Cloud Solution Architect

<p></p> <div> <h1>Cloud Solution Architect - Data &amp; AI</h1> <p><strong>Location:</strong> UK (Hybrid)<br><strong>Practice:</strong> Data &amp; AI<br><br></p> <h2>About HSO</h2> <p>HSO is a Business Transformation Partner with deep industry expertise and global reach. As one of Microsoft&#39;s leading partners, we help organisations unlock the full potential of Microsoft Dynamics 365, Azure, Data and AI technologies to deliver meaningful business outcomes.</p> <p>With operations across Europe, North America and Asia, HSO combines industry knowledge, technical excellence and a people-first culture to help customers modernise their businesses, transform operations and embrace innovation with confidence.</p> <p>As demand for Data &amp; AI solutions continues to accelerate, we&#39;re expanding our Data &amp; AI practice and looking for experienced Cloud Solution Architects to help shape the next generation of customer transformation programmes.</p> <hr> <h1>The Role</h1> <p>As a <strong>Cloud Solution Architect - Data &amp; AI</strong>, you&#39;ll play a pivotal role in shaping and qualifying customer opportunities across the Microsoft cloud ecosystem.</p> <p>This is a highly visible role that sits at the intersection of <strong>sales, enterprise architecture and delivery</strong>, combining technical leadership with commercial thinking. You&#39;ll work closely with customers, Microsoft and internal stakeholders to understand business challenges, identify opportunities, design compelling solutions and create clear pathways from initial discovery through to successful delivery.</p> <p>You&#39;ll help organisations transform the way they use data, analytics and artificial intelligence, translating business ambition into practical, costed and deliverable solutions.</p> <p>Success in this role requires more than technical expertise. You&#39;ll need strong consulting and stakeholder management skills, the confidence to challenge assumptions, and the commercial awareness to ensure opportunities are both valuable for clients and aligned with HSO&#39;s delivery capability.</p> <hr> <h1>What You&#39;ll Be Doing</h1> <h3>Opportunity Qualification &amp; Solution Shaping</h3> <ul> <li>Lead Data &amp; AI opportunity qualification alongside Account Managers, Business Development teams and Enterprise Architects.</li> <li>Facilitate customer discovery workshops, architecture assessments and strategic discussions.</li> <li>Understand customer business drivers, challenges and desired outcomes.</li> <li>Help customers define realistic transformation roadmaps aligned to business priorities.</li> <li>Qualify opportunities using structured sales and consulting methodologies, including MEDDIC/MEDDICC approaches.</li> </ul> <h3>Solution Architecture &amp; Advisory</h3> <ul> <li>Design end-to-end Data &amp; AI solutions using Microsoft technologies and best practices.</li> <li>Shape modern analytics, AI and data platform architectures that are commercially viable and technically deliverable.</li> <li>Provide architectural leadership across data platform modernisation, analytics, AI and automation initiatives.</li> <li>Ensure alignment with Microsoft Cloud Adoption Framework and Azure Well-Architected principles.</li> <li>Communicate architectural trade-offs and recommendations to both technical and non-technical audiences.</li> </ul> <h3>Commercial Leadership</h3> <ul> <li>Translate customer requirements into proposals, statements of work, delivery plans and business cases.</li> <li>Produce solution estimates, cost models and phased implementation approaches.</li> <li>Support customers in understanding ROI, value realisation and investment considerations.</li> <li>Challenge unclear scope and identify delivery, cost and commercial risks early in the sales cycle.</li> <li>Work closely with delivery teams to validate assumptions before commitments are made.</li> </ul> <h3>Growth &amp; Go-to-Market</h3> <ul> <li>Contribute to the evolution of HSO&#39;s Data &amp; AI propositions and repeatable offerings.</li> <li>Develop demonstrations, accelerators, sales collateral and industry-specific solution narratives.</li> <li>Support RFPs, bid responses, executive presentations and proof-of-concept engagements.</li> <li>Collaborate with Microsoft stakeholders to drive pipeline growth and co-sell opportunities.</li> <li>Keep up to date with emerging Microsoft technologies and industry trends across Data &amp; AI.</li> </ul> <hr> <h1>What We&#39;re Looking For</h1> <p>The ideal candidate combines strong technical capability with exceptional commercial awareness.</p> <p>You&#39;ll be equally comfortable discussing board-level business outcomes with executive stakeholders as you are diving into architecture decisions with technical teams.</p> <h2>Commercial &amp; Consulting Experience</h2> <p>You&#39;ll have:</p> <ul> <li>Proven experience in a Solution Architecture, Pre-Sales, Consulting or Technical Advisory role.</li> <li>Experience working within a Microsoft partner, consultancy or enterprise technology environment.</li> <li>Strong commercial acumen and experience creating proposals, business cases and Statements of Work.</li> <li>The ability to qualify opportunities and challenge assumptions constructively.</li> <li>Excellent workshop facilitation, discovery and stakeholder management skills.</li> <li>Experience presenting to senior business and technical audiences.</li> <li>The ability to translate complex technical concepts into clear business value.</li> <li>Understanding of opportunity qualification methodologies such as MEDDIC or MEDDICC.</li> </ul> <p>Experience across industries such as manufacturing, retail, financial services, healthcare, public sector, not-for-profit, utilities or professional services would be advantageous.</p> <hr> <h1>Technical Experience</h1> <p>We recognise that few candidates will have expertise across every area listed below. We&#39;re primarily looking for strong Data &amp; AI architecture…