Cloud Architect

AWS Subject Matter Expert- Outside IR35- Remote (UK based)

Note: Later UK working hours preferred, e.g. 10AM to 6/7PM UK time

Remote - Outside IR35

Project Overview

We are seeking a hands-on AWS Subject Matter Expert (SME) to advise on the movement and replatforming of applications from the company’s existing cloud estate to a new AWS environment. This project is part of a business merger and acquisition transaction. Familiarity with Azure and other major cloud platforms is useful. The SME will guide incumbent suppliers and advise the carve-out team to deliver an effective AWS platform and migration approach.

Key Responsibilities

• Assess the current source estate, map dependencies, and agree on a migration approach and wave plan for each application.
• Confirm readiness of the target landing zone, networking, and identity for each wave.
• Run or support migrations using AWS tooling such as Application Migration Service, Database Migration Service (DMS), and DataSync, or perform cross-account moves.
• Manage M&A constraints including Transition Service Agreement (TSA) dates, shared services, and maintaining clean separation of data and access.
• Support cutover and rollback plans, handing over to run teams with runbooks and hypercare support.
• Communicate effectively with both technical and non-technical stakeholders, clearly explaining trade-offs and decisions.
• Provide some leadership and collaborate closely with colleagues outside their technical domain.

Required Skills and Experience

• Hands-on AWS experience with at least two complete end-to-end application migrations.
• Strong knowledge of core AWS services including EC2, VPC, IAM, RDS, S3, Route 53, Transit Gateway, and AWS Organizations.
• Experience with Infrastructure as Code using Terraform or AWS CloudFormation.
• Expertise in networking, DNS, and identity federation.
• Excellent written communication skills and the ability to explain technical decisions to non-technical stakeholders.
• Experience working in carve-out projects, especially within an American-based project environment.

Deliverables

• Migration wave plans per application including dependency mappings.
• Confirmed and ready AWS landing zones, networking, and identity setups.
• Migrated applications using AWS tools with cutover and rollback strategies.
• Detailed runbooks and hypercare documentation.
• Effective communication and coordination with suppliers and internal teams throughout the migration process.