At a Glance
- Tasks: Lead and stabilise infrastructure operations while bridging legacy systems with Azure cloud.
- Company: Bestway Group, a diverse multinational with a strong community focus.
- Benefits: Competitive salary, private medical, life assurance, and generous annual leave.
- Other info: Join a diverse team committed to operational excellence and continuous improvement.
- Why this job: Be the 'Guardian of Stability' in a major digital transformation.
- Qualifications: 10+ years in IT Infrastructure management with Azure networking expertise.
The predicted salary is between 60000 - 80000 £ per year.
Bestway Group is undergoing a major digital transformation. We are looking for an experienced Infrastructure and Network Manager to stabilize our core foundations and act as the bridge between our legacy on-prem systems and our modern Azure cloud environment. As the Infrastructure and Network Manager, you will be the "Guardian of Stability." You will oversee the daily operations of our physical and virtual infrastructure, ensuring 24/7 continuity. You will lead a dedicated team to remediate technical debt, harden our security posture, and implement automated operational guardrails.
About Bestway: Bestway Group is a diversified multinational family-owned business with annualised turnover in excess of £4.5 billion. Starting off as a chain of retail convenience stores, the Group has grown to become a diversified multinational business with interests across the wholesale, pharmacy, real estate, cement and banking sectors. The Group is also the largest overseas investor in Pakistan. Owned by the Pervez, Choudrey and Sheikh families, Bestway Group was founded in 1976 by Sir Anwar Pervez OBE H Pk, who remains Chairman. Serving over 12 million customers and employing over 28,000 individuals, the Group supports and serves communities through its operations across the UK, Pakistan and the Middle East.
Key Responsibilities
- Own the day-to-day operations of Bestway’s core infrastructure, including Data Centers, LAN/WAN, Wi-Fi, and server environments.
- Establish and enforce robust SOPs (Standard Operating Procedures) for backups, disaster recovery, patching, and hardware lifecycles.
- Maintain the critical connectivity between our AS/400 (iSeries) core and our modern application layer.
- Oversee internal security monitoring and coordinate with external SOC/MDR partners.
- Lead and mentor the existing Infrastructure and network team.
- Act as the primary point of contact for ISPs, hardware vendors, and Managed Service Providers (MSPs).
- Budget management for infrastructure spend and hardware procurement.
Required Skills & Experience
- 10+ years in IT Infrastructure management, ideally within a large-scale retail or wholesale environment.
- Deep knowledge of TCP/IP, Routing, Switching, Firewalls, and Azure Networking (ExpressRoute/VPN).
- Proficiency in Windows/Linux Server management and Virtualization (VMware/Hyper-V).
- Familiarity with AS/400 (iSeries) connectivity is a significant advantage.
- Hands-on experience with Microsoft Azure (IaaS and PaaS).
- Proven ability to manage technical teams and handle high-pressure incident response.
- Strong communication skills, documentation standards, and the ability to work effectively with technical teams, service desk colleagues, suppliers, and business stakeholders.
- Familiarity with IT service management disciplines including Jira, SLA management, incident management, problem management, and CAB processes.
- Strong hands-on experience with Active Directory and dependencies e.g. Group Policy, DNS, AD Sites and Services.
Working style: the role suits a proactive engineer who is comfortable balancing BAU support, platform improvement, project delivery, governance activity, and third-party coordination. The successful candidate should be able to work methodically, document effectively, and contribute to a service culture built around operational ownership, knowledge sharing, and continuous improvement.
Pension
- 22 days annual leave plus the option to buy additional days.
- Life Assurance.
- Private Medical.
- Onsite parking.
We understand that no applicant ever ticks every box so please do consider applying should some or most of the above apply. Bestway Group is an equal opportunity employer and we value diversity and inclusion. We welcome people of different nationalities, backgrounds, experiences, abilities, and perspectives. We want strong, and diverse teams built from talented individuals with different backgrounds identities and experiences.
If this is of interest to you and you would like to learn more, please do get in touch, we are looking forward to hearing from you.
Infrastructure & Azure Networking Lead in London employer: Bestway Group
Bestway Group is an exceptional employer, offering a dynamic work environment that fosters innovation and collaboration. With a strong commitment to employee growth, the company provides extensive training opportunities and a supportive culture that values diversity and inclusion. Located in Park Royal, Brent, employees benefit from a range of perks including private medical insurance, life assurance, and generous annual leave, making it an ideal place for those seeking meaningful and rewarding careers in IT infrastructure management.
StudySmarter Expert Advice🤫
We think this is how you could land Infrastructure & Azure Networking Lead in London
✨Tip Number 1
Network, network, network! Get out there and connect with people in the industry. Attend meetups, webinars, or even just chat with folks on LinkedIn. You never know who might have a lead on that perfect Infrastructure & Azure Networking Lead role.
✨Tip Number 2
Show off your skills! Create a personal project or contribute to open-source initiatives that showcase your expertise in Azure and networking. This not only boosts your portfolio but also gives you something tangible to discuss in interviews.
✨Tip Number 3
Prepare for those tricky interview questions. Brush up on your knowledge of TCP/IP, firewalls, and Azure Networking. We recommend doing mock interviews with friends or using online platforms to get comfortable with the format.
✨Tip Number 4
Don’t forget to apply through our website! It’s the best way to ensure your application gets seen by the right people. Plus, we love seeing candidates who are proactive about their job search!
We think you need these skills to ace Infrastructure & Azure Networking Lead in London
Some tips for your application 🫡
Tailor Your CV:Make sure your CV speaks directly to the job description. Highlight your experience with Azure Networking and infrastructure management, as these are key for us at Bestway Group. We want to see how your skills align with our needs!
Craft a Compelling Cover Letter:Your cover letter is your chance to shine! Use it to tell us why you're the perfect fit for the Infrastructure & Azure Networking Lead role. Share specific examples of your past successes in stabilising infrastructure and leading teams.
Showcase Your Technical Skills:Don’t hold back on showcasing your technical expertise! Mention your hands-on experience with TCP/IP, firewalls, and Azure services. We’re looking for someone who can hit the ground running, so let us know what you bring to the table.
Apply Through Our Website:We encourage you to apply through our website for a smoother application process. It helps us keep track of your application and ensures you don’t miss out on any important updates from us!
How to prepare for a job interview at Bestway Group
✨Know Your Tech Inside Out
Make sure you brush up on your knowledge of TCP/IP, Routing, Switching, and Azure Networking. Be ready to discuss how you've managed infrastructure in the past, especially in high-pressure situations. This role is all about stability, so showing that you can handle technical challenges will impress the interviewers.
✨Showcase Your Leadership Skills
As a potential Infrastructure and Network Manager, you'll need to lead a team. Prepare examples of how you've mentored or managed teams before. Highlight your experience in coordinating with ISPs and vendors, as well as your ability to manage budgets effectively. They want to see that you can be the 'Guardian of Stability' for their operations.
✨Demonstrate Problem-Solving Abilities
Be ready to discuss specific incidents where you performed root cause analysis and supported service restoration. Use the STAR method (Situation, Task, Action, Result) to structure your answers. This will show that you can think critically and act decisively when issues arise.
✨Communicate Clearly and Confidently
Strong communication skills are key for this role. Practice explaining complex technical concepts in simple terms, as you'll need to work with various stakeholders. Make sure to ask questions during the interview too; it shows you're engaged and interested in the role and the company.
