Lead Solution Architect (Cloud Architecture/Modernization)

Alpha Financial Markets Consulting

11h • Hybrid

About The Position

Alpha Financial Markets Consulting (Alpha) is a leading global consultancy to the financial services industry. Founded in 2003, we have worked for over 20 years to bring together specialist, sector-focused strategy, management consulting and technology expertise to support the entire client transformation lifecycle. Having partnered with more than 1,200 clients worldwide across the asset and wealth management, alternatives and insurance industries, Alpha is truly a trusted advisor for complex change programs. We now have over 1,180 consultants working with clients across North America, the UK, Europe, Middle East and APAC. In 2024, in recognition of our successful track record and strong growth prospects, Alpha was acquired by Bridgepoint, one of the world's leading quoted private asset growth investors. Our people are at the heart of everything we do. We are delighted that many of our team have built long and fulfilling careers with us, many staying over a decade. We believe this is because Alpha offers a genuinely rewarding place to work: a meritocratic environment where your career can flourish, and a welcoming culture where you can be yourself, connect with others and thrive. As we look to the future, we’re excited to be looking for new Alpha colleagues - individuals who are collaborative, innovative and ambitious. We hope you will join us and help shape the next chapter of our growth journey.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree in a technical or quantitative discipline; advanced degree a plus.
• At least 10 years' experience in cloud architecture and delivery, with a meaningful portion of that experience working in consulting, systems integration, or a hyperscaler professional services organization.
• Track record of being the senior technical voice on $5M+ cloud programs, including programs that went through rough patches and came out the other side.
• Comfortable operating across Azure, AWS, and GCP; at minimum deeply fluent in two and credible in the third.
• Fluent in modern cloud architecture patterns: landing zones, hub-spoke and mesh networking, zero trust identity, platform-as-code, container platforms, event-driven architectures, data platforms, and API-first design.
• Credible in security and compliance conversations: NIST 800-53, FedRAMP, ISO 27001, SOC 2, CIS benchmarks, and the hyperscaler-specific implementations of each.
• Senior cloud certifications across at least two hyperscalers, current or recently held. Strongly preferred: Azure Solutions Architect Expert (AZ-305), AWS Solutions Architect Professional, Google Cloud Professional Cloud Architect. Security credentials a plus: AZ-500, AWS Security Specialty, CCSP, CISSP.
• Hands-on enough to build a proof-of-concept, write a Terraform module, or collaborate with a junior engineer when needed.
• First-class communication, presentation, and problem-solving skills; able to write and present clearly at executive altitude without losing technical precision.
• Focus on team achievement, not just individual goals.
• Willingness to travel to client sites as engagements require.

Responsibilities

• Co-lead cloud assessments and discoveries alongside the practice lead: workshops, current-state analysis, target architecture design, gap identification, and roadmap build.
• Own target architectures across Azure, AWS, and GCP engagements, including landing zones, identity, networking, security, data platforms, and modernization patterns.
• Serve as the senior technical escalation point across active programs, partnering with engagement leads when architecture decisions need a second pair of senior eyes.
• Pressure-test delivery plans, estimates, and staffing models before they go to clients; catch gaps, over-commits, and technical risk early.
• Lead architecture review boards on major programs and sign off on critical design decisions.
• Scope and solution new opportunities: read the client, size the work, identify risks, and shape the approach alongside the practice lead.
• Show up in pursuit conversations when technical depth is the unlock; run whiteboard sessions, answer CxO-level architecture questions, and defend design choices against skeptical stakeholders.
• Validate estimates and LOEs before they leave the door, catching places where the team is over-simplifying or under-pricing.
• Lead technical sections of proposals, SOWs, and executive readouts.
• Produce reference architectures, design patterns, and reusable artifacts that other engagement teams can adopt.
• Build proofs-of-concept and reference implementations when a pursuit or engagement needs one; comfortable prototyping in code to de-risk a decision rather than just documenting it.
• Stay informed about cloud platform roadmaps, regulatory changes (NIST, FedRAMP, state privacy frameworks), and emerging architecture patterns relevant to Alpha’s client base.

Benefits

• Medical, Dental, and Vision Insurance.
• Life, Short Term Disability, and Long Term Disability Insurance.
• 25 days of PTO (accrued), 11 paid holidays.
• Profit Sharing-based annual target bonus.
• Company sponsored 401(k) plan with match.
• Home internet and cell phone reimbursement program.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Senior
• Number of Employees: 11-50 employees