties as required.

Knowledge, Skills and Experience:

• 5+ years' experience in solution architecture, cloud architecture or a infrastructure architecture role.
• Experience designing and delivering solutions on Microsoft Azure and/or Oracle Cloud Infrastructure (OCI).
• Experience supporting cloud transformation, migration or modernisation initiatives within a large enterprise environment.
• Relevant third level qualification and or accreditation is desirable
• A minimum of 5 years’ experience in the water, utilities or similar industries is desirable and or relevant experience
• Ability to develop and maintain effective strategic partnerships with key stakeholders internally and externally
• Proven track record with dealing with complex issues, proactively and in a timely fashion along with the ability to communicate complex information to others
• Highly motivated individual, working to the highest professional standards and with proven ability to deliver results
• Strong analytical skills and ability to identify and analyse problems and potential improvements, and propose and implement solutions
• Demonstrate adaptability and the ability to change focus and direction in line with business strategy and requirements
• Proactively identifying new areas of improvement and using newly gained knowledge and skill on the job
• Experience producing architecture deliverables including High-Level Designs (HLDs), Low-Level Designs (LLDs), roadmaps and architecture decision records
• Strong knowledge of cloud architecture principles, including public cloud, hybrid cloud and multi-cloud operating models.
• Working knowledge of Microsoft Azure and Oracle Cloud Infrastructure (OCI) services, capabilities and architecture patterns.
• Understanding of cloud networking concepts including Virtual Networks (VNets), Virtual Cloud Networks (VCNs), VPNs, ExpressRoute, FastConnect and private cloud connectivity.
• Knowledge of Infrastructure as Code (IaC), DevOps and cloud automation practices using tools such as Terraform and Azure DevOps.
• Understanding of cloud security, identity management, access controls, encryption, compliance and governance frameworks.
• Knowledge of disaster recovery, business continuity and high-availability cloud design principles.
• Awareness of enterprise integration patterns, APIs, data platforms and cloud-native application architectures.
• Understanding of architecture governance frameworks such as TOGAF and cloud architecture review processes.