Principal Architect

Lumen; Boise (ID); Remote; USD 170,000 - 260,000; Full time

Job summary

Lumen is seeking a Principal Architect, Cloud FinOps, to shape AI-ready connectivity through cost-aware cloud strategies across a complex multi-cloud environment. You will align architecture with financial accountability, drive cloud economics, and guide governance to ensure performance, security, and scalability.

The role requires senior leadership communication, enterprise standards, and collaboration with cross-functional teams to deliver measurable business value in a fast-paced, AI-driven

Qualifications

• 12+ years in enterprise or cloud architecture and technology strategy.
• 8+ years of public cloud experience (Azure, AWS, or GCP).
• 5+ years in FinOps, cloud governance, or cost optimization.

Responsibilities

• Define and govern multi-cloud architecture standards across Azure, AWS, and GCP.
• Lead FinOps and cloud economics initiatives, including unit economics and chargeback models.
• Drive cloud optimization through migration, rightsizing, and cost controls.
• Establish governance, tagging, and lifecycle management for cloud usage.
• Partner with engineering to automate cost controls and budgets.
• Present strategies and ROI analyses to senior leadership.

Skills

Enterprise architecture leadership

Cloud economics

FinOps

Executive stakeholder influence

Cost optimization

Multi-cloud strategy

Business case development

Education

Bachelor's degree in CS/CE/IS

Tools

Terraform

Bicep

CloudFormation

Flexera

CloudHealth

Apptio Cloudability

Kubernetes

Job description

Lumen is the trusted network for the AI‑powered world, connecting people, data, and applications through our expansive fiber network and connected ecosystem. We enable secure, high‑performance connectivity across cloud, edge, and AI workloads for enterprises, governments, and communities.

At Lumen, you’ll work on infrastructure customers rely on today and build for what’s next, where performance, security, and resilience matter.

This is a high accountability environment where bold ideas drive real innovation for our customers, partners, and industry. The work is challenging, expectations are clear, and trust is built into how we operate. If you’re ready to take ownership, deliver meaningful impact, and help shape the future of AI‑ready connectivity, join us today.

The Role

In a culture built on accountability, trust, and bold thinking, the Principal Architect, Cloud FinOps, plays a pivotal role in shaping the future of AI‑ready connectivity. Working at the intersection of innovation and impact, this leader thrives in an environment where challenging work is embraced, expectations are clear, and meaningful contributions drive lasting value for customers, partners, and the industry.

As the enterprise’s technical authority for FinOps architecture, cloud economics, and financial governance, the Principal Architect leads the design of cost‑aware cloud strategies across a complex multi‑cloud ecosystem. By combining deep technical expertise with strategic business insight, this individual helps ensure that every cloud investment delivers measurable outcomes while supporting performance, scalability, resiliency, and security.

Partnering closely with Engineering, Enterprise Architecture, Finance, Cloud Platform teams, Strategic Sourcing, Product organizations, and Executive Leadership, the Principal Architect brings people and ideas together to solve complex challenges. Through collaboration and influence, they champion a shared vision of financial accountability and operational excellence across the cloud landscape.

Their impact extends beyond architecture design. By establishing enterprise standards, cloud consumption guardrails, unit economics frameworks, commitment optimization strategies, and migration blueprints, they create a foundation that empowers teams to innovate with confidence. Every decision is guided by a commitment to delivering business value, enabling sustainable growth, and helping the organization stay ahead in an increasingly connected, AI‑driven world.

Location

This is a work from home position within the US.

The Main Responsibilities

Enterprise Architecture

Define and govern multi‑cloud architecture standards across Azure, AWS, and GCP. Develop reusable reference architectures, solution patterns, and governance frameworks. Lead architecture reviews for cloud transformation, modernization, and strategic initiatives while embedding financial accountability into design decisions.

FinOps Leadership

Integrate cost optimization into architecture and engineering practices. Establish cost‑aware patterns for compute, storage, networking, AI/ML, Kubernetes, databases, and SaaS platforms. Develop unit economics, chargeback/showback models, cloud costing methodologies, and enterprise FinOps maturity programs.

Cloud Optimization

Lead application rationalization, cloud migration, and platform modernization efforts. Identify savings through rightsizing, scheduling, architectural improvements, consolidation, and commitment‑based discounts. Implement financial guardrails, policy‑as‑code, and workload placement strategies that improve cost efficiency.

Governance, Risk & Compliance

Define standards for cloud consumption, tagging, allocation, lifecycle management, and capacity planning. Ensure alignment with security, compliance, operational, and risk management requirements while participating in architecture and FinOps governance forums.

Automation & Platform Enablement

Partner with engineering teams to automate cost controls, budget management, policy enforcement, optimization recommendations, and reporting. Support FinOps platforms, dashboards, operational tooling, and promote Infrastructure‑as‑Code (IaC) and FinOps‑as‑Code practices.

Executive Leadership

Present architecture strategies, cloud economics recommendations, and optimization roadmaps to senior leadership. Develop business cases, ROI analyses, TCO assessments, and cloud investment strategies. Mentor architects, engineers, and FinOps practitioners while driving enterprise‑wide cloud financial accountability.

What We Look For in a Candidate

• 12+ years of enterprise architecture, cloud architecture, or technology strategy experience, 8+ years of public cloud experience across Azure, AWS, and/or Google Cloud Platform and 5+ years of FinOps, cloud economics, cloud governance, or cost optimization experience.

• Proven experience influencing executive stakeholders and enterprise architecture decisions.

Technical Expertise

• Enterprise architecture frameworks and governance and cloud economics, financial management. and FinOps operating models and unit economics and allocation methodologies.

• Cloud migration strategies and kubernetes, container platforms, infrastructure‑as‑Code (Terraform, Bicep, CloudFormation) and cost management platforms (Flexera, CloudHealth, Apptio Cloudability, native CSP tooling) and AI/ML platform architecture and cost optimization.

Business Acumen

Financial modeling and forecasting, budget management, executive communications, business capability mapping.and strategic planning

Required Certifications

Candidates must possess at least one advanced FinOps certification and one major cloud architecture certification.

FinOps Certifications (Requred)

• One or more of:

• FinOps Certified Practitioner (FOCP) / FinOps Certified Engineer (FCE) / FinOps Certified Professional (FCP) / FinOps Certified Cloud Practitioner/ FinOps for Containers (FFC)

• Cloud Architecture Certifications (Required)

• One or more of:

• AWS Certified Solutions Architect – Professional

• Microsoft Azure Solutions Architect Expert

• Google Professional Cloud Architect

Preferred Certifications

• TOGAF 9/10, Certified Kubernetes Administrator (CKA), Certified Kubernetes Application Developer (CKAD), AWS DevOps Engineer Professional, Azure DevOps Engineer Expert

Compensation

This information reflects the anticipated base salary range for this position based on current national data. Minimums and maximums may vary based on location. Individual pay is based on skills, experience and other relevant factors.

Location Based Pay Ranges