Senior Cloud Architect - Azure

Zain Group; Ernakulam; On-site; INR 2,000,000 - 3,000,000; Full time

Job summary

Zain Group is looking for a Senior Cloud Architect to lead enterprise cloud architecture initiatives across Azure and multi-cloud environments. You will be responsible for architecting, implementing, and governing scalable and cost-optimized cloud solutions. The role requires over 10 years of experience in cloud architecture, with strong expertise in Azure platforms and tools such as Terraform and Kubernetes. Excellent leadership and communication skills are essential. This position offers a hybrid working environment in Ernakulam, Kerala.

Qualifications

• 10+ years of experience in cloud architecture, infrastructure engineering, or related roles with 5 years focused on Microsoft Azure.
• Deep technical expertise in Azure core services including compute, networking, storage, and security.
• Experience with hybrid cloud connectivity solutions like Azure ExpressRoute and VPN Gateway.

Responsibilities

• Define and execute Azure cloud architecture strategy with best practices.
• Lead design and implementation of Infrastructure as Code and CI/CD pipelines.
• Architect and implement hybrid and multi-cloud solutions integrating Azure and AWS.

Skills

Cloud architecture

Azure platforms

Infrastructure as Code

Kubernetes

Cloud security best practices

DevOps practices

Education

Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Computer Science, Information Technology, Engineering, or related field

Tools

Terraform

Azure DevOps

GitHub Actions

PowerShell

Azure CLI

Job description

The Senior Cloud Architect leads enterprise cloud architecture initiatives across Azure and multi-cloud environments, responsible for architecting, implementing, and governing scalable, secure, and cost-optimized cloud solutions. This strategic role defines cloud architecture standards, drives platform modernization, and provides technical leadership to ensure operational excellence, business agility, and innovation.

Responsibilities

Cloud Strategy & Architecture

• Define and execute the Azure cloud architecture strategy, establishing architectural standards, design patterns, and best practices across Azure, AWS, and hybrid cloud environments.

Platform Engineering & Automation

• Lead the design and implementation of Infrastructure as Code (IaC), CI/CD pipelines, automation frameworks, and cloud-native platform services using tools such as Terraform, ARM/Bicep, Azure DevOps, and GitHub Actions.

Multi-Cloud & Hybrid Solutions

• Architect and implement hybrid and multi-cloud solutions integrating Azure, AWS, and on-premises infrastructure, enabling workload portability, seamless connectivity, and optimized cloud operations.

Security & Governance

• Design and implement cloud security architectures including identity and access management, RBAC, network security, encryption, Zero-Trust principles, governance frameworks, and compliance controls aligned with ISO 27001, SOC 2, PCI-DSS, GDPR, and organizational standards.

Containerization & Modern Applications

• Lead containerization and orchestration initiatives using Kubernetes, Azure Kubernetes Service (AKS), container platforms, serverless architectures, and modern application design patterns.

Operational Excellence & Optimization

• Establish cloud operational frameworks including monitoring, logging, disaster recovery, backup, scalability, performance optimization, and FinOps-driven cost optimization strategies.

Leadership & Collaboration

• Mentor cloud engineers and platform teams, conduct architecture reviews, and collaborate with development, security, and business stakeholders to ensure alignment with organizational goals and cloud best practices.

Qualifications

• 10+ years of experience in cloud architecture, infrastructure engineering, or related technical roles, with at least 5 years focused specifically on Microsoft Azure platforms
• Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Computer Science, Information Technology, Engineering, or a related technical discipline
• Current and valid Azure Solutions Architect Expert (AZ-305)
• Current and valid Azure DevOps Engineer Expert (AZ-400)
• Current and valid AWS Solutions Architect Associate (SAA-C03)
• Deep technical expertise in Azure core services including compute, networking, storage, databases, security, monitoring, and DevOps services
• Proven experience designing and implementing enterprise-scale Azure and multi-cloud architectures supporting high availability, scalability, and operational excellence
• Strong hands-on expertise in Infrastructure as Code (Terraform, ARM, Bicep, Pulumi), CI/CD pipelines, Kubernetes, Docker, and cloud automation frameworks
• Experience with hybrid cloud connectivity solutions including Azure ExpressRoute, VPN Gateway, Azure Arc, and multi-cloud networking
• Strong understanding of cloud security best practices, governance models, identity management, compliance frameworks, and Zero-Trust architectures
• Experience with monitoring and observability platforms such as Azure Monitor, Log Analytics, Prometheus, Grafana, Datadog, or ELK Stack
• Strong scripting and automation expertise using PowerShell, Azure CLI, Azure Automation, or related tools
• Exceptional leadership, communication, and strategic problem-solving skills with the ability to articulate technical concepts to both technical and executive stakeholders