Principal Cloud Architect

Placements24; Richards Bay; Hybrid; ZAR 1,200,000 - 2,000,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Hybrid work model

Health benefits

Retirement fund contributions

Annual performance bonuses

Professional growth and certifications

Job summary

Placements24 in Richards Bay, KwaZulu-Natal, seeks a Principal Cloud Architect to define and execute the cloud strategy across the organization. You will own end-to-end cloud architecture for scalable, secure, and cost-efficient solutions; lead engineering teams and collaborate with business units to drive digital transformation.

The role requires deep expertise across AWS, Azure, and GCP, IaC with Terraform/Ansible, Kubernetes, and CI/CD pipelines, along with strong leadership and communication

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in CS, Eng, or related field; Master's preferred.
• 10+ years IT experience with at least 6 years in cloud architecture.
• Deep expertise in AWS, Azure, or GCP.
• Experience with Kubernetes, Docker Swarm, IaC tools.
• Strong communication and leadership skills.
• AWS/Azure certifications desirable.

Responsibilities

• Design, implement, and manage complex cloud architectures on major cloud platforms.
• Develop and maintain IaC using Terraform and Ansible.
• Build and optimize CI/CD pipelines for automated deployments.
• Advise on cloud security, compliance, and governance.
• Mentor junior architects and engineers.
• Document architectures comprehensively.
• Collaborate with development teams for scalable deployments.
• Evaluate and adopt new cloud technologies.

Skills

Cloud architecture

DevOps practices

CI/CD pipelines

Mentoring

Stakeholder management

Education

Bachelor's degree in CS/Engineering

Master's degree preferred

Tools

Terraform

Ansible

Kubernetes

Docker Swarm

CloudFormation

Job description

About the Role

Our client, a leader in the industrial technology sector, is seeking a visionary Principal Cloud Architect to join their expanding team in Richards Bay, KwaZulu-Natal . This senior role is instrumental in defining and executing the cloud strategy across the organization. You will be responsible for the end-to-end architecture of cloud-based solutions, ensuring they are scalable, secure, resilient, and cost-effective. The Principal Cloud Architect will provide technical leadership, guide engineering teams, and collaborate with business units to drive innovation and digital transformation. This position requires a deep understanding of cloud platforms (AWS, Azure, GCP), infrastructure as code, microservices, and DevOps principles. You will be a key advisor on cloud best practices and emerging technologies, helping to shape the future of our client's technology landscape. This is an exceptional opportunity for a seasoned architect to make a significant impact.

Key Responsibilities

• Design, implement, and manage complex cloud architectures on major cloud platforms (AWS, Azure, GCP).
• Develop and maintain cloud infrastructure as code (IaC) using tools like Terraform and Ansible.
• Architect and implement robust CI/CD pipelines for automated application deployment and management.
• Provide expert guidance on cloud security best practices, compliance, and governance.
• Lead the evaluation and adoption of new cloud technologies and services.
• Collaborate with development teams to ensure scalable and performant application deployments.
• Optimize cloud resource utilization for cost efficiency and performance.
• Mentor and guide junior architects and engineers in cloud technologies.
• Develop and maintain comprehensive architectural documentation.
• Troubleshoot and resolve complex technical issues in cloud environments.

Requirements

• Bachelor's degree in Computer Science, Engineering, or a related field; Master's degree preferred.
• 10+ years of progressive experience in IT, with at least 6 years focused on cloud architecture.
• Deep expertise in at least two major cloud providers (AWS, Azure, GCP).
• Proven experience with container orchestration platforms (Kubernetes, Docker Swarm).
• Strong proficiency in infrastructure as code (Terraform, CloudFormation, Ansible).
• Extensive knowledge of networking, security, and data management in cloud environments.
• Experience with microservices, serverless computing, and event-driven architectures.
• Familiarity with CI/CD tools and methodologies.
• Excellent communication, leadership, and stakeholder management skills.
• Certifications such as AWS Certified Solutions Architect Professional or Azure Solutions Architect Expert are highly desirable.

Benefits

• Our client offers an attractive salary package, comprehensive health benefits, retirement fund contributions, annual performance bonuses, and significant opportunities for professional growth, including advanced training and certifications.
• Employees will have the opportunity to work with cutting-edge technologies and contribute to innovative projects.
• The hybrid work model balances collaboration and flexibility.