Senior Azure Solutions Architect

Job description

Location: London (Hybrid working - 2 days office based)

Type: Full Time

The Team

The KPMG Clara engineering team is dedicated to building cutting-edge Analytics and AI products for our Audit business. We blend audit expertise with the latest cloud technologies to build and run products that simplify the lives of our audit colleagues while promoting Audit Quality.

As a crucial member of the Data Solutions team, you will collaborate with a talented mix of Product Owners, Architects, Cloud Engineers, Data Engineers, Data Scientists, Experience Designers, Business Analysts, and Testing specialists to build, deliver, and manage a portfolio of truly exciting products.

In recent years, our products' size and scale have rapidly expanded, leading to significant growth in our technology capability. There's never been a better time to join us.

With our ambitious growth plans, your future here is something to get excited about. As a valued team member, you'll be expected to stay current with the tech field and the latest trends in Audit delivery.

The role

You will be responsible for designing and implementing the solution architecture to ensure alignment with business goals and objectives. This role involves analysing the current technology infrastructure, identifying areas for improvement, and developing plans to enhance efficiency, scalability, and security. You will need to understand our technology strategy and collaborate with stakeholders, IT teams, and vendors, to develop comprehensive architectural solutions that support the Audit’s long-term vision.

You will be required to maintain your core knowledge of wider technology trends and the KPMG technology ecosystem; build roadmaps and solutions; and govern relevant tech choices within the Firm.

Responsibilities

· Build and maintain extensive Azure Cloud and DevOps architecture and solution design skills, providing SME input to projects and/or run/build

· Build and maintain all-round competence in Cloud, and relevant Application, Integration, Data and Security technologies

· Maintain a high level of technical knowledge incl. current, emerging and future technology market trends and their impact on the business

· Develop and maintain expert knowledge of KPMG’s technology ecosystem, incl. the main applications and technologies that support KPMG Audit

· If required, provide advice to and/or seek to learn from other Member Firms, client teams and/or clients that are seeking to implement or improve their use of specific technologies and/or methods

· Create and develop relevant documents – reference architecture, roadmaps and other key architecture artefacts

· Work closely with Cloud architecture and engineering teams across the firm

· Create and maintain a detailed view of existing designs to help manage the transition to future state

· Identify business/project risk and mitigate or communicate as necessary

· Develop relationships within the KPMG business and technology functions

· Ensure that product roadmaps are aligned to the Audit strategy and the Firm's Digital Strategy, and are coherent with those of other Capabilities and technology domain roadmaps

· Work with Capability CTOs, technical SMEs and specific projects to analyse and translate business requirements into technical requirements, ensuring that these are feasible

· Ensure that Solution Architects produce designs that are fit for purpose, adhere to relevant standards and patterns, leverage reusable components, and are coherent with wider KPMG tech domains

· Being a Cloud advocate to a wider audience inside and outside of the business

Requirements

The ideal candidate should have:

· Proven experience in Enterprise or Solution Architecture roles

· Proven expert knowledge of Cloud architecture design relating to Azure

· Strong understanding of IaaS, PaaS, SaaS, Cloud hosting and integration technologies

· Strong understanding of Azure Active Directory

· Experience of cloud monitoring, provisioning, orchestration management, and DevSecOps

· Good knowledge of at least 2-3 other domains in Infrastructure, Networking, Security, and Integration

· Good knowledge of EA governance incl. steps required, e.g., Info Sec approval, conceptual and solution architecture reviews, pen tests, code reviews and service acceptance criteria

· A high level of general, technical knowledge incl. current, emerging and future technology market trends and their impact on business

· Good understanding of project management concepts, incl. Gantt charts/plans, risks, assumptions, and dependencies, etc.

· Good understanding of technical debt, incl. its causes, how to measure it, and remedial actions incl. decommissioning

· Experience of working with project teams both onshore and/or offshore

· Experience in mentoring and coaching junior colleagues where necessary

· Ability to leverage networks in KPMG, e.g., to tap into additional expertise if required

· Be comfortable working with ambiguity at the beginning of projects, with ability to provide clarity of direction despite this

· Be business focused, with the ability to communicate and convey messages to both technical and business stakeholders

Other desirable skills and experiences include: 

· Knowledge of AWS and GCP

· Practical understanding of GDPR and ISO 27001

· Qualifications in ITIL and TOGAF (The Open Group Architecture Framework)