Cloud Solution Architect - Data & AI

HSO Success and Ambition

HSO has grown organically to have more than 400 people throughout the UK and we expect to continue to grow significantly in the next five years. We are a leading member of the Microsoft Dynamics Inner Circle, founded in 1987, and specialize in sectors such as Retail, Manufacturing, Professional Services, Financial Services and Local Government. We’ve won several prestigious awards over the last few years including being voted in the UK’s top 10 Best Large companies to work for the last 3 years running. This year we are also proud to have been named the D365 Finance Microsoft Partner of the Year Award and Finalist for D365 Sales & Marketing.

HSO is the place to work for those in the Microsoft Dynamics channel. People join and stay because we care; about adding value to our customers, about delivering what we say we will, striving to improve ourselves, being inclusive and having fun.

The core values that enable us to work so well together, also mean our customers want to work with us. We choose to be different to other Microsoft Partners. Caring about our people, customers and quality of work differentiates us. We always support our people and customers to achieve shared, agreed goals.

Job Purpose

As the Cloud Solution Architect you will lead all engagements with our customers from presales to discovery, designing and implementation of wider cloud services with a focus on Data & AI. This means having overall ownership of the solution, ensuring that the delivered solutions are implemented in a cost-effective, high quality and controlled manner that satisfies customers’ technical and business requirements. Your responsibilities will involve leading customer workshops, documenting requirements, defining deliverables, and estimating projects with the assistance of the delivery team.

The role is key in designing new go-to-market propositions working with sales teams to ensure correct customer alignment, and with the Data & AI Delivery Lead to ensure the team has the necessary skills and expertise to implement the solution.

The role works closely with the Cloud Strategist and other Cloud Solution Architects to ensure that Data & AI solutions are aligned with the overall cloud strategy for that customer.

This role is part of the small senior leadership team for the Data and AI team and will help guide the delivery team to develop skills required to be the best Data and AI partner in the market.

This role has a utilisation target of 40%, which will covered by the paid engagement as part of presales and discovery workshops and related deliverables.

Reports to

Data and AI Practice Lead

Location

This is a hybrid role and can be based either from our Reading, Glasgow or Manchester offices, or home. Please expect a large amount of planned travel which will involve overnight stays near customers, our offices and other UK locations for meetings, events and training.

Requirements

Overview of Experience and Key Responsibilities

Engagement

• Promote new or emerging Technologies to the HSO Management Team where you believe HSO can benefit and provide a competitive advantage.
• Responsible for developing relationships with the Microsoft team to help with sales and delivery of our projects.
• Collaborate closely with the Business App practice within HSO to identify opportunities for the Data and AI and wider Cloud services.
• Work in tandem with the Practice and delivery leads to define propositions, solution packages, and implementation accelerators.

Managing Risk

• Support EA and pre-sales teams to ensure workable solutions are being promoted and to create end-to-end solutions.
• Support commercial teams and contribute towards commercial estimates on data & AI solution designs.
• Own technical delivery and architecture design on key Data & AI projects, with the ability to deep dive into the technical inquiries on proposed solutions, while also working within agreed commercial parameters.
• Provide the link between the implementation teams and the Cloud Strategist and wider Enterprise Architecture team, ensuring the new cloud infrastructure architecture provides a solid foundation for the solution being provided.
• Produce systems architecture and design documentation to agreed HSO standards.
• Provide the link between the customer team, HSO implementation teams, HSO technical teams and Microsoft.
• Ensure that all Microsoft Certifications and Accreditations required to fulfil this Role within HSO are met as determined by you and the Team Lead.
• To understand the HSO project delivery methodology and apply this implementation approach to all HSO Projects.
• To work closely with project teams and act as a point of reference/escalation during the implementation of a Cloud solution, particularly through go-live advising/improving on the scalability and performance of the solution.
• To act as a point of reference/escalation for HSO support teams once a cloud solution has been implemented.
• Acts as a Technical lead and mentor colleagues to share knowledge

Essential Behaviours

• Demonstrates care with every interaction.
• Demonstrates a sense of ownership, autonomy, and personal responsibility in work execution.
• Self-driven and capable of working independently while aligning actions with high-level goals; seek support and collaboration when necessary.
• Strong affinity for Microsoft Data and AI technologies and appreciation of other relevant technologies like Power Platform, AIS, and Microsoft 365.
• Excellent client-facing skills; empathy and adeptness in guiding clients through complex challenges.
• Analytical, planning, and process-oriented approach with a focus on meeting deadlines and delivering quality results.
• Excellent presentation and demonstration skills.

- Project Management awareness.

• Good written and verbal communication skills.
• Uses relevant business acumen to make informed choices.
• Ability to work in an entrepreneurial business.
• Lateral thinker, who will actively listen and contribute to broader topics.

Essential Experience

• Proven experience as a Cloud Architect, with expertise in Microsoft cloud solutions.
• In-depth knowledge of Microsoft Azure, especially technologies associated with Data and AI.
• Experience with Microsoft cloud migration, implementation, and optimization.
• Demonstrable experience in identifying opportunities and moving them through the bid management process to customer engagement.
• Proven experience with Microsoft and industry best practice frameworks and patterns to develop technical roadmaps and data solutions for customers.
• Able to lead pre-sales and EA discovery phase engagements with customers to understand and shape requirements to achieve desired business outcomes, and to design suitable solutions to meet these requirements.

Benefits

Parking and close to Public transport

Holidays

Pension

Healthcare

Dental

Life Insurance

Tonic Wellbeing

HSO Perkz

Culture and many more