Principal Infrastructure Engineer

Role Purpose:
The Principal Infrastructure Engineer is responsible for leading the design, implementation, and optimization of complex infrastructure environments. This role requires a seasoned professional with extensive experience in infrastructure engineering, capable of driving strategic initiatives and ensuring the highest levels of performance, security, and reliability.
Key Accountabilities and Responsibilities:
Leadership and Strategy

• Lead the planning, installation, maintenance, and acceptance of infrastructure components and services, including physical and virtual servers (Windows Server, Linux).
• Develop and implement infrastructure strategies that align with organizational goals and service expectations.
• Drive the adoption of tools and processes for effective operational management and delivery.

Infrastructure Design and Implementation:

• Design and implement robust architectures, ensuring scalability, security, and performance.
• Oversee the configuration and deployment of infrastructure components, including servers, storage solutions (SAN, NAS, cloud storage), and virtualization platforms (Nutanix).
• Ensure compliance with industry standards and best practices.

Operational Excellence:

• Monitor infrastructure performance, load, and security metrics using advanced management tools (e.g., System Center, vRealize, Nagios).
• Investigate and resolve complex infrastructure issues, ensuring minimal downtime and optimal performance.
• Implement and maintain automation tools and scripts (e.g., Ansible, Puppet, PowerShell, Python) to streamline infrastructure operations.

Security and Compliance:

• Ensure infrastructure security measures are robust and up-to-date, addressing vulnerabilities and threats proactively.
• Maintain compliance with relevant regulations and standards, providing regular reports and updates to stakeholders.
• Utilize network security tools, antivirus software, and intrusion detection systems to safeguard infrastructure.

Backup and Recovery:

• Manage backup and recovery solutions, ensuring data integrity and availability.
• Develop and implement disaster recovery plans to minimize downtime and data loss.

Collaboration and Communication:

• Collaborate with cross-functional teams to ensure infrastructure solutions meet business needs.
• Provide technical guidance and mentorship to junior infrastructure engineers.
• Communicate infrastructure status, issues, and improvements to stakeholders effectively.

Skills, Experience and Knowledge:
Technical Expertise

• Extensive experience in infrastructure engineering, with a strong background in managing complex environments.
• Proficiency with major infrastructure vendors (e.g., Microsoft, VMware, Dell, HP) and their technologies.
• In-depth knowledge of server, storage, and virtualization technologies, including Nutanix.
• Experience with operating systems such as Windows, Linux, and Unix.

Problem-Solving and Analytical Skills

• Strong troubleshooting skills, with the ability to diagnose and resolve complex infrastructure issues.
• Experience with infrastructure monitoring and management tools (e.g., System Center, vRealize, Nagios).

Automation and Scripting

• Proficiency in scripting languages (e.g., PowerShell, Python) and experience with automation tools (e.g., Ansible, Puppet).
• Ability to develop and maintain scripts to automate infrastructure tasks and improve efficiency.

Cloud and Modern Infrastructure Technologies

• Microsoft Azure: Extensive experience with Microsoft Azure, including IaaS (Infrastructure as a Service) and PaaS (Platform as a Service) offerings. Ability to design, deploy, and manage Azure-based solutions, ensuring scalability, security, and cost-efficiency.
• Azure Conditional Access and Entra ID: Proficiency in managing and configuring Azure Conditional Access policies to enforce security requirements and control access to resources. Experience with Entra ID (formerly Azure AD) for secure identity and access management, including multi-factor authentication (MFA) and single sign-on (SSO) configurations.
• Automation and Orchestration: Strong knowledge of modern automation and orchestration technologies, including Azure Automation for automating repetitive tasks, ARM templates for infrastructure as code (IaC), and Terraform for provisioning and managing cloud infrastructure. Ability to create and maintain automation scripts to streamline operations and improve efficiency.
• Hybrid Cloud Solutions: Experience in designing and implementing hybrid cloud solutions that integrate on-premises infrastructure with cloud services, ensuring seamless operation and data flow between environments.
• Security and Compliance: Knowledge of cloud security best practices and compliance requirements, ensuring that cloud infrastructure adheres to regulatory standards and organizational policies. Ability to implement security measures such as network security groups (NSGs), Azure Security Center, and Azure Policy.

Communication and Leadership

• Excellent communication skills, with the ability to convey technical information to non-technical stakeholders.
• Proven leadership skills, with experience in mentoring and guiding junior engineers.

Preferred:
Certifications:

• Relevant certifications such as MCSE, VCP, or equivalent.
• Additional certifications in cloud or infrastructure security (e.g., AWS Certified Solutions Architect, CISSP).

Industry Experience:

• Experience in the insurance or finance industries, with high security and performance requirements.
• Familiarity with emerging technologies and trends in infrastructure, such as hybrid cloud, infrastructure as code, and containerization.

Regulatory Experience:

• Knowledge and experience with regulatory standards and frameworks relevant to the insurance industry in the UK, such as PCI DSS, Operational Resilience (Ops Res), and Digital Operational Resilience Act (DORA).
• Ability to ensure infrastructure complies with these regulations, providing regular audits and reports to stakeholders.

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