Microsoft Cloud Architect - Pre-Sales

**Job Description & Summary** **_The opportunity_**   **PwC** is seeking an experienced and client-focused **Microsoft Cloud Architect** to join our **Cloud Engineering, Data & Analytics team in Bucharest.** This role bridges the gap between client business challenges and cloud technology solutions, with a strong emphasis on pre-sales engagement, opportunity identification, and solution design.  You will work alongside client executives, practice leaders, and delivery teams to translate complex business requirements into technology-enabled solutions that deliver measurable business value. As a trusted advisor, you will shape cloud and AI transformation strategies while leveraging Microsoft Cloud technologies to support business development, solution design, and strategic client engagements.  **_What you will be doing_**    **Client Engagement & Pre-Sales (50%)**  * Lead discovery sessions, workshops, and assessments to identify business challenges, strategic priorities, and cloud & AI transformation opportunities.  * Build trusted relationships with executives, business stakeholders, and technical teams, developing a deep understanding of client objectives and operating environments.  * Present cloud and AI value propositions, architecture solutions, technology demonstrations, and executive recommendations.  * Support RFPs, POCs, competitive bids, and go-to-market initiatives in collaboration with sales and delivery teams.  * Assess cloud and AI readiness, define transformation opportunities, and represent PwC at client and industry events.  **Solution Architecture & Design (35%)**  * Design scalable Microsoft cloud solutions integrated with AI and advanced analytics capabilities.  * Translate business requirements into architecture blueprints, technical specifications, and implementation roadmaps.  * Develop business cases, ROI analyses, and TCO models demonstrating the value of cloud and AI initiatives.  * Design secure, compliant, and cost-optimized architectures enabling AI-ready infrastructure, cloud migration, application modernization, and hybrid-cloud adoption.  * Architect AI solutions using Azure AI Services, Machine Learning, Cognitive Services, and Azure Synapse.  * Conduct security, governance, and compliance assessments and ensure alignment with client strategy, budget, and organizational capabilities.  **Proposal Development & Commercial Execution (10%)**  * Lead the development of business and technical proposals, including executive summaries, solution approaches, delivery methodologies, implementation plans, pricing models, and resource estimates.  * Define business outcomes, success criteria, KPIs, and value realization metrics.  * Ensure proposal quality, accuracy, competitiveness, and alignment with market positioning.  **Thought Leadership & Capability Development (5%)**  * Maintain expertise in Microsoft cloud technologies, AI/ML capabilities, advanced analytics, and industry best practices.  * Contribute to internal knowledge assets, reusable solution templates, and PwC cloud and AI capability initiatives.  * Mentor junior architects and consultants and participate in industry events, webinars, conferences, and thought leadership activities.  **_What we need from you:_**    **Professional Experience**  * 8+ years of experience in cloud architecture, enterprise IT solutions, digital transformation, or consulting environments.  * 5+ years of hands-on Microsoft Azure experience across multiple client engagements.  * Experience delivering AI/ML, advanced analytics, data engineering, or cloud transformation projects.  * Proven success leading enterprise transformation initiatives, developing business cases, and supporting complex pre-sales engagements.  * Experience working with C-level executives, business stakeholders, and technical teams.  **Technical Expertise**  * Expert knowledge of Microsoft Azure, including infrastructure, networking, databases, security, governance, migration, hybrid-cloud, and multi-cloud architectures.  * Strong understanding of cloud-native development, DevOps, automation, Infrastructure as Code (IaC), modern application architectures, and cloud cost optimization.  * Experience with Azure AI Services, Azure Machine Learning, Azure OpenAI, Azure Synapse, and advanced analytics platforms.  * Knowledge of data engineering, data platforms, AI/ML deployment, monitoring, governance, compliance, and enterprise integration patterns, including API management.  * Familiarity with Python, Databricks, or similar AI and analytics technologies.  **Certifications**  * Azure Solutions Architect Expert (AZ-305) – REQUIRED.  * Additional Azure certifications strongly preferred: Azure Administrator (AZ-104), Azure Data Engineer (AZ-400), or Azure Security Engineer (AZ-500).  * Azure AI certifications preferred: Azure AI Engineer Associate (AI-102) or Azure Data Scientist Associate (DP-100).  **Consulting & Leadership Skills**  * Ability to translate complex business challenges into cloud and AI solutions with clear business value and measurable outcomes.  * Strong communication, presentation, stakeholder management, and relationship-building skills.  * Excellent analytical, problem-solving, and strategic thinking capabilities.  * Ability to manage multiple stakeholders, competing priorities, and complex sales cycles.  * Understanding of consulting methodologies, project delivery, and business development activities, including opportunity identification and solution shaping.  * Ability to connect cloud infrastructure decisions with AI and analytics-driven business outcomes.  * Collaborative leadership style with a strong focus on client success, innovation, and delivery excellence.  **Preferred Qualifications**  * Previous experience in consulting or professional services environments.  * Industry expertise in one or more sectors such as Financial Services, Healthcare, Manufacturing, Government, Retail, Energy, or Automotive.  * Experience with Azure Synapse, Azure Cognitive Services, Azure IoT, Azure Stack, or similar Microsoft technologies.  * Exposure to emerging technologies and their business applications beyond cloud and AI.  * Experience contributing to thought leadership through speaking engagements, blogs, whitepapers, case studies, or industry publications.  * Fluency in English.    **_We Offer:_**     * **_Opportunities to impact:_** Work on high-impact cloud and AI transformation initiatives across diverse industries, helping clients achieve measurable business outcomes.  * **_Mentoring:_** Access continuous learning opportunities through PwC University, professional certifications, knowledge-sharing programs, and a clear career development path within a collaborative team of cloud and AI specialists.  * **_Work-life balance:_** Benefit from flexible working arrangements and work-life balance initiatives in a supportive and inclusive environment.  * **_Extra perks:_** Enjoy a competitive compensation and benefits package, access to PwC's global network and Cloud & AI ecosystem, and recognition for exceptional performance and client impact.  #LI-SC1