The Cloud Architect is a key element within the Rackspace support infrastructure and is expected to provide department, company and industry management and implementation into solutions. The Architect is expected to take initiative and advise on potential pitfalls that may encounter on large scale multi-platform infrastructure across all customers. Addresses specific customer needs through leveraging new and existing feature sets, products, and technologies. Evaluates, documents solutions and trains Cloud Engineering and support staff to ensure supportability of customer environments. Serves as the last stop in the Rackspace support group for technical escalation and issue resolution of the most complex problems. Architects own escalations to ensure resolution and are leveraged as a Subject Matter Expert for input on new product selection and implementation into the support structure. The Architect will also partner with vendors to analyze escalated requests for assistance, using this data to identify training opportunities that elevate the level of technical expertise and drive positive customer outcomes. Responsible for adhering to company security policies and procedures and any other relevant policies and standards as directed.
Career Level Summary
- Recognized as an expert within the company and requires in-depth and/or breadth of expertise in own job discipline and broad knowledge of other job disciplines within the organization function
- Solves unique problems that have a broad impact on the business
- Contributes to the development of organizational sub-function strategy
- Progression to this level is typically restricted on the basis of business requirements
Critical Competencies
- Excellence: Exceeds expectations by consistently demonstrating accountability, discipline, high performance, and a proven track record of exceptional results.
- Customer-driven: Prioritizes customer needs and satisfaction through collaborative and proactive problem-solving, and an unwavering commitment to customer success.
- Expertise: Possesses deep understanding of customer needs and continually grows and enhances skills to provide customer-focused solutions.
- Agility: Quickly adapts and responds to dynamic customer needs and expectations through innovative solutions.
- Compassion: Cultivates a positive and supportive environment to effectively work together towards a common goal, fostering trust within Rackspace and with external stakeholders.
Key Responsibilities
- Other Incidental tasks related to the job, as necessary.
- Technical point of escalation to the Cloud Support and Engineering teams; resolving customer
- issues, working in collaboration with partners across the business, as required
- Create and deliver customer solutions that maintain, deploy, upgrade, and troubleshoot
- infrastructure solutions
- Participate in and define future state end-to-end architectures, platforms, products, tools, and solutions to advance security capabilities
- Work closely with customers in the pre-implementation process to design and architect desired customer solutions which require products which may not currently be in the supported product portfolio.
- Research, plan and coordinate complex maintenance activities
- Lead analysis effort to support and drive Root Cause Analysis (RCA) exercises to drive process & technology improvements related to systems support products.
- Review vendor support escalations to identify training opportunities
- Collaborate and share knowledge with other administrators and engineers via wiki articles and
- training presentations
- Contribute to the development of technical best practices for administrative responsibilities
- Prepare and review defined policy and process standards
- Own assigned account specific complex projects and act as an informal project lead to work with stakeholders
- Actively engage partners and vendors to understand vendor products, proof of concept implementations, and guide successful onboarding and integration of new Cloud technologies
- Coach, mentor and assists Rackers across the business
- Collaborate with Account Managers and Business Development Consultants to build strong
- customer relationships
- Collaborate and share knowledge with the OS support floor
Knowledge
- Expert-level knowledge of Cloud Platform Products such as AWS, Azure, GCP, or Openstack
- Expert-level understanding of OS specific webhosts and database technologies, such as MSSQL/IIS for Windows or MYSQL/APACHE for Linux
- Agile/Lean Development Skills
- Artifact Manager/Repository Tools
- CI/CD Tools
- Cloud Automation Tools
- Cloud Computing
- Computer Networking
- Container Platform Tools
- Data Analysis
- Data Management
- Identity and Access Management (IAM)
- Linux/Unix OS
- Network Compliance/Security
- Process Improvement
- Product/Technical Project Management
- Software Development Tools
- Stakeholder Management (external/internal)
- Technical Troubleshooting
- Virtual Machine Tools
Education
- High School Diploma or regional equivalent required
- Bachelor's Degree required, preferably in field related to role. At the manager’s discretion, additional relevant experience may substitute degree requirement
Certifications
- Requires AWS Master Status and AWS Certified Solutions Architect Professional level certification OR AWS DevOps certification for AWS Specialists
- Requires 3 Microsoft Certifications for Hyper-V Specialists: Azure Fundamentals, Software Defined Storage, Software Defined Networking
- Requires VCP-DCV Certification for VMware Specialists
- Prefer relevant technical certifications around Red Hat, MySQL, CCIA, CCEE, CCEA, CCA, MCSE/MCITP, MCSA, VCP-DCV, vRealize Operations, NXS and/or vSAN badge certifications
