Cloud Architect

Role: Cloud Architect

Reporting line: Head of IT Infrastructure

Sector: Sovereign Wealth Fund / Investment Management

Location: Abu Dhabi

A leading Abu Dhabi-based sovereign investment institution is undertaking a significant technology transformation, with cloud adoption at the core of its strategy to modernise infrastructure, strengthen resilience and support data-driven investment operations.

The Cloud Project Manager will lead the planning, execution and delivery of cloud migration and cloud infrastructure projects across the organisation. Reporting to the Head of IT Infrastructure, this role sits at the intersection of technology delivery and business enablement ensuring cloud initiatives are delivered on time, within budget and to institutional standards of security and governance.

Key Responsibilities.

Project Delivery:

• Lead end to end delivery of cloud migration, cloud-native and hybrid infrastructure projects (Azure / AWS / GCP)
• Develop and maintain detailed project plans, budgets, resource allocations and delivery roadmaps
• Manage project scope, risks, issues and dependencies with clear escalation and mitigation processes
• Coordinate across internal teams, vendors and system integrators to ensure seamless execution
• Ensure all projects comply with internal governance, security and regulatory frameworks

Cloud Transformation:

• Support the cloud adoption strategy, including workload assessment, migration sequencing and landing zone design coordination
• Work closely with architecture, security and operations teams to ensure cloud environments meet institutional standards
• Drive the adoption of cloud governance practices including cost management (FinOps), tagging standards and access controls
• Track and report cloud transformation progress to senior technology leadership

Stakeholder Management:

• Serve as the primary point of contact for cloud project stakeholders across investment, operations and corporate functions
• Prepare and present project status reports, steering committee updates and executive dashboards
• Manage vendor relationships, contracts, and delivery commitments with cloud providers and consulting partners
• Facilitate workshops and requirements sessions with business and technical teams.

Governance & Quality:

• Ensure adherence to project management methodologies (Agile, Waterfall or hybrid as appropriate)
• Maintain comprehensive project documentation, including business cases, charters and closure reports
• Support internal audit and compliance reviews related to cloud programmes
• Contribute to the continuous improvement of PMO standards and delivery practices

Experience & Qualification.

• 8+ years of IT project management experience, with at least 4 years leading cloud infrastructure or cloud migration projects
• Proven delivery track record within financial services, investment management, sovereign wealth funds or comparable institutional environments
• Strong hands-on experience with at least one major cloud platform (Microsoft Azure preferred; AWS or GCP also considered)
• Experience managing complex, multi-vendor projects in high-governance, security-conscious environments
• Familiarity with cloud security, compliance, and regulatory considerations relevant to financial institutions

Skills & Certifications.

• Professional project management certification required (PMP, PRINCE2, or equivalent)
• Cloud certifications strongly preferred (e.g., Azure Solutions Architect / Administrator, AWS Solutions Architect, Google Professional Cloud Architect)
• Agile / Scrum certifications advantageous (CSM, SAFe, PMI-ACP)
• Strong command of project management tools (MS Project, Jira, Azure DevOps, ServiceNow)
• Solid understanding of cloud cost management (FinOps) principles