Vacancy Details
We are seeking an experienced and strategic Solution Architect to join our team. Operating within a fully cloud-native environment, the successful candidate will be responsible for designing, building, and overseeing the implementation of complex, scalable cloud-based solutions that align with organisational goals. This is a hands-on technical leadership role that combines software development expertise with cloud architecture, requiring a seasoned professional who can bridge the gap between business strategy and technical execution, with the ability to engage confidently at C-suite level.
Hybrid Working Arrangement: This role operates on a hybrid working model, requiring a minimum of 3 days per week on-site, with flexibility to work remotely for the remaining days. On-site presence may be required for key stakeholder engagements, project milestones, and executive meetings.
Reports To: Chief Technology Officer / Chief Information Officer
- Design and develop end-to-end cloud-native solutions across AWS and Azure environments
- Write, review, and contribute to production-quality code across relevant technology stacks
- Serve as the primary technical advisor to executive leadership, translating business needs into actionable cloud and technology roadmaps
- Lead technical discovery workshops and stakeholder engagements across business units
- Evaluate and recommend cloud services, platforms, frameworks, and vendors aligned to strategic objectives
- Ensure all solution designs and developed software adhere to cloud security, compliance, and governance standards
- Oversee the full software development lifecycle (SDLC) from design through to cloud deployment and maintenance
- Champion cloud best practices including scalability, high availability, cost optimisation, and security
- Provide technical leadership and mentorship to junior architects, developers, and engineering staff
- Stay abreast of emerging trends in software development, cloud computing, and AI/ML innovation
- Collaborate effectively across remote and on-site teams within the hybrid working environment
Candidate Requirements
- Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science, Information Technology, or a related field
- Postgraduate qualification or relevant professional certifications advantageous
- AWS Certified Solutions Architect (Associate or Professional level) strongly preferred
- Microsoft Azure certification (Azure Solutions Architect Expert or equivalent) strongly preferred
- Minimum of 5 years’ experience in a solution architecture or senior technical leadership role
- Demonstrated experience engaging with C-suite and executive stakeholders
Software Development
- Proficiency in one or more programming languages, including:
- Python, Java, C#, Node.js, or Go for backend development
- JavaScript / TypeScript for frontend or full-stack development
- SQL and NoSQL database development (PostgreSQL, MySQL, MongoDB, DynamoDB, Cosmos DB)
- Strong experience with software architecture patterns including microservices, event-driven architecture, RESTful APIs, and GraphQL
- Experience with full software development lifecycle (SDLC) including requirements, design, development, testing, cloud deployment, and maintenance
- Proficiency with version control systems (Git), code review practices, and collaborative development workflows
- Experience with automated testing frameworks and quality assurance practices
- Familiarity with DevOps practices, containerisation (Docker/Kubernetes), and CI/CD pipelines within AWS and Azure environments
Amazon Web Services (AWS)
- Proven, hands-on experience with Amazon Web Services (AWS), including:
- Cloud architecture design, deployment, and optimisation
- Core services: EC2, S3, RDS, Lambda, VPC, IAM, and CloudFormation
- AWS Well-Architected Framework principles
- AI/ML services: SageMaker, Rekognition, Comprehend, Bedrock, and Lex
Microsoft Azure
- Proven, hands-on experience with Microsoft Azure, including:
- Azure cloud architecture design, deployment, and governance
- Core services: Azure Virtual Machines, Azure Blob Storage, Azure SQL, Azure Functions, Azure Virtual Network, and Azure Active Directory
- Azure Well-Architected Framework principles
- AI/ML services: Azure Machine Learning, Azure OpenAI Service, Azure Cognitive Services, and Azure Bot Services
- Experience designing and managing multi-cloud environments spanning AWS and Azure
- Strong understanding of cloud security, identity and access management, cost governance, and compliance
- Knowledge of cloud architecture frameworks such as TOGAF, Zachman, or the Cloud Adoption Framework (CAF)
- Proven ability to work independently and collaboratively within a hybrid working model
Cloud Certifications (preferred)
- Amazon Web Services (AWS)
- AWS Certified Solutions Architect – Associate
- AWS Certified Solutions Architect – Professional
Microsoft Azure
- Microsoft Certified: Azure Solutions Architect Expert
- Microsoft Certified: Azure Administrator Associate
- Microsoft Certified: Azure AI Engineer Associate
- Microsoft Certified: Azure Network Engineer Associate
Competencies
- Exceptional communication and stakeholder management skills
- Ability to articulate complex technical concepts to non-technical and executive audiences
- Strong analytical and problem-solving ability
- Hands-on development mindset combined with strategic cloud architecture thinking
- Leadership and the capacity to drive consensus across diverse and distributed teams
- Commercial mindset with the ability to align cloud strategy and software delivery to business outcomes
- Self-motivated and disciplined, with the ability to manage deliverables effectively in a hybrid environment
Advantageous
- Experience working within government or public sector cloud environments
- Exposure to African market technology landscapes
- AWS Advanced Partner and/or Microsoft Azure Partner ecosystem experience
- Contributions to open-source software projects or published technical work
- Knowledge of B-BBEE compliance considerations in technology procurement
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