M

Microsoft

Builds workplace software, PCs and cloud services

Director Cloud Solution Architecture

Full-TimeUpdated on 10/23/2026
$130.9k - $272.3k/yr
Expert
Bachelor's, Master's
Houston, TX, USA+5 moreMore locations: Bentonville, AR, USA | Dallas, TX, USA | Chicago, IL, USA | Tulsa, OK, USA | United States
In Person
Solution EngineeringImplementation & Technical Account Management
No H1B Sponsorship

About the job

Requirements
  • A Bachelor's degree in Computer Science, Information Technology, Engineering, Business, Liberal Arts, or a related field and at least 8 years of experience in cloud or infrastructure technologies, information technology consulting or support, systems administration, network operations, software development or support, technology solutions, practice development, architecture, or consulting, or equivalent experience.
  • At least 3 years of people management experience, including managing consultant practice managers, technical sales managers, or technical architect managers.
  • Candidates must have authorization to work in the United States that does not now or in the future require employer sponsorship.
  • A Bachelor's degree in Computer Science, Information Technology, Engineering, Business, Liberal Arts, or a related field and at least 12 years of experience in the listed technology and consulting areas, or a Master's degree in those fields and at least 8 years of experience in cloud or infrastructure technologies, technology solutions, practice development, architecture, or consulting, or equivalent experience.
  • At least 6 years of experience working in a customer-facing role.
  • At least 6 years of experience leading technical projects, teams, or functions.
  • Technical certification in cloud technology, such as Azure, Amazon Web Services, Google, or security certifications.
  • At least 5 years of people management experience, including managing consultant practice managers, technical sales managers, or technical architect managers.
Responsibilities
  • Lead a team of Cloud Solution Architects to accelerate adoption of secure, resilient, AI-enabled cloud solutions that deliver measurable customer business outcomes.
  • Partner across sales and technical teams to identify strategic opportunities, remove blockers, manage risk, and drive solution deployment, consumption, and growth.
  • Establish clear priorities and execution standards that maximize customer impact and business results.
  • Build a customer-first culture that translates complex business and technical challenges into actionable cloud strategies and solutions.
  • Develop trusted relationships with senior technical and business decision makers, including CIOs and CISOs, connecting Microsoft technology to their business, security, and operational priorities.
  • Champion the voice of the customer, using insights and patterns to influence Microsoft product strategy and improve the customer experience.
  • Identify and prioritize partner opportunities that accelerate customer outcomes and support strategic growth.
  • Collaborate across Microsoft sales and partner organizations to bring the right expertise and solutions to complex customer engagements.
  • Lead, coach, and develop a high-performing team through clear priorities, accountability, inclusive leadership, and continuous learning.
  • Attract and retain talent while supporting individual career growth and building the capabilities needed to meet evolving customer and business needs.
  • Provide technical leadership across complex cloud engagements, guiding teams toward secure, scalable, resilient, and AI-enabled architectures.
  • Build technical excellence and readiness across Microsoft Cloud, AI, security, and emerging technologies.
  • Turn customer insights and recurring technical patterns into scalable architectures, proven practices, and innovations that benefit customers and Microsoft more broadly.
Desired Qualifications
  • Demonstrated experience driving cloud consumption and revenue growth within complex enterprise accounts by translating customer priorities into technical solutions, proofs of concept, pilots, and production deployments that accelerate adoption and measurable business value.
  • Experience with Retail and Consumer Goods customers.

About the company

Microsoft builds workplace software, operating systems and cloud infrastructure for consumers, businesses and government agencies, from small organizations to global enterprises. Microsoft 365 combines Word and Excel with Teams communication and Copilot AI features, while Windows runs PCs and Surface supplies the company's own computers. Azure rents computing capacity, storage and databases to build and run web applications. Microsoft also sells Xbox consoles and games, collecting revenue through software licenses, subscriptions, usage charges and product sales. Founded in 1975 by Bill Gates and Paul Allen, Microsoft is headquartered in Redmond, Washington.

Company Size

10,001+

Company Stage

IPO

Headquarters

Redmond, Washington

Founded

1975

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Simplify Jobs

Simplify's Take

What believers are saying

  • US corporate staff receive education support: eligible, approved graduate coursework qualifies for up to $10,000 annually.
  • Cloud demand expands: July 2026 results showed Azure and other cloud services revenue grew 43% year-over-year in fiscal Q4.
  • Investment has an earnings cushion: July 2026 results reported $155.2 billion consolidated operating profit for fiscal 2026.

What critics are saying

  • Performance reviews include security: every Microsoft employee must discuss their security contribution with their manager.
  • Office flexibility depends on the role: Microsoft's postings specify requirements ranging from fully remote to fully on-site.
  • Cloud capacity faces local limits: Microsoft describes power-grid delays and water constraints affecting US datacenter expansion.

What makes Microsoft unique

  • Hybrid customers stay within reach: Azure Arc manages servers across customer datacenters and competing clouds.
  • Developer reach extends beyond Azure: Microsoft's GitHub hosts code collaboration alongside AI coding tools.
  • Professional data widens its business: Microsoft owns LinkedIn's recruiting, advertising and workplace-learning network.

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Benefits

  • Health Insurance
  • Dental Insurance
  • Vision Insurance
  • 401(k) Company Match
  • Professional Development Budget
  • Conference Attendance Budget
  • Flexible Work Hours
  • Remote Work Options

Growth & Insights and Company News

6 month growth

1%

1 year growth

0%

2 year growth

0%
Yahoo Finance
Oct 27th, 2026
Microsoft offers buyouts to 60,000 staff as $175B AI spending raises questions

Microsoft is offering voluntary buyouts to about 60,000 employees, more than a quarter of its global workforce, as it tries to control costs and fund its artificial intelligence (AI) push. The offer covers eligible staff at level 70 and below in the US, Canada, India, and the UK. Microsoft forecasts about $175 billion in capital expenditures and finance leases for the 2026 calendar year. Staff working on Copilot and AI experiences are eligible, as are those in finance, human resources, Xbox, and Windows + Devices. Sean Campbell, chief executive officer of Cascade Insights, says Microsoft is falling behind in the AI race. He says a buyout could suit workers who want to reach the job market before their peers. The offer follows an earlier buyout to about 9,000 US employees and roughly 4,800 job cuts in July.

The Register
Oct 27th, 2026
Microsoft chief executive Nadella's pay slips 6% to $90.6M despite $331.8B record revenue

Microsoft chief executive officer Satya Nadella's pay fell 6% to $90.6 million for fiscal 2026, according to the company's proxy statement. It included a $2.5 million base salary, $77.6 million in stock awards, and $10.3 million in incentive pay. The drop came despite a record year. Revenue rose 18% to $331.8 billion, and operating profit reached $155.237 billion, above his $130.96 billion target. Stock awards vest at different rates each year. Chief financial officer Amy Hood received $33.7 million, up from $29.5 million. Microsoft added 88 datacenters, reached 30 million paid Copilot seats, and returned $43.8 billion to shareholders. Investors vote on executive pay at the annual meeting on December 8. Last year, 91% voted in favour.

Associated Press
Oct 27th, 2026
MT Newswires' real-time financial news now live in Microsoft Copilot via MCP

MT Newswires, a financial news provider, has made its real-time newsfeed available inside Microsoft Copilot through a Model Context Protocol (MCP) integration. It announced the move on October 27, 2026. Users can access company news, earnings, macroeconomic analysis, and sector insights within Word, Excel, Outlook, and Teams. Responses link to their sources, so users can trace outputs back to original reporting rather than generic AI summaries. The integration needs no coding to activate. It is available today across Copilot, with availability in Copilot Studio. "Our clients don't want another platform to check — they want answers where they're already working," said Weston Walker, global head of sales and partnerships at MT Newswires. The company's MCP server is also available in Anthropic's Claude and Perplexity Computer.

CNBC
Oct 26th, 2026
Microsoft offers buyouts to around 60,000 employees across four countries

Around 60,000 Microsoft employees across four countries are eligible for a new buyout program, a person familiar with the matter said. The company announced the programme on Monday. Victoria Greene, chief investment officer at G Squared Private Wealth, joined "The Exchange" to discuss Microsoft stock in light of the news.

Fortune
Oct 26th, 2026
Xbox's new pay-as-you-go cloud gaming, from $4 for 10 hours, angers gamers over rising costs

Xbox has launched Cloud Playtime, a pay-as-you-go option that lets Game Pass subscribers buy extra cloud gaming hours once they hit their cap. Ten extra monthly hours cost $4, 25 hours cost $8, and 50 hours cost $12. Game Pass subscribers already pay between $10 and $23 a month for five to 15 hours of cloud gaming. Xbox introduced the cap in September; the service had been unlimited when it launched in 2020 as a cheaper alternative to buying games. Some gamers have criticised the change. YouTuber Yong Yea said the extra fees undermine cloud gaming's affordability argument. The move comes as Xbox cut 20% of its workforce, about 3,200 roles, amid slumping revenue from falling hardware sales and Game Pass subscription losses.