Solution Architect - EY GDS

The opportunity 

Relevant Technologies: Microsoft Azure Ecosystem (Azure AI & Machine Learning, Azure Infrastructure and Migration, etc.), 
Microsoft Business App & AI (Copilot, Dynamics, Microsoft 365, Microsoft Power Platform (Power Apps, Power Automate, 
Power BI, etc.)), and Microsoft Security and Compliance.  

This role is a strategic differentiator for EY because it combines full-stack Microsoft expertise with deep 
AI integration skills. The Solution Architect must not only design scalable architectures but also lead the charge in embedding 
Microsoft AI capabilities—Azure AI Foundry, Power Platform AI, and Copilot—into solutions that transform business outcomes. 
The Solution Architect anchors the technical heart of each Co-Innovation Solution partnering with the Solutions 
Manager and business service lines to transform business-led concepts into repeatable, referenceable architectures that 
align with Microsoft product roadmaps and EY delivery standards. The architect may also work across different alliance 
teams to bring the power of all EY alliances to an overall solution.

Operating within the EY–Microsoft Alliance Co-Innovation team, the architect collaborates across Client Technology (CT), 
service lines, sectors, and Global Delivery Services (GDS) to move ideas into pilot-ready prototypes and scalable assets, 
staying aligned to Co-Innovation governance and priorities. 

This role does not build solutions directly but plays the critical role of orchestrating ideation, alignment, feasibility, and 
readiness for downstream execution through GDS and service line delivery teams. It is a unique hybrid role at the intersection 
of product strategy, program execution, and alliance activation. 

The role sits in EY’s Global Delivery Services (GDS) organization, specifically within the GDS Growth & Innovation (G&I) 
function and will be global in nature. 

Your key responsibilities

• Architecture leadership: Translate business outcomes into solution architectures and patterns; define target/reference 
architectures and integration boundaries from MVP through scale phases. 

• Microsoft alignment: Reuse/adapt Microsoft reference architectures; maintain active alignment with Microsoft product 
and engineering so designs track roadmap realities and unlock co-build acceleration. 

• Champion AI integration: Identify and embed Microsoft AI capabilities (Azure AI Foundry, Power Platform AI, Copilot, etc) 
into solution designs, ensuring alignment with business value and compliance. 

• Evangelize AI possibilities: Inspire and educate stakeholders on AI-driven innovation, demonstrating practical use cases 
and guiding responsible adoption across EY and client teams. 

• Tech hubs & assets: Coordinate with EY Tech Hubs/CoEs and GDS/CT NITRO for incubation builds, specialized 
engineering, and prototyping; emphasize reuse of components and patterns across pods. 

• Roadmap stewardship: Track Microsoft product roadmaps in assigned areas (e.g., Copilot, Fabric), advise on product 
maturity and fit-for-purpose approaches, and channel structured EY feedback back to Microsoft. 

• Solution quality & compliance: Align designs to EY standards and alliance governance across security, privacy, data, and 
operational readiness; support triage/steer-co narratives with clear architectural views. 

• Lifecycle continuity: Support packaging and lifecycle accountability with BMC/GTM (architecture docs, dependency 
maps, and upgrade paths tied to Microsoft releases). 

• Story enablement: Provide architecture visuals and notes that strengthen Client-Zero storytelling and executive briefings 
alongside the Client Executive Engagement Lead.  

Essential Functions of the Job:

• Translate outcomes into architecture: Serve as the Microsoft technology expert, guiding teams and assisting them in the 
development of scalable, innovative, and repeatable solutions.  

• AI-first design where it adds value: Identify where Microsoft AI capabilities accelerate outcomes; incorporating them 
throughout the design, development, and production process.

• Reference & target architecture management: Establish and maintain reference architectures per domain (data, 
integration, identity, security, observability) with traceability to Microsoft roadmaps and EY standards.

• Non-functional requirements (NFRs): In partnership with the business, define and verify NFRs (performance, availability, 
resiliency/RTO-RPO, data quality, observability, privacy) and ensure they are testable with acceptance criteria.

• Security by design: Apply Zero Trust principles, Entra ID patterns, key management, secrets rotation, and threat 
modeling; document compensating controls and residual risks for governance sign-off.

• Data architecture: Specify data domains, lineage, retention, residency, and shared-data contracts; ensure designs 
support analytics (e.g., Fabric) and comply with privacy/regulatory constraints.

• ML/LLM lifecycle & Responsible AI: Define MLOps/LMMOps approach (prompt management, evaluation baselines, drift 
monitoring, human-in-the-loop), and codify Responsible AI safeguards (bias, safety, content filters, audit trails).

• Environment & release strategy: Design environment topology (sandbox/dev/test/pre-prod/prod), branching, 
and CI/CD (infrastructure-as-code, policy-as-code); enforce versioning and rollback strategies.

• Platform integration: Select and standardize integration patterns (eventing, messaging, API Management, connectors) 
and apply multi-tenant isolation where required.

• Cost & capacity engineering: Model run-rate and scale inflection points; define cost guardrails (quotas, autoscale policies) 
and performance budgets; partner with FinOps on unit-economics targets.

• Observability & operability: Instrument solutions with logging, metrics, traces, dashboards, SLO/SLA/SLE definitions, 
alert runbooks, and incident response playbooks.

• Prototype to production: Lead technical co-build activities with EY and Microsoft where appropriate.

• Documentation & knowledge reuse: Produce architecture decision records (ADRs), diagrams, and how-to guides; harvest 
reusable components/patterns into the alliance’s repository to accelerate other pods.

• Stakeholder education: In parternship with the Solution Manager and business teams, create artifacts (demos, diagrams, 
narratives) that help non-technical stakeholders see what’s possible with AI and how to incorporate it responsibly into 
processes. 

Analytical/Decision Making Responsibilities:  

• EY’s global strategic alliances are the most complex relationships due to breadth of relationship across multiple 
competencies, sectors and geographies. They are also anticipated to result in a higher degree of revenue for EY and require 
a higher degree of collaboration. The Associate Director will be expected to influence senior level executives across both 
EY and the alliance company to drive the objectives of the relationship.

• Must manage complex relationships with multiple stakeholders often with competing priorities

• Ability to balance enablement and development activities

• Evaluate activities, efforts, requests against agreed strategy and plan as well as EY policies

• Assess and prioritize financial requests against limited/set budgets 

Skills and attributes for success

• Understand technology and business benefits of the Alliance’s relevant products and solutions 
• Understand technical underpinning and challenges of Alliance’s products 
• Have experience in solution development, Product Management or product marketing for technology or professional 
services company 
• Strong understanding of relevant technologies and their business applications. Ability to assess the potential impact of 
these technologies on various business processes and identify areas for innovation. 
• Have experience defining solution development and management lifecycle and enablers 
• Have demonstrated success in building and nurturing win-win alliance relationships 
• Have strong networking and influence management skills resulting in driving actions to outcomes and delivering results 
actions across organizational boundaries 
• Be a highly credible communicator with excellent organization and project management skills and proven track record 
delivering alliance sales and revenues 

Supervision Responsibilities:

• No direct reports. 
• Coordinate and influence activities across EY practice areas, including Service Lines, Growth & Innovation, and Sector 
teams, without direct reporting lines. 
• Will also influence and provide guidance to resources in Service Lines, Growth & Innovation, and Sectors 

To qualify for the role, you must have 
Education: 
Bachelor’s degree in a related field from an accredited college/university 

Experience: 
Minimum ten (10) years of experience in consulting services, technology development or consultative business/solution 
development with minimum five (5) years of those engaging with or leading strategic alliances.  

Other Requirements: 
• The role may require regular travel (overseas and domestic), up to 50% of the time, as well as operate over multiple time 
zones. 

Note: This job description is intended as a guide to reflect the principal functions of the job.  However, it is not an all-inclusive listing of the required job 
functions and functions may vary depending on the particular geographic location of the job and/or the manager.  Further, the job description is subject to 
change at the discretion of management. 

What we offer

EY Global Delivery Services (GDS) is a dynamic and truly global delivery network. We work across six locations – 
Argentina, China, India, the Philippines, Poland and the UK – and with teams from all EY service lines, geographies and 
sectors, playing a vital role in the delivery of the EY growth strategy. From accountants to coders to advisory 
consultants, we offer a wide variety of fulfilling career opportunities that span all business disciplines. In GDS, you will 
collaborate with EY teams on exciting projects and work with well-known brands from across the globe. We’ll introduce 
you to an ever-expanding ecosystem of people, learning, skills and insights that will stay with you throughout your 
career. 
• Continuous learning: You’ll develop the mindset and skills to navigate whatever comes next. 
• Success, as defined by you: We’ll provide the tools and flexibility, so you can make a meaningful impact, 
your way. 
• Transformative leadership: We’ll give you the insights, coaching and confidence to be the leader the 
world needs. 
• Diverse and inclusive culture: You’ll be embraced for who you are and empowered to use your voice to 
help others find theirs. 

About EY 
EY | Building a better working world 

EY exists to build a better working world, helping to create long-term value for clients, people and society and 
build trust in the capital markets.  

 Enabled by data and technology, diverse EY teams in over 150 countries provide trust through assurance and 
help clients grow, transform and operate.  

  
Working across assurance, consulting, law, strategy, tax and transactions, EY teams ask better questions to find 
new answers to the complex issues facing our world today. 

If you can demonstrate that you meet the criteria above, please contact us as soon as possible. 

The exceptional EY experience. It’s yours to build.