Principal Cloud Solutions Architect

Placements24; Upington; Hybrid; ZAR 2,470,000 - 3,458,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Competitive compensation package

Health coverage

Retirement savings plans

Generous paid time off

Fully remote / remote-first culture

Continuous learning opportunities

Challenging career path

Job summary

Placements24 seeks a Principal Cloud Solutions Architect to lead enterprise-scale cloud design and migration across AWS, Azure, and possibly GCP. This remote-first role demands deep expertise, strategic client guidance, and hands-on leadership to drive business value.

You will craft cloud strategies, oversee infrastructure implementation, and mentor junior architects while staying ahead of industry trends and best practices.

Qualifications

• Master's or Bachelor's degree in Computer Science, Engineering, or a related field; equivalent experience accepted.
• 10+ years of IT architecture and solution design focus on cloud technologies.
• Extensive experience with AWS and/or Azure services across compute, storage, networking, databases, and security.
• Proven experience designing and implementing large-scale cloud migrations and deployments.
• Deep understanding of cloud-native architectures, microservices, containers, and serverless computing.
• Strong knowledge of IaC principles and tools (Terraform, CloudFormation).
• Experience with security best practices and compliance in cloud environments.
• Excellent communication, presentation, and interpersonal skills.
• Ability to lead complex technical discussions and influence decision-making.
• Relevant cloud certifications desirable.

Responsibilities

• Lead design and architecture of enterprise-scale cloud solutions on AWS, Azure, and potentially GCP.
• Provide technical leadership and strategic guidance to clients throughout their cloud journey.
• Develop comprehensive cloud strategies, roadmaps, and migration plans.
• Conduct architectural reviews, performance analysis, and security assessments of cloud environments.
• Oversee the implementation of cloud infrastructure, services, and applications.
• Collaborate with project managers, engineers, and stakeholders to ensure successful project delivery.
• Mentor and guide junior architects and technical teams.
• Stay at the forefront of cloud technologies, trends, and best practices.
• Develop and maintain reusable architectural patterns and best practices.
• Communicate complex technical concepts effectively to both technical and non-technical audiences.

Skills

Cloud architecture

AWS

Azure

GCP

IaC

Terraform

CloudFormation

Security best practices

Leadership

Communication

Education

Master's or Bachelor's degree in CS/Engineering or related field

Tools

Terraform

CloudFormation

Kubernetes

Job description

About the Role

Our client, a global leader in cloud consulting services, is seeking an exceptional Principal Cloud Solutions Architect to join their fully remote team. This is a strategic role requiring deep expertise in designing and implementing complex, scalable, and resilient cloud solutions for enterprise clients. You will be responsible for leading architectural discussions, defining technical strategies, and guiding client engagements across various cloud platforms, primarily AWS and Azure. As a remote-first organization, we foster a culture of autonomy, collaboration, and continuous learning. The ideal candidate is a visionary technologist with a proven track record of delivering transformative cloud solutions and driving business value. This is a unique opportunity to shape the future of cloud adoption for leading organizations worldwide, working from anywhere.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead the design and architecture of enterprise-scale cloud solutions on AWS, Azure, and potentially GCP.
• Provide technical leadership and strategic guidance to clients throughout their cloud journey.
• Develop comprehensive cloud strategies, roadmaps, and migration plans.
• Conduct architectural reviews, performance analysis, and security assessments of cloud environments.
• Oversee the implementation of cloud infrastructure, services, and applications.
• Collaborate with project managers, engineers, and stakeholders to ensure successful project delivery.
• Mentor and guide junior architects and technical teams.
• Stay at the forefront of cloud technologies, trends, and best practices.
• Develop and maintain reusable architectural patterns and best practices.
• Communicate complex technical concepts effectively to both technical and non-technical audiences.

Requirements

• Master's or Bachelor's degree in Computer Science, Engineering, or a related field; equivalent experience accepted.
• 10+ years of experience in IT architecture and solution design, with a significant focus on cloud technologies.
• Extensive experience with AWS and/or Azure services, including compute, storage, networking, databases, and security.
• Proven experience designing and implementing large-scale cloud migrations and deployments.
• Deep understanding of cloud-native architectures, microservices, containers, and serverless computing.
• Strong knowledge of infrastructure as code (IaC) principles and tools (e.g., Terraform, CloudFormation).
• Experience with security best practices and compliance frameworks in cloud environments.
• Excellent communication, presentation, and interpersonal skills.
• Ability to lead complex technical discussions and influence decision-making.
• Relevant cloud certifications (e.g., AWS Certified Solutions Architect Professional, Azure Solutions Architect Expert) are highly desirable.

Benefits

• Our client offers an industry-leading compensation package, including a highly competitive base salary and performance-based incentives.
• We provide comprehensive health coverage, retirement savings plans, and generous paid time off.
• As a fully remote company, we offer unparalleled flexibility and the opportunity to work from your preferred location.
• Join a world-class team of experts dedicated to driving cloud innovation and delivering exceptional value to clients.
• We invest in our people, offering continuous learning opportunities and a challenging, rewarding career path.