Cloud & Infrastructure Enterprise Architect – AfricaWork in Abuja, Federal Capital Territory

AfricaWork

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Freelance opportunity

We are recruiting on behalf of a leading client in the oil and gas sector for the role of Cloud & Infrastructure Enterprise Architect.

In this role, you will define and lead the strategy for hybrid and multi-cloud infrastructure, ensuring alignment with business objectives and operational requirements. You will design secure, resilient, and scalable solutions that support both corporate IT and operational technology (OT) environments, enabling digital innovation across the oil and gas value chain.

Key Responsibilities:

1. Cloud & Infrastructure Strategy

• Develop and govern the enterprise-wide cloud and infrastructure roadmap, incorporating hybrid and multi-cloud models (AWS, Azure, Google Cloud).
• Lead the transition from legacy on-premise infrastructure to modern, cloud-native architectures.
• Define infrastructure architecture standards, patterns, and governance processes.

2. Oil & Gas Industry Alignment

• Design infrastructure solutions to meet the unique demands of oil and gas operations, including edge computing for remote drilling rigs, production platforms, and pipelines.
• Implement high-performance computing (HPC) for seismic interpretation and reservoir modeling.
• Integrate IT/OT systems (SCADA, OSIsoft PI, Industrial IoT).
• Ensure compliance with industry standards and regulatory requirements.

3. Security, Resilience & Compliance

• Architect secure infrastructure with embedded cybersecurity controls for IT and OT environments.
• Design solutions for high availability, disaster recovery, and business continuity, particularly for critical operational assets.
• Ensure compliance with frameworks such as NIST, IEC 62443, and internal safety standards.

4. Technology Leadership & Innovation

• Evaluate and recommend emerging technologies (e.g., Kubernetes, serverless, SD-WAN, Infrastructure as Code).
• Lead infrastructure governance boards and collaborate with cybersecurity, data, and application teams.
• Drive FinOps practices to optimize cloud spend and total cost of ownership (TCO).

Qualifications & Experience:

Essential:

• Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Computer Science, Engineering, or a related field.
• 10+ years of experience in infrastructure architecture, including 5+ years in an enterprise or cloud architect role.
• Proven experience in the oil and gas sector or related heavy industry (utilities, mining).
• Hands-on expertise with at least one major cloud platform (AWS, Azure, GCP) and relevant certifications (e.g., AWS Certified Solutions Architect – Professional, Azure Solutions Architect Expert).
• Strong understanding of networking (VPC, VPN, SD-WAN), cybersecurity principles in hybrid environments, modern data center technologies (virtualization, storage, networking), and IT/OT integration challenges.

Highly Desirable:

• Experience with hybrid cloud and infrastructure modernization.
• Expertise in networking, security, and identity management.
• Familiarity with IT/OT integration and industrial automation systems.
• Experience with OT/ICS platforms (OSIsoft PI, SCADA) and edge computing.
• Knowledge of Infrastructure as Code (Terraform, CloudFormation) and DevOps/DevSecOps practices.
• Familiarity with digital oilfield initiatives, IIoT, and predictive maintenance solutions.
• Strong financial acumen, including budgeting, vendor management, and TCO analysis.

Key Competencies:

• Strategic Visionary: Translates business needs into long-term infrastructure strategies.
• Influential Leader: Builds consensus across technical, operational, and executive stakeholders.
• Practical Innovator: Balances forward-looking architecture with pragmatic delivery.
• Strong Communicator: Clearly conveys complex technical concepts to diverse audiences.

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