Forward Deployed Azure Architect

About the Role

DXC Technology is a global leader in enterprise technology and innovation, partnering with organizations to harness AI and deliver advanced software solutions. We specialise in Managed Infrastructure Services, Application Modernization, and Industry-Specific Software Solutions to modernize and secure complex technology ecosystems worldwide.

We are seeking a Forward Deployed Azure Architect to collaborate closely with New Zealand Government and regulated-industry clients. This role involves transforming key outcomes into secure, scalable, enterprise-grade Azure architectures. Embedded with both customer and DXC teams, you will provide architectural leadership and hands-on involvement that shapes decisions, validates designs, resolves constraints, and facilitates the transition from concept to production. Migration and modernization will be pivotal themes for the NZ public sector, including leveraging the sovereign Azure New Zealand North region. Additionally, you will contribute to developing reusable migration blueprints and accelerators via DXC's Nucleus Cloud Engineering Platform.

Responsibilities

• Partner directly with customer leadership and delivery teams to identify critical challenges, rapidly develop solution options, and lead cloud strategy, discovery, migration, and architecture for complex Azure transformations.
• Manage full lifecycle migration strategies including application/infrastructure discovery (using Azure Migrate), applying the 5 Rs (rehost, refactor, rearchitect, rebuild, replace), wave planning, cutover, and post-migration support.
• Architect enterprise-scale Azure Landing Zones featuring management group structures, subscriptions, identity, network design, platform services, policies, logging, and operational integration.
• Govern migration into the sovereign Azure New Zealand North region while ensuring compliance with data residency, latency, and resilience requirements.
• Utilise Microsoft Cloud Adoption Framework and Azure Well-Architected Framework for migration planning, design assurance, and remediation tracking.
• Create secure-by-design architectures integrating Zero Trust principles, minimal privilege access, private connectivity, secrets & key management, threat protection, centralized logging, and compliance controls.
• Interpret New Zealand Government security and privacy standards (NZISM, Protective Security Requirements) into architecture guidelines and traceable design decisions.
• Develop assessments of current and target states, migration roadmaps, both high-level and detailed designs, plus architecture decision logs.
• Stay engaged throughout build, migration, testing, transition, and operational acceptance phases, collaborating with engineers to validate designs, remove blockers, and mitigate risks.
• Design AI-ready platforms incorporating identity, networking, data protection, and responsible AI governance to enable Azure AI services, Microsoft Foundry, and Copilot integration.
• Lead technical workshops and executive briefings, communicate trade-offs clearly, prototype or validate key design decisions, and present outcomes to architecture boards and stakeholders.
• Influence platform engineering, DevSecOps, and self-service strategies by establishing reusable Infrastructure as Code, policy as code, and standardized deployment models.
• Collaborate with diverse teams including engineering, cybersecurity, applications, data/AI, networking, service management, and FinOps to deliver integrated solutions.
• Support proposal creation, estimates, statements of work, and technical evaluations ensuring practical, maintainable, and cost-effective solutions.
• Mentor architects and engineers while contributing assets such as standards, design patterns, and intellectual property for the Azure practice.

Qualifications & Experience

• Proven experience designing and governing enterprise cloud architectures, specifically with Microsoft Azure, including substantial hands-on architecture delivery.
• Track record of leading large-scale Azure cloud migration programs from assessment and business case through wave execution and operational transition.
• Demonstrated success delivering Azure Landing Zones or equivalent governed cloud foundations in complex enterprise or governmental contexts.
• Strong grasp of non-functional demands including security, privacy, availability, disaster recovery, performance, operability, and cost management.
• Experience working alongside security and compliance experts, producing architectures suitable for formal assurance and audit processes.
• Ability to operate effectively across strategic executive objectives, detailed architecture, and practical engineering constraints.
• Excellent communication, facilitation, stakeholder management, and leadership skills.
• Commitment to automation, reusable components, mentoring others, and continuous process improvement.
• Exceptional client-facing consulting capabilities, able to embed within customer teams to understand their context, conduct workshops, translate requirements, and deliver trusted outcomes.

Desirable Skills

• Familiarity with New Zealand Information Security Manual (NZISM), Protective Security Requirements, and local public sector privacy or data residency mandates.
• Hands-on experience with the Azure New Zealand North region and in-country resilience architectures.
• Knowledge of platform engineering, internal developer platforms, GitOps, Kubernetes/AKS, Azure Arc, Azure Local, or Azure VMware Solutions.
• Experience leading migration, application modernization, data platform, or AI readiness initiatives.
• Expertise in FinOps, cloud cost optimization, or managed services operating models.
• Background in consulting, presales engagements, estimations, or major bid processes.

Certifications

• Microsoft Certified: Azure Solutions Architect Expert (AZ-305) or willingness to achieve it within a predetermined timeframe.
• Additional Microsoft certifications such as AZ-500 (Security), AZ-700 (Networking), AZ-400 (DevOps), or hybrid cloud qualifications are beneficial.
• Migration-specific credentials or demonstrated program experience are highly valued.
• Architecture qualifications like TOGAF or SABSA are an advantage.
• A tertiary qualification in IT, engineering, or a related field is preferred; equivalent professional experience is accepted.

Additional Information

DXC Technology fosters an inclusive, collaborative in-person work culture with flexibility supporting wellbeing and diverse work styles. We emphasize a secure recruitment process and discourage payment requests or fraudulent offers.