Azure Cloud Migration Architect

SMART TECH SKILLS LLC

14h•Remote

About The Position

The Lead Cloud Migration Architect serves as the primary technical authority supporting a large-scale data center migration to Microsoft Azure for a healthcare payer organization. This hands-on architectural and execution role spans the entire migration factory lifecycle across multiple waves—from landing zone design and Bicep Infrastructure as Code (IaC) authoring to technical discovery, live cutover execution, and post-go-live stabilization. The ideal candidate blends deep architectural expertise with proven hands-on experience executing production cutovers in highly regulated, HIPAA-compliant healthcare environments.

Requirements

15 or more years of overall experience supporting enterprise application architectures or infrastructure migrations.
10 or more years of experience in cloud and infrastructure engineering, with 5 or more years dedicated specifically to Microsoft Azure.
Demonstrated track record leading at least two end-to-end enterprise Azure data center migration programs from landing zone design through production cutover and hypercare exit.
Mandatory hands-on experience in healthcare payer or health plan environments, supporting payer-specific applications (such as claims processing, enrollment, care management, or health analytics).
Proven experience personally executing production cutovers using Azure Migrate, ASR, DNS cutovers, replication failover, and post-migration validation.
Hands-on proficiency authoring modular Bicep or ARM Infrastructure as Code (IaC) templates for complex multi-application environments.
Strong experience migrating and managing SQL Server on Azure (including shared instances, Always On availability groups, or Azure Database Migration Service).
Proven expertise deploying and maintaining compliant workloads within regulated environments (HIPAA, HITECH, PCI-DSS, or FedRAMP).

Nice To Haves

Experience operating within structured migration factory or wave-based delivery models.
Deep familiarity with enterprise middleware, integration APIs, and batch processing systems.
Experience with enterprise IT Service Management (ITSM) and formal Change Advisory Board (CAB) governance processes.
Relevant Microsoft Azure certifications (such as Azure Solutions Architect Expert, Azure DevOps Engineer Expert, or Azure Security Engineer).

Responsibilities

Design and own the enterprise Azure Landing Zone architecture, including hub-and-spoke network topologies, ExpressRoute/VPN connectivity, NSG policies, DNS zones, and management group hierarchies.
Author, build, and maintain the comprehensive Bicep and ARM module library as authoritative Infrastructure as Code (IaC) for all migrated workloads.
Define and enforce tagging taxonomies, resource naming conventions, RBAC governance models, Azure Policy assignments, and resource lock strategies across all waves.
Support Enterprise Architecture review gates and Change Advisory Board (CAB) submissions with complete technical evidence packages (network diagrams, validated Bicep templates, mapped security controls).
Lead application technical discovery to validate scope, document critical dependencies (shared SQL instances, integration endpoints, certificate chains, service accounts), and generate migration design documents.
Manage the Azure Migrate platform, including replication configuration, synchronization health monitoring, test failover cycles, and readiness sign-offs.
Execute standardized migration factory processes across multiple application waves, supporting re-hosted, re-platformed, and lightly modernized workloads.
Author detailed, step-by-step cutover runbooks outlining execution sequences, rollback triggers, decision gates, and resource assignments.
Lead production cutover nights as the technical authority, executing runbooks, directing engineering teams, and making time-boxed rollback decisions.
Validate DNS cutover, SSL/TLS certificate continuity, IP allowlist updates, firewall rule migration, and load balancer reconfigurations during cutovers.
Coordinate shared SQL Server instance migrations and validate post-migration data integrity (row counts, checksums, and referential integrity).
Ensure all migrated workloads meet BCDR requirements, including Azure Backup policies, Azure Site Recovery (ASR) replication, RPO/RTO validation, and disaster recovery testing.
Coordinate application, integration, performance, and user acceptance testing (UAT) with development, QA, and business teams.
Own post-go-live hypercare windows, monitor application behavior, and rapidly resolve post-migration defects.
Serve as the primary technical escalation point across non-production testing, approval blocks, and production stabilization.
Lead technical retrospectives after each wave to refine IaC modules, update runbook templates, and mentor junior cloud engineers.
Collaborate with platform, network, security, managed service providers, and third-party application vendors to ensure operational alignment.