Senior AI Architect

Avanade Company • Atlanta, GA

2d • $165,000 - $220,000

About The Position

The Senior Manager, AI Architect (GenAI & Azure) leads the solution design, architecture, and scaled enablement of enterprise AI solutions, serving as a trusted advisor guiding clients from pilot to scaled value realization. This is a client-facing, architecture-led consulting role—focused on AI solution design and Gen AI technical leadership. You will partner globally by shaping pursuits, defining target-state AI architectures, and enabling program execution across complex engagements. Partnering with sales, solutioning, and delivery leaders, you will design and architect enterprise grade AI architectures using Azure AI Services, Azure OpenAI, Azure AI Search, and Copilot Studio, integrating patterns such as RAG, vector stores, CLU/NLP, conversational AI, and emerging Agentic AI. You will advise on Responsible AI, security, privacy, and Azure Well-Architected principles; define operating and governance models; and ensure solutions meet cost, risk, and compliance requirements.

Requirements

• Consulting Experience: 10+ years in consulting leading complex, client-facing technology programs; 3–5+ years in cloud architecture; 2+ years architecting AI/GenAI solutions (strategy & design, not primary development).
• Azure & GenAI Expertise: Deep experience with Azure AI Services, Azure OpenAI, Azure AI Search, Copilot Studio, and data/integration patterns; hands-on architecture with RAG, vector databases, orchestration, conversational AI, NLP/CLU, and an understanding of Agentic AI trajectories.
• Enterprise Architecture: Strong grasp of security, identity, data governance, compliance, and Azure Well-Architected principles; familiarity with Responsible AI frameworks and model risk management.
• Client Leadership: Proven trusted advisor to senior business/technology leaders; excels at storytelling, facilitation, and negotiation; can quantify value (KPIs/OKRs, ROI/TEI) and drive executive alignment.
• Sales & Delivery: Track record shaping pursuits (solutioning, estimations, commercials), leading design workshops, overseeing delivery quality, and de-risking complex programs.
• Operating Model & Governance: Experience defining AI operating models, platform strategy, SDLC/MLOps/LLMOps guardrails, data access patterns, and change/adoption plans.
• Team Leadership: Mentors cross-functional teams; builds capability; contributes to assets, accelerators, and reference architectures.
• Education & Certifications: Bachelor’s in technology or business (or equivalent experience).

Nice To Haves

• Azure certifications (e.g., Azure Solutions Architect Expert, Azure AI Engineer Associate) preferred.

Responsibilities

• Client Leadership & Trusted Advisory: Build stakeholder relationships, lead executive briefings, shape AI roadmaps, and translate strategy into well-architected end-to-end AI and GenAI solutions aligned to client business strategy and measurable outcomes
• Architecture Ownership: Define end-to-end solution blueprints (data, integration, security, model lifecycle), establish standards for RAG/orchestration, and guide Copilot/agent strategies.
• Sales & Growth: Lead pre-sales architecture for pursuits, create PoVs and reference designs, and differentiate with assets/accelerators and industry patterns.
• Delivery Oversight: Govern architectural integrity across programs, run design reviews, manage risks and trade-offs, and ensure value tracking and adoption.
• Practice Building: Mentor architects/engineers, upskill teams on GenAI and Responsible AI, and contribute to IP, playbooks, and reusable components.

Benefits

• Avanade offers a market competitive suite of benefits including medical, dental, vision, life, and long-term disability coverage, a 401(k) plan, bonus opportunities, paid holidays, and paid time off.
• See more information on our benefits here: U.S. Employee Benefits | Avanade
• At Avanade, we are committed to ensure our people feel appreciated and empowered to succeed both personally and professionally.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Senior
• Number of Employees: 501-1,000 employees