Sr. Google Cloud Platform Architect - Technical Lead

Sr. Google Cloud Platform Architect - Technical Lead Chicago, IL Position: Sr. Google Cloud Platform Architect - Technical Lead Company: Confidential Client Location: Chicago, IL (Onsite 3-4 days/week) Employment Type: Full-Time (Direct Hire Preferred; Contract-to-Hire Considered) Role Overview We are seeking a Sr. Google Cloud Platform (GCP) Architect to serve as the technical lead for a global digital transformation initiative with a Fortune 100 enterprise. This highly visible role will interface directly with senior stakeholders and lead a cross-functional team of cloud engineers and consultants. Operating onsite in Chicago 3-4 days per week, the architect will drive solution design, technical governance, and cloud strategy within a high-stakes enterprise environment. The position reports to the VP of Transformation and is expected to influence cloud decisions at the highest levels while ensuring architectural integrity and delivery excellence across multiple workstreams. Employee Value Proposition Purpose This role represents an opportunity to shape the cloud modernization journey for one of the world’s most recognized enterprise brands. You'll operate at the intersection of business strategy and cloud engineering, serving as a bridge between visionary goals and hands-on implementation across teams and partners. Growth You’ll gain visibility with global leaders, own enterprise-scale design decisions, and guide the implementation of next-gen GCP solutions. The position offers a unique combination of technical leadership, client influence, and executive exposure ideal for a high-performing architect ready for enterprise impact. Motivators This opportunity is ideal for someone who thrives on client-facing leadership, cross-functional influence, and delivering transformative cloud results. You'll be empowered to lead architecture sessions, drive critical decisions, and collaborate directly with engineering leads and C-level stakeholders across domains. Major Objectives Lead Enterprise-Scale GCP Architecture Engagements Within the first 90 days, take ownership of the end-to-end GCP architecture design across multiple client domains. Facilitate executive-level strategy discussions and lead technical solutioning workshops. Ensure architectural alignment across security, data, and application teams, delivering an initial reference architecture approved by all key stakeholders. Guide Cross-Functional Engineering Execution Over the first 6 months, provide technical oversight and leadership to 2-3 engineering squads supporting the GCP transformation program. Ensure technical decisions align with the agreed architectural blueprint, and serve as an escalation point for blockers. Partner with delivery leads to ensure timelines, resource plans, and quality standards are consistently met. Influence Strategic Cloud Direction and Governance Within the first 120 days, lead architecture governance reviews and formalize key cloud principles for the client organization. Shape policy and platform decisions by collaborating with enterprise architects, security, and infrastructure teams. Measure success by adoption of architectural standards and reduction in solution variance across teams. Establish Executive-Level Credibility and Trust From day one, engage directly with VP- and SVP-level stakeholders to advise on cloud transformation priorities, risks, and options. By month three, serve as the client’s go-to technical advisor for GCP architecture, backed by consensus among internal and external contributors. Influence roadmap decisions through data-driven recommendations and strategic guidance. Critical Subtasks Conduct Architecture Workshops and Discovery Sessions Within the first 30 days, facilitate deep-dive technical sessions to uncover business needs, legacy constraints, and transformation objectives. Capture outcomes in a living architecture document to guide solution planning. Translate Business Requirements into GCP Solution Blueprints Create architectural models that directly align to business KPIs, latency/security requirements, and scalability needs. Present solution blueprints for internal review and client validation within 45-60 days. Lead Technical Decision-Making Across GCP Services Take the lead on evaluating and selecting GCP services and components, ensuring alignment with both client preferences and industry best practices. Defend decisions with clarity and confidence in both technical and business terms. Mentor Engineering Teams on GCP Best Practices On an ongoing basis, provide hands-on support, code reviews, and architectural feedback to junior engineers and technical leads. Track improvements in code quality and solution resilience as a direct result of your coaching. Drive Alignment with External Vendors and Consulting Partners Coordinate technical direction with outside consulting firms, Google technical account managers, and third-party tool vendors. Ensure all parties are executing against a common architectural vision. Measure and Report Architectural Success Metrics Establish KPIs for architecture stability, cost efficiency, and delivery speed. By month six, deliver a consolidated report showing architectural ROI and ongoing risks. Continuously Evaluate and Integrate AI to Improve Performance Within the first 90-180 days, take ownership of identifying how AI and automation tools can support or enhance the core responsibilities of this role. Evaluate tasks that could be streamlined or improved, lead pilots, and embed continuous AI adoption into daily work. This task may be enhanced using AI-based planning, monitoring, and advisory tools. #J-18808-Ljbffr CoSourcing Partners