RIS AI Architect Associate Director

Project Role Description: Support at the intersection of technical depth and client engagement, owning the end-to-end design of cloud-native and AI-powered solutions for mid-to-large transformation engagements. Operating with greater autonomy than a senior architect, this role leads pursuit teams, shapes proposals, and translates complex requirements into compelling, commercially grounded solution narratives — while remaining hands-on in validating architecture decisions. Key Responsibilities: Lead solution architecture for cloud-native and AI engagements in the $3M–$20M range — from discovery through proposal, orals, and transition-to-delivery — with Director oversight on larger bids. Support and contribute to application modernisation initiatives including microservices decomposition, API-led integration, event-driven architectures, and serverless patterns. Architect multi-cloud and hybrid solutions leveraging platform-native AI services (SageMaker, Azure AI Foundry, Vertex AI) and open-source frameworks. Define and validate non-functional requirements — security, resilience, observability, cost optimisation, and responsible AI/governance — across proposed solutions. Engage client technical stakeholders (architects, engineering leads, CTOs) to build credibility, uncover requirements, and co-shape solution vision. Produce high-quality proposal artefacts including solution overviews, architecture diagrams, technical sections of RFP responses, and executive summaries. Mentor and guide senior and mid-level architects within the practice; contribute to reusable assets, accelerators, and thought leadership. Coordinate with delivery leads and practice principals to ensure smooth handover from pre-sales to delivery. Technical Experience: Deep expertise across AWS, Microsoft Azure, and Google Cloud Platform—services, pricing, well-architected frameworks, and partner programs Cloud-native architecture: Kubernetes (EKS, AKS, GKE), containerisation (Docker), service mesh (Istio/Linkerd), GitOps, Helm Infrastructure as Code: Terraform, Pulumi, CDK; CI/CD toolchains: GitHub Actions, Azure DevOps, Jenkins Private cloud and hybrid architectures: VMware Tanzu, Azure Arc, AWS Outposts, OpenShift Professional Attributes: Strong client-facing presence — able to engage senior technical stakeholders and translate architectural decisions into business value clearly and confidently. Proven ability to contribute meaningfully to winning technology deals; comfortable owning the technical narrative on mid-market pursuits. Excellent written and verbal communication; adept at crafting architecture diagrams, solution narratives, and proposal content under deadline pressure. Commercially aware — can balance technical idealism with delivery pragmatism, scope management, and client constraints. Collaborative team member who can lead a small pursuit team, manage ambiguity, and coordinate across functions (sales, delivery, SMEs). Continuous learner with genuine curiosity about emerging AI and cloud technologies; actively builds and shares knowledge within the practice. Educational Qualification: 18+ years of overall IT experience, with a minimum of 5 years in a Solution Architect or Pre-Sales Architect role at a tier-1 IT services or consulting organisation Proven experience winning and architecting deals in the $5M–$50M+ range across cloud transformation, application modernisation, and AI/data programmes Mandatory cloud certifications: AWS Solutions Architect – Professional, Azure Solutions Architect Expert, or GCP Professional Cloud Architect (two or more preferred) AI/ML certifications desirable: AWS ML Specialty, Azure AI Engineer, Google Professional ML Engineer, or equivalent Bachelor's or Master's degree in Computer Science, Engineering, or a related field, Must have Skills AI ML platforms, Cloud native architecture, Languages frameworks Java Spring Boot, .NET C , Python primary for AI ML , Node.js , Microservices. Good to Have Skills Responsible AI, Data engineering, Automation, Domain expertise