Handson VMware Cloud Architect / Consultant

Job DescriptionRequired Technical SkillsvSphere/ESXi, vCenter, vSAN, NSX (T), Aria/vRealize Suite, SRM, HCX, Tanzu/KubernetesHybrid cloud (on-prem ? cloud, VMware Cloud on AWS/Azure/GCP)Network overlaysEgress controls and cost-aware architecturesVMware ESXi & vCenter (8/9)VMware Cloud Foundation (VCF)VMware Lifecycle ManagerPreferred QualificationsVMware certifications (VCP-DCV, VCAP, VCF Specialist)Soft SkillsStrong communication skillsAbility to work in 24/7 critical environmentsAnalytical and troubleshooting mindsetTeam collaboration and documentation disciplineRoles & ResponsibilitiesRole OverviewVMware consultant who can shape platform strategy, own end-to-end architecture, and lead complex transformations across private, hybrid, and multi-cloud environments. The ideal candidate blends hands-on depth (vSphere, vSAN, NSX, Aria/vRealize, SRM, HCX, VMware Cloud on AWS/Azure/GCP, Tanzu) with consulting acumen-able to advise executives, develop roadmaps, build target-state reference architectures, and guide delivery teams from discovery through steady state.Key ResponsibilitiesStrategy & AdvisoryLead assessment workshops to baseline current state (infrastructure, operations, cost, risk) and define target-state SDDC/cloud strategyBuild business cases (TCO/ROI), migration waves, and investment plans; present to senior leadership and architecture review boardsDefine governance, landing zones, guardrails, and operating models for VMware platforms in enterprise contextsArchitecture & DesignCreate high- and low-level designs (HLD/LLD)Develop capacity and resilience models (HA/DR patterns, RPO/RTO)Define security reference architectures (micro-segmentation, zero-trust, segmentation policies)Delivery LeadershipLead discovery, POCs, pilots, and phased migrations for data center consolidations and application modernizationsDirect cross-functional teams (network, security, storage, platform, DevOps) and coach engineers on best practices and automationEstablish Infrastructure as Code (IaC) and automation patterns (PowerCLI, Terraform, Ansible) and integrate with CI/CD where applicableOperations, Reliability & SecurityDefine SRE/operational runbooks, monitoring/observability (Aria Operations/Operations for Logs), capacity, patch baselines, and lifecycle managementImplement DR/BCP with SRM (runbooks, test plans), plus backup/recovery integrationsDrive cost optimization (rightsizing, consolidation, reserved capacity planning) and license posture managementPartner with security, audit, and compliance teams on policy alignment (e.g., SOX/PCI/FFIEC/HIPAA as relevant)Stakeholder Engagement & Pre-Sales SupportTranslate technical decisions into business outcomes and risk trade-offs; create C-level decks, design packs, and decision logsSupport RFP/RFI responses, sizing, and solution estimationAdditional RequirementsStrong scripting/automation: PowerCLI (must-have); Terraform/Ansible/Python (nice-to-have)Proven ability to produce HLD/LLD, migration plans, and executive presentationsExcellent communication, stakeholder management, and consulting skills