Senior Principal Specialist Solution Architect

Job Summary

The Senior Principal Specialist Solution Architect is responsible for creating and steering functional plans that align with the long-term goals of the company, while remaining attuned to industry trends and technological advancements. The role is tasked with driving vision and innovation for new products, significantly enhancing the company's reputation as a global leader. The Senior Principal Specialist Solution Architect may lead a broader team of professional staff, serving as a regional or global subject matter expert , and mentors colleagues across disciplines, exemplifying role-model qualities. This role is open to Sydney/Melbourne/Canberra.

Roles and Responsibilities

• Based in Australia but focused on identifying, architecting and helping sell high-value IT automation solutions that have applicability across APAC such as Sovereign Cloud, Certificate Management Automation for FSI, etc.

• Lead the technical discovery, design, and architecture of complex, large-scale Ansible Automation Platform solutions for enterprise customers, focusing on technical feasibility and business value.

• Serve as the deep subject matter expert (SME) on Ansible automation, providing advanced guidance, mentorship, and technical oversight to client teams, partners, and internal sales/delivery teams.

• Develop and deliver highly compelling technical presentations, solution demonstrations, and workshops to diverse audiences, including C-level executives and deep technical practitioners.

• Drive the adoption, expansion, and strategic roadmap of automation initiatives across diverse IT environments (hybrid cloud, on-premise, edge).

• Create and maintain technical content, including reference architectures, complex Ansible playbooks, roles, collections, whitepapers, and best practice guides.

• Collaborate closely with Product Management and Engineering to relay customer requirements, influence product direction, and participate in alpha/beta programs for new features.

• Troubleshoot and resolve the most complex automation challenges, providing hands-on assistance and guidance during critical proof-of-concepts (POCs) and initial large-scale deployments.

Job Requirements

• Extensive, demonstrated, hands-on experience with the Ansible Automation Platform preferred.  Demonstrated ability to master technologies is a must.

• Deep architectural understanding of IT automation principles, infrastructure-as-code (IaC), Configuration Management, DevOps methodologies, and CI/CD pipelines.

• Proven history in a principal-level customer-facing role (e.g., Principal Solutions Architect, Consulting Engineer) dealing with Enterprise accounts.

• Expertise in automating across multiple domains, such as networking, security, cloud provisioning (AWS, Azure, or GCP), operating systems, and virtualization.

• Fluency in scripting languages relevant to automation, such as Python.

• Exceptional ability to communicate complex technical concepts clearly and concisely to both technical and senior level non-technical stakeholders.

• Relevant industry certifications are highly desirable (e.g., Red Hat Certified Specialist in Ansible Automation or related cloud/DevOps certifications).

• Candidate, must be an Associate Principal SSA or ASA as a minimum.  If an Associate Principal, must show a credible plan to get to Principal within one year.

About Red Hat

Red Hat is the world’s leading provider of enterprise open source software solutions, using a community-powered approach to deliver high-performing Linux, cloud, container, and Kubernetes technologies. Spread across 40+ countries, our associates work flexibly across work environments, from in-office, to office-flex, to fully remote, depending on the requirements of their role. Red Hatters are encouraged to bring their best ideas, no matter their title or tenure. We're a leader in open source because of our open and inclusive environment. We hire creative, passionate people ready to contribute their ideas, help solve complex problems, and make an impact.

Inclusion at Red Hat
Red Hat’s culture is built on the open source principles of transparency, collaboration, and inclusion, where the best ideas can come from anywhere and anyone. When this is realized, it empowers people from different backgrounds, perspectives, and experiences to come together to share ideas, challenge the status quo, and drive innovation. Our aspiration is that everyone experiences this culture with equal opportunity and access, and that all voices are not only heard but also celebrated. We hope you will join our celebration, and we welcome and encourage applicants from all the beautiful dimensions that compose our global village.

Equal Opportunity Policy (EEO)
Red Hat is proud to be an equal opportunity workplace and an affirmative action employer. We review applications for employment without regard to their race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, ancestry, citizenship, age, veteran status, genetic information, physical or mental disability, medical condition, marital status, or any other basis prohibited by law.