Senior Azure Enterprise Infrastructure Architect (Chicago)

***We are unable to sponsor for this permanent full-time role***

***Position is bonus eligible***

Prestigious Global Firm is currently seeking a Senior Azure Enterprise Infrastructure Architect. Candidate will shape and drive the technology strategy that powers critical business applications across cloud and on-premises platforms. Reporting to the Director of Enterprise Architecture, you’ll collaborate with a high-performing architecture team to define standards, guide complex initiatives, and ensure a cohesive enterprise technology vision. Candidate will play a pivotal role in modernizing platforms, enabling cloud adoption, and ensuring systems are secure, resilient, and aligned with evolving business needs.

Responsibilities:

• Shape Technology Strategy: Define and lead enterprise-wide cloud and infrastructure strategies, roadmaps, and standards that support business growth and innovation.

• Architect Cloud & Hybrid Solutions: Design and guide the implementation of scalable solutions across public, private, and hybrid cloud environments, integrating seamlessly with on-premises systems.

• Drive Cloud Migration: Lead cloud and application migration initiatives, ensuring efficiency, security, and alignment with enterprise architecture principles.

• Ensure Governance & Standards: Oversee architecture review processes and validate that all solutions meet established enterprise, security, and compliance standards.

• Evaluate & Optimize Systems: Assess existing architectures to identify gaps, risks, and opportunities, delivering actionable recommendations for improvements and optimization.

• Lead Complex Initiatives: Take projects from concept through design and implementation, driving medium to large-scale infrastructure and platform transformations.

• Enable Secure Cloud Operations: Champion cloud data security, governance practices, and cost controls, including managing consumption and rate limits for AI-driven workloads.

• Document & Communicate Architecture: Create and maintain architecture diagrams, patterns, runbooks, and documentation while clearly articulating technical concepts to diverse audiences.

• Collaborate Across Teams: Partner with leadership, technical teams, and stakeholders to align on priorities, share insights, and advance enterprise-wide initiatives.

• Stay Ahead of Innovation: Continuously evaluate emerging technologies, vendor solutions, and industry best practices to evolve the technology landscape.

Qualifications:

• Education & Certifications: Bachelor’s degree in Engineering, Information Technology, or equivalent experience; cloud certifications such as Microsoft Certified: Azure Solutions Architect Expert, AWS Certified Solutions Architect, or Google Professional Cloud Architect are strongly preferred.

• Experience: 10+ years of overall technology experience including 3+ years in advanced cloud infrastructure design (legal industry experience is a plus).

• Cloud & Infrastructure Expertise: Deep knowledge of multi-cloud environments (Microsoft Azure, Amazon Web Services (AWS), Google Cloud Platform (Google Cloud Platform)) and hybrid architecture, including migration from on-premises systems.

• Containerization & Platforms: Experience with Docker, Kubernetes, Rancher, Azure Kubernetes Service (AKS), Amazon Elastic Kubernetes Service (EKS), and Google Kubernetes Engine (GKE).

• AI & Data Platforms: Experience designing infrastructure for AI workloads, troubleshooting complex issues, managing model consumption, and working with Microsoft Fabric for large-scale data processing.

• Automation & DevOps: Strong skills in scripting and Infrastructure as Code (IaC) tools including PowerShell, Chef, Ansible, Puppet, and Terraform; familiarity with Continuous Integration/Continuous Deployment (CI/CD) practices.

• Security & Governance: Expertise in cloud governance, identity and access management including Active Directory, Microsoft Entra ID, and Conditional Access policies.

• Networking & Systems Knowledge: Strong understanding of Local Area Network/Wide Area Network/Software-Defined Wide Area Network (LAN/WAN/SD-WAN), along with Windows and Linux server technologies.

• Reliability & Performance: Proven experience building and maintaining highly available (greater than 99%) enterprise environments.

• Communication & Leadership: Exceptional ability to translate complex concepts into clear insights, influence stakeholders, and collaborate across technical and business teams.

• Adaptability & Ownership: A proactive mindset with strong problem-solving skills, attention to detail, and the ability to balance long-term strategy with immediate priorities.

• Travel Flexibility: Willingness to travel domestically and internationally as needed.