Job Specifications
Role:Lead Cloud Architect
Location: London, UK
Work Mode:6 -12 Months Contract -Hybrid -1Days/Week (Mandatory)
JOB DESCRITION:
The Lead Cloud Architect is the technical authority and design owner for cloud migration and modernisation programme. They are accountable for defining the end-to-end cloud strategy, shaping the Landing Zone architecture, and overseeing all technical designs and implementation across AWS infrastructure, security, identity, networking, migration planning, and EUC (Amazon WorkSpaces/Citrix modernisation).
This role ensures that all architectural decisions are aligned to the functional, non-functional, financial, and security requirements, including resilience, Conditional Access, CIS/NCSC compliance, and cost efficiency. The Lead Architect provides technical governance across all phases: Discovery, Strategy & Design, Landing Zone Build, Amazon WorkSpaces deployment, Pilot & Full Migration, and BAU transition.
Key Responsibilities
1. Architectural Leadership & Technical Governance
- Act as the overall technical design authority, ensuring cohesion across all workstreams.
- Lead workshops with SMEs to validate requirements.
- Own and maintain the Cloud Architecture Blueprint.
- Conduct architecture assurance across offshore and onshore teams.
- Chair and drive the Technical Design Authority (TDA) process.
2. Discovery, Assessment & Cloud Strategy
- Lead and validate discovery findings.
- Develop Target Architecture and Migration Roadmap.
- Produce cloud adoption strategy aligned to public-sector frameworks.
3. Landing Zone Design & Governance Controls
- Design secure multi-account AWS Landing Zone.
- Define SCP guardrails, IAM role model, logging, monitoring, KMS strategy.
- Ensure compliance with CIS, NCSC, Cyber Essentials.
- Oversee network segmentation, VPC connectivity, and DR patterns.
4. EUC & Amazon WorkSpaces/Citrix Modernisation Design
- Lead architecture for virtual desktop estate.
- Oversee FSLogix, conditional access, MFA, RBAC.
- Provide technical assurance during UAT and rollout.
5. Migration Planning & Execution Governance
- Own migration architecture, runbooks, and cutover plans.
- Select pilot workloads and define success criteria.
- Oversee AWS MGN/CloudEndure migrations.
- Provide technical escalation during cutovers.
6. Security, Identity & Compliance Assurance
- Ensure encryption, MFA, identity federation, patching, and threat detection.
- Embed compliance into solution design.
- Oversee security engineer deliverables.
7. Operational Readiness, Hypercare & BAU Transition
- Define operational model, dashboards, alerting rules.
- Lead defect triage and tuning during hypercare.
- Shape steady-state governance and FinOps optimisation.
Key Deliverables
- Cloud Adoption Strategy
- Target Architecture (HLD/LLD)
- Landing Zone Architecture Pack
- Detailed Implementation Plan
- EUC/WorkSpaces/Citrix design
- Migration Strategy & Runbooks
- Security & Compliance Architecture
- Operational Readiness & Handover Packs
Required Skills & Experience
- 10+ years cloud architecture; 5+ years AWS in regulated sectors.
- Deep knowledge of: AWS Organisations, Control Tower, IAM, VPC, WorkSpaces, AppStream, FSLogix, AWS MGN, Terraform/CloudFormation, KMS, GuardDuty, CloudTrail, Entra ID.
- Strong stakeholder communication.
- Experience defining governance, stage-gate assurance.
Soft Skills
- Strong communicator
- Structured thinker
- Risk-focused
- Delivery-oriented
Preferred Certifications
- AWS Solutions Architect - Professional
- AWS Security Specialty
- AWS Networking Specialty
- ITIL
What I see is some good AWS Architecture skills but not experience of cloud migration to AWS. This is key as the role if to lead a cloud migration project.
Mandatory Landing Zone Design & Build
Wave Planning,
Pilot Migration,
Full Migration,
Hypercare,
Rollback methodologies
Desirable AWS Backups,
Amazon Workspaces
Note: Valid SC Clearance is preference and eligibility is also fine.
About the Company
Thrive IT Systems offers IT Consulting and IT fulfillment services for small and medium sized businesses. We help clients achieves cost benefits and Real Cost of Ownership RCO.
Our Core competencies are in the areas of ERP's, Web development, SAN Storage, DR/Backup Solutions, VMware, Server Virtualization, Cloud Computing Technologies, Software Engineering specialist Recruitment & IT Service Company. Our primary focus is on FULFILLMENT on all IT related services in line with the business goals.
Partner for Partner Model
A...
Know more