Senior APIM Architect

APIM Architect

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Position Overview

The APIM (API Management) Architect is responsible for designing, implementing, and governing enterprise-wide API management strategies across JLL's multi-cloud environment, with a primary focus on Microsoft Azure API Management. This role requires deep technical expertise in Azure APIM and the broader Azure ecosystem, along with knowledge of AWS and GCP services to enable secure, scalable, and efficient integration across JLL's digital landscape. The architect will lead the development of API standards, oversee Azure APIM platform architecture, and collaborate with stakeholders to drive cloud-native digital transformation initiatives within JLL's technology environment.

Key Responsibilities

Azure APIM Architecture & Design

Design and implement comprehensive Azure API Management architectures that align with enterprise cloud strategy and business objectives. Develop advanced configurations for Azure APIM including multi-region deployments, virtual network integration, private endpoints, and hybrid connectivity scenarios. Create sophisticated API policies using Azure APIM policy expressions for request/response transformation, authentication, caching, and traffic management. Design integration patterns connecting Azure APIM with Azure services including App Services, Function Apps, Logic Apps, Azure Kubernetes Service, and Service Bus. Architect solutions for Azure APIM developer portals, including customization, branding, and self-service API onboarding experiences. Design API security architectures integrating Akamai WAF with Azure APIM for comprehensive threat protection and traffic management.

Multi-Cloud API Management Strategy

Design and implement API management strategies that span Azure, AWS, and GCP environments while maintaining consistent governance and security standards. Architect integration patterns between Azure APIM and AWS services (API Gateway, Lambda, ECS, SQS, SNS) for hybrid cloud scenarios. Design connectivity solutions between Azure APIM and GCP services ensuring seamless cross-cloud integration. Develop cloud-agnostic API standards and design patterns that can be consistently applied across Azure, AWS, and GCP. Create routing and orchestration strategies for APIs that consume or expose services across multiple cloud platforms. Architect disaster recovery and failover strategies that leverage multiple cloud providers for high availability.

Identity and Security Integration

Design and implement OAuth 2.0 and OpenID Connect authentication flows integrating Azure APIM with Okta as the enterprise identity provider across all cloud platforms. Configure API authorization policies leveraging Okta groups, claims, and access tokens for fine-grained access control in multi-cloud scenarios. Implement JWT validation and token introspection patterns between Azure APIM, AWS API Gateway, GCP API Gateway, and Okta. Design multi-layered security architectures coordinating Azure APIM policies with Akamai WAF rules for defense-in-depth protection across cloud boundaries. Architect certificate-based authentication, API key management, and client credential flows within the Okta ecosystem for cross-cloud API access. Establish patterns for secure API-to-API communication.

Azure Cloud Integration

Design end-to-end integration architectures leveraging Azure APIM alongside Azure Integration Services (Logic Apps, Service Bus, Event Grid, Event Hubs). Configure Azure APIM integration with Azure Application Insights, Log Analytics, and Dat Dog Monitoring for comprehensive observability. Leverage GitHub Actions for CI/CD pipelines enabling automated deployment of APIs, policies, and APIM configurations using ARM templates, Bicep, or Terraform. Design artifact management workflows using Artifactory for storing API deployment packages, policy definitions, and configuration artifacts. Establish version control strategies in GitHub for API specifications, policy code, and infrastructure-as-code templates. Create automated testing frameworks within GitHub Actions for API validation, policy testing, and security scanning before deployment.

Multi-Platform API Management

Evaluate and provide guidance on alternative API management platforms including AWS API Gateway, GCP API Gateway, Apigee, MuleSoft, Kong, and other enterprise solutions. Design migration strategies and integration patterns when bridging Azure APIM with AWS API Gateway, GCP Apigee, or other API management systems in hybrid or multi-cloud environments. Apply cross-platform API management best practices and translate concepts between Azure APIM, AWS API Gateway, and GCP solutions. Assess trade-offs between API management platforms across different cloud providers to inform strategic technology decisions. Leverage knowledge of multiple platforms to design vendor-agnostic API standards and governance frameworks applicable across Azure, AWS, and GCP.

Technical Leadership & Governance

Provide expert guidance on Azure APIM best practices including versioning strategies, subscription management, and product organization. Define and enforce API governance frameworks covering security policies, lifecycle management, performance standards, and compliance requirements applicable across Azure, AWS, GCP, and multiple API platforms. Lead the design of authentication mechanisms integrating Okta for identity management, certificate-based authentication, and API key management across cloud environments. Establish standards for API documentation using OpenAPI specifications, developer portal content, and API testing strategies that apply consistently across clouds. Architect multi-environment strategies (dev, test, production) for Azure APIM with appropriate isolation and promotion workflows using GitHub and Artifactory, with patterns extensible to AWS and GCP.

Platform Management & Operations

Oversee the operation, optimization, and scaling of Azure APIM instances across multiple regions and environments. Design and implement disaster recovery and business continuity strategies for Azure APIM including backup/restore procedures and failover configurations spanning multiple cloud providers. Manage Azure APIM capacity planning, SKU selection, and cost optimization strategies with awareness of comparative costs across AWS and GCP alternatives. Implement comprehensive monitoring solutions using Application Insights, AWS CloudWatch, and GCP Cloud Monitoring to track API performance, availability, usage patterns, and health metrics across all cloud platforms. Ensure APIs meet SLA requirements through performance tuning, caching strategies, and traffic management policies coordinated with Akamai WAF configurations. Maintain artifact versioning and dependency management strategies in Artifactory for API deployment packages across multiple clouds.

DevOps and Automation

Design and implement GitOps workflows for API lifecycle management using GitHub repositories and GitHub Actions across Azure, AWS, and GCP. Create automated deployment pipelines that retrieve artifacts from Artifactory and deploy to Azure APIM, AWS API Gateway, and GCP environments. Establish branching strategies and pull request workflows for API policy changes and infrastructure updates spanning multiple clouds. Implement automated security scanning, policy validation, and compliance checks within GitHub Actions pipelines for multi-cloud deployments. Design rollback and recovery procedures integrated with GitHub version control and Artifactory artifact repositories across cloud platforms. Coordinate deployment strategies with Akamai WAF configuration management for synchronized security updates. Implement infrastructure-as-code using Terraform to maintain consistency across environments.

Collaboration & Stakeholder Management

Partner with enterprise architects, solution architects, and development teams to integrate Azure APIM strategy into broader multi-cloud initiatives. Engage with business stakeholders to understand requirements and translate them into technical API solutions leveraging optimal cloud platforms. Mentor and coach developers on Azure APIM policy development, API design patterns, GitHub workflows, and multi-cloud integration best practices. Collaborate with security and compliance teams to ensure Azure APIM implementations meet regulatory and organizational security standards within the Okta and Akamai security framework across all cloud platforms. Work with Azure, AWS, and GCP account teams and support organizations to resolve complex technical challenges and stay current on cloud roadmaps.

Innovation & Continuous Improvement

Research and implement emerging Azure APIM features and capabilities as they become available, along with innovations in AWS and GCP API services. Drive adoption of modern integration patterns including event-driven architectures, serverless computing, and container-based deployments across multiple clouds. Identify opportunities to consolidate legacy integration platforms onto Azure APIM or optimize cloud placement to reduce complexity and cost. Lead proof-of-concept initiatives to validate new Azure, AWS, and GCP services, integration approaches, and emerging API management technologies. Evaluate new capabilities in Okta, Akamai, and GitHub that enhance API management effectiveness across cloud platforms.

Required Qualifications

Education & Experience

Bachelor's degree in Computer Science, Information Technology, or related field; Master's degree preferred. 8+ years of experience in software development, cloud integration, or enterprise architecture roles. 5+ years of hands-on experience with Azure API Management (APIM) in production environments. Experience working in multi-cloud environments spanning at least two of the three major cloud providers (Azure, AWS, GCP). Proven track record of designing and implementing enterprise-scale API solutions across cloud platforms.

Technical Skills - Azure APIM Expertise (Required)

Expert-level knowledge of Azure API Management including advanced policy authoring, multi-region deployments, and virtual network integration. Deep hands-on experience with Azure APIM features including products, subscriptions, versions, revisions, backends, and named values. Proven ability