GDS Microsoft Frontier Innovation Solution Architect - Associate Director - India

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The Microsoft Alliance is one of EY’s most strategic ecosystem relationships, helping clients accelerate transformation through cloud, data, AI, automation, security and emerging technologies. Within this agenda, the Frontier Innovation team brings together EY’s industry knowledge and Microsoft’s technology capabilities to shape scalable, market-relevant solutions that respond to priority client needs and create new growth opportunities across global markets.

We are seeking a senior, highly collaborative, technology-led and business-oriented Solution Architect / Strategist to provide global support to the Microsoft Frontier Innovation agenda. This role will help shape architecture direction, solution strategy, technical design standards, readiness criteria and scalable build approaches for prioritized Frontier Innovation initiatives. The individual will be expected to translate innovation concepts, alliance priorities and market opportunities into structured, technically sound and commercially relevant solution designs that can progress from ideation to build, activation and scale.

This role is designed for an experienced professional who can connect business strategy with practical technology architecture and provide senior-level direction across complex, matrixed stakeholder groups. You will work closely with global alliance leadership, Microsoft stakeholders, regional teams, solution owners, service line and sector teams, architects, engineering teams, sales, marketing and GDS teams to ensure Frontier Innovation solutions are technically feasible, commercially relevant, governance-ready and positioned for market activation.

This is an opportunity for a senior professional who enjoys working at the intersection of AI, cloud architecture, Microsoft technologies, alliances, solution design, global innovation and go-to-market growth. The role offers the opportunity to influence how EY and Microsoft shape, mature and scale the next generation of Frontier Innovation solutions across global priority markets.

Provide senior solution architecture leadership and strategic technical direction

• Lead architecture direction for the global Frontier Innovation portfolio, ensuring each solution has a clear strategic intent, technical scope, design assumptions, dependencies, integration considerations, delivery pathway and ownership model.
• Translate global market priorities, client challenges and business requirements into pragmatic solution strategies, architecture choices and scalable implementation approaches.
• Develop architecture blueprints, solution patterns, design principles and reusable components that support consistent solution build, adaptation and scale across regions.
• Partner with solution owners, architects and technology stakeholders to validate technical feasibility, scalability, security, integration readiness, commercialization potential and operational handover requirements.
• Ensure key technical and strategic decisions are supported by clear documentation, rationale, ownership, risks, assumptions and aligned next steps.

Shape AI, cloud and Microsoft solution strategy and architecture focus

• Shape the strategy, architecture and design of solutions powered by Microsoft technologies, including Azure, Copilot, AI Business Solutions, Cloud and AI Platforms, Security, data, automation and emerging technology priorities.
• Evaluate Microsoft technology capabilities, platform patterns and architecture options to identify practical opportunities for global Frontier Innovation solutions.
• Build visibility into AI-enabled solution concepts, including use cases, accelerators, demos, client-zero examples, architecture artifacts, solution assets and go-to-market readiness.
• Promote responsible and practical adoption of AI by ensuring solution architecture discussions consider business value, risk, governance, data requirements, privacy, security, compliance and adoption needs.
• Translate complex Microsoft architecture and technology themes into compelling, business-friendly narratives that can be used with global leadership, regional teams, sales and broader stakeholder groups.

Strengthen solution design governance and technical assurance

• Support solution design reviews, architecture walkthroughs and technical governance checkpoints across prioritized global Frontier Innovation initiatives.
• Assess architecture readiness across key areas including solution scope, integration approach, data flow, security, scalability, performance, support model and operational handover.
• Coordinate with alliance, technology, solution, delivery and commercial teams to maintain visibility across technical decisions, dependencies, risks and required actions.
• Help assess whether solutions are progressing toward intended outcomes, including maturity, activation readiness, adoption potential, implementation feasibility and global market relevance.
• Prepare concise, executive-ready leadership summaries on architecture status, technical risks, design decisions required, readiness gaps and recommended actions.

Lead global stakeholder alignment and senior collaboration

• Act as a senior connector across global alliance leadership, Microsoft field teams, regional stakeholders, solution owners, architects, service line leaders, sector stakeholders, sales, marketing and GDS support teams.
• Support alignment across business, technology, delivery and go-to-market stakeholders so global priorities are translated into executable solution architecture actions.
• Coordinate solution design workshops, architecture forums and leadership check-ins to ensure progress is visible, decision points are clear and follow-through is disciplined.
• Proactively identify stakeholder gaps, ownership ambiguities, technical dependencies and cross-team risks that could impact solution build, readiness or market activation across regions.
• Build trusted relationships across a complex global and regional stakeholder network, influencing senior outcomes through clarity, structure, credibility and practical problem solving.

Drive strategic architecture reporting, insights and readiness tracking

• Develop and maintain architecture trackers, solution readiness summaries and executive views that provide clear visibility into global Frontier Innovation solution health and technical progress.
• Monitor key indicators related to solution maturity, architecture readiness, integration dependencies, technical risk, asset completeness, activation readiness and business outcomes.
• Analyze trends across solution architecture activities and provide practical recommendations to improve solution design, governance, reuse and go-to-market impact.
• Prepare materials for leadership reviews, monthly business reviews, quarterly business reviews and other global governance forums.
• Use data, architecture inputs and stakeholder feedback to tell a clear executive story on where solutions are progressing well, where support is required and where leadership decisions are needed.

Enable global Frontier Innovation activation readiness and market outcomes

• Work with sales, marketing, regional and solution teams to support activation planning for prioritized Frontier Innovation solutions.
• Track readiness of key technical and solution assets such as demos, architecture diagrams, credentials, case studies, sales collateral, enablement material, marketplace content and client-facing narratives.
• Help identify opportunities to scale successful Microsoft-powered solutions across priority accounts, sectors, service lines and regions.
• Support coordination of global and region-specific enablement activities so client-facing teams understand the solution architecture, value proposition and activation pathway.
• Ensure architecture-level insights and lessons learned are fed back into solution teams to strengthen commercialization, adoption, reuse and governance discipline.

We are looking for someone who brings a strong balance of technical depth, solution architecture discipline, strategic thinking, senior stakeholder influence and execution orientation. The successful candidate will be comfortable working across leadership audiences, evolving Microsoft technologies and complex global solution landscapes while maintaining a practical focus on scalable design, decision clarity, execution readiness and measurable outcomes.

• Deep solution architecture, technical design and architecture governance experience, preferably across cloud, AI, data, automation, security or digital transformation solution portfolios.
• Ability to translate global business priorities, client needs and market opportunities into scalable Microsoft-powered solution architectures and practical implementation approaches.
• Strong understanding of Microsoft solution areas and ecosystem themes, including Azure, Copilot, AI Business Solutions, Cloud and AI Platforms, Security, data, automation and emerging technologies.
• Strong communication skills, including the ability to simplify complex architecture and technology information for senior leadership, business stakeholders and client-facing teams.
• Ability to influence without authority and build alignment across senior, matrixed alliance, technology, delivery, regional and commercial teams.
• Strong analytical capability with experience developing architecture artifacts, readiness trackers, executive summaries, technical narratives, decision papers and governance materials.
• High attention to detail, strong follow-through and the ability to manage multiple priorities in a fast-paced, ambiguous and globally matrixed environment.
• Curiosity, adaptability and a genuine interest in innovation-led growth, responsible AI and Microsoft technology transformation.

• 15+ years of relevant professional experience in solution architecture, technology consulting, enterprise architecture, cloud architecture, digital transformation, innovation management, technology program enablement or strategic technology operations.
• Experience designing, shaping or advising on complex cross-functional technology solutions across regional or global stakeholder groups.
• Experience with architecture governance, technical design documentation, solution readiness tracking, architecture reviews, risk identification and performance management.
• Strong stakeholder management and communication skills, including experience preparing executive-ready materials, leadership updates and business-friendly technical narratives.
• Ability to manage multiple priorities, identify technical risks early and drive structured follow-through in a fast-paced global environment.
• Experience working with technology-enabled transformation, cloud, AI, automation, data, security or digital solution portfolios.
• Graduate or postgraduate degree in technology, engineering, computer science, business, innovation management or a related discipline.

• Strong exposure to Microsoft ecosystem programs and solution areas, including Azure, Copilot, AI Business Solutions, Cloud and AI Platforms, Security, data, automation or related technologies.
• Experience in alliance management, co-sell motions, Frontier Innovation programs, solution strategy, marketplace offerings or technology partner ecosystems.
• Experience supporting global, multi-region or cross-market business priorities in a professional services, consulting, technology or global delivery environment.
• Experience working with architecture patterns, solution blueprints, reusable assets, demos, accelerators, solution readiness frameworks or technical governance models.
• Experience engaging senior business and technology stakeholders to shape priorities, resolve design trade-offs and drive decisions across global programs.
• Understanding solution commercialization, go-to-market activation, architecture governance, innovation lifecycle management and market readiness.
• Familiarity with responsible AI, data privacy, security, compliance and governance considerations in solution design and technology activation.

EY Global Delivery Services (GDS) is a dynamic global delivery network that plays a vital role in advancing EY’s growth strategy. Working across locations including Argentina, China, India, the Philippines, Poland and the UK, GDS teams collaborate with EY service lines, geographies and sectors to deliver high-quality work for clients around the world. In GDS, you will have the opportunity to contribute to meaningful projects, collaborate with diverse teams and build capabilities across an expanding ecosystem of people, learning, technology and insights that support long-term career growth.

• Continuous learning: Develop the mindset, skills and confidence to adapt, grow and navigate what comes next.
• Success, as defined by you: Access the tools, flexibility and support to make a meaningful impact in the way that works best for you.
• Transformative leadership: Gain insights, coaching and experiences that help you grow into the leader the world needs.
• Diverse and inclusive culture: Be valued for who you are and empowered to use your voice to help others find theirs.

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