Senior Cloud Ops Engineer in Worthing

The Senior Cloud Operations Engineer plays a critical role in the design, implementation, and ongoing operation of the client's cloud infrastructure, with a strong emphasis on Microsoft Azure. As a key technical contributor within the Cloud Operations function, you will be responsible for ensuring that cloud-based services are available, secure, efficient, and cost-effective. This includes provisioning and managing compute, storage, networking, and identity services, as well as supporting the use of advanced PaaS capabilities and analytics platforms.

Responsibilities to include:

• Azure Cloud Engineering
  • Build, configure, and maintain Azure cloud environments (IaaS, PaaS, storage, networking, identity).
  • Deploy and support Azure Landing Zones in line with enterprise architecture standards.
  • Support the transition from IaaS to PaaS services by designing and implementing modern cloud-native solutions.
  • Monitor and manage cloud workloads to ensure availability, performance, and security.
• Operations & Automation
  • Implement infrastructure as code (IaC) using tools such as Bicep, ARM templates, or Terraform.
  • Automate provisioning, scaling, and maintenance of cloud resources using DevOps pipelines and scripts (PowerShell, Azure CLI, CI/CD etc.).
  • Monitor system health, respond to incidents, and participate in root cause analysis and continuous improvement.
• Security, Governance & Compliance
  • Enforce cloud security best practices, including role-based access control (RBAC), encryption, and secure networking.
  • Support compliance with internal policies and regulatory standards by ensuring guardrails and policies are in place.
• Cost Management & FinOps Support
  • Contribute to cost optimization by right-sizing resources and identifying opportunities to reduce waste.
  • Use Azure Cost Management tools and dashboards to track and forecast cloud spend.
  • Provide reporting and insights to the Cloud Operations Manager and Finance teams.
• Process Development & Documentation
  • Document standard operating procedures, cloud configurations, and runbooks.
• Collaboration & Support
  • Work with infrastructure architects, data platform teams, developers, and project teams to support solution delivery.
  • Act as an escalation point for cloud-related incidents and changes.
  • Assist with service transitions, knowledge transfer, and training for BAU support teams.
• Disaster Recovery & Business Continuity
  • Support the implementation and testing of disaster recovery and business continuity plans related to cloud infrastructure.
  • Ensure cloud services are resilient and recoverable in line with Recovery Time Objectives (RTO) and Recovery Point Objectives (RPO).
  • Collaborate with the DR/BCP team to maintain and update recovery procedures and test plans.
  • Recommend improvements or innovations based on emerging technologies and industry trends.

Knowledge and skills needed:

• Bachelor's degree in Computer Science, Information Technology, or a related field or equivalent work experience.
• Extensive experience with Microsoft Azure cloud services and PaaS/IaaS solutions.
• Strong knowledge of landing zone architecture and best practices.
• Proven experience in defining and implementing cloud infrastructure standards and best practices.
• Infrastructure as Code (IaC): Knowledge of IaC tools like Terraform or CloudFormation to provision and manage infrastructure resources programmatically.
• Containerisation and Orchestration: Proficient with container technologies like Docker and container orchestration platforms such as Kubernetes.
• Automation: Strong scripting skills (e.g., Python, PowerShell) and the ability to automate routine tasks and deployment processes for efficiency and consistency.
• Security: Expertise in cloud security best practices, identity and access management (IAM), encryption, and compliance frameworks (e.g., PCI DSS, NIST).
• Networking: Strong knowledge of cloud networking concepts, including virtual networks, subnets, security groups, load balancers, and VPN configurations.
• DevOps Principles: An understanding of DevOps practices and the ability to integrate development and operations workflows for faster and more reliable deployments.
• FinOps (Cloud Financial Operations): Experience with managing cloud costs, optimising cloud spending, and implementing FinOps principles to drive cost-effective cloud strategies while balancing performance and scalability.

Capability required:

• Cloud Platform Expertise: Expert in MS Azure with a deep understanding of its services, features, and capabilities.
• Scaling and Performance Optimisation: Ability to scale cloud resources based on demand and optimize resource utilization for cost-effectiveness.
• Cloud Security and Compliance: Expertise in applying security best practices, including identity and access management (IAM), encryption, regulatory compliance and cloud-native security tools.
• Troubleshooting: Strong problem-solving and debugging skills to identify and resolve issues quickly.
• Documentation: Thorough documentation of configurations, processes, and procedures to ensure clarity and knowledge sharing.