At a Glance
- Tasks: Lead and optimise technology operations across 40+ companies, ensuring operational excellence and security.
- Company: Join ClearCourse, a dynamic tech group focused on innovation and collaboration.
- Benefits: Enjoy competitive salary, flexible working, private medical cover, and ongoing career development.
- Other info: Embrace a culture of growth with opportunities for learning and progression.
- Why this job: Make a significant impact on technology operations while driving efficiency and resilience.
- Qualifications: Proven leadership in cloud operations, incident management, and vendor relations.
The predicted salary is between 60000 - 80000 £ per year.
The Director of Platform Operations is the single accountable owner for ClearCourse's entire technology operations estate — from end-user devices across 40+ portfolio companies through to cloud production environments. Reporting to the CTTO, the role owns infrastructure, internal IT, SRE, security operations implementation, and vendor cost management. The role operates at the intersection of operational excellence and commercial discipline — owning cloud FinOps outcomes, leading DR and BCP processes, and providing the senior escalation point for incidents and infrastructure risk across the group. With a target reduction from 15 to 10 FTE by 2027, it requires a leader who can build operational maturity while simultaneously rationalising the team.
Key Accountabilities
- Infrastructure & Cloud: End-to-end accountability for the technology estate: cloud (Azure), colocation, commodity hosting, internal IT, and end-user environments across all portfolio companies. Owns cloud and hosting strategy in conjunction with Head of Infrastructure — central management of Azure cost optimisation, reserved instances, and FinOps discipline.
- Security Operations: Owns security operations implementation end-to-end; liaises with DevSecOps and the CISO who provides governance counterbalance. Manages joiner/leaver management and identity/access management across the estate, informed by the CISO on policy.
- Resilience & Continuity: Accountable for DR planning, backup testing, and BCP across the portfolio. Senior escalation point for incidents, infrastructure risk, and business continuity across the group.
- Internal IT & Systems: Manages internal IT and business systems administration (M365, NetSuite, SuccessFactors, SharePoint) — infrastructure, integrations, and IAM. Ensures observability and SRE capability is fit for purpose across cloud, hosted, and end-user environments.
- Vendor & Cost Management: Drives cloud and vendor cost discipline — manages the Vendor & FinOps Lead; accountable for FinOps outcomes. Primary interface to the CTTO on governance and to Platform Engineering on DevSecOps integration.
Key Relationships
- CTTO — Direct line manager. Governance, infrastructure risk, and FinOps accountability.
- CISO (Head of Security) — Close working relationship. Security operations implementation, IAM policy, and incident escalation.
- Director of Platform Engineering — Coordinates on DevSecOps integration and CI/CD infrastructure requirements.
- Head of Infrastructure & Cloud — Direct report. Hosting strategy, cloud platform, and FinOps execution.
- Head of SRE — Direct report. Observability, on-call, and DR/BCP processes.
- Head of Internal Services — Direct report. Internal IT, business systems, and end-user support.
- Finance — Direct report. Cloud cost visibility, savings plans, and vendor negotiations.
Essential
- Infrastructure and cloud operations leadership at portfolio or group scale — Azure at production scale with IaC (Terraform or equivalent) governance experience.
- Track record managing internal IT operations across a distributed estate — multiple sites or subsidiaries.
- Commercial awareness: has owned cloud cost management and FinOps outcomes with measurable results.
- Incident management and on-call leadership — has run major incident response at group level.
- Strong vendor management: MSP relationships, colocation contracts, cloud provider negotiations.
Desirable
- PE-backed multi-entity experience — integrating new acquisitions into a group infrastructure estate.
- Experience standing up SRE practices from scratch in a distributed environment.
- M365 and Microsoft tooling estate management at scale.
Benefits
- Competitive base salary with uncapped commission.
- 25 days holiday plus bank holidays.
- Hybrid and flexible working options.
- Private medical cover.
- Health cash plan.
- Life assurance.
- Access to the Calm wellbeing app.
- Perkbox employee benefits platform.
- Enhanced parental leave.
- Cycle to work scheme.
- Volunteering days.
- Employee Assistance Programme.
- Ongoing learning, development, and career progression across the ClearCourse Group.
Platform Operations Director employer: ClearCourse Partnership LLP
ClearCourse is an exceptional employer that prioritises operational excellence and employee growth, offering a dynamic work environment for the Platform Operations Director role. With a strong focus on innovation and collaboration across 40+ portfolio companies, employees benefit from competitive salaries, flexible working options, and comprehensive health and wellbeing programmes. The company fosters a culture of continuous learning and development, ensuring that team members are well-equipped to thrive in their careers while contributing to the success of the organisation.
Contact Details:
ClearCourse Partnership LLP Recruitment Team
StudySmarter Expert Advice🤫
We think this is how you could land Platform Operations Director
✨Join the IT Consultancy Buzz
Get involved in local or virtual IT consultancy meetups and forums. This is where we can rub shoulders with industry professionals, get insights into what ClearCourse Partnership LLP values, and even spot unadvertised opportunities. Don't miss out on these chances to make a name for ourselves in the IT world!
✨Show Off Your Skills
Create a personal project or case study relevant to the challenges ClearCourse Partnership LLP might face. Use platforms like GitHub or Medium to share your findings. This not only demonstrates our consulting skills but shows a proactive attitude, making us stand out from the crowd when applying for that full-time gig.
✨Leverage LinkedIn for Connections
Follow and engage with the relevant thought leaders and influencers in IT consultancy on LinkedIn. Share insightful content and join discussions to gain visibility. A well-placed comment or shared article could catch the attention of someone at ClearCourse Partnership LLP!
✨Direct Apply to ClearCourse Partnership LLP
Let's not forget to apply directly through the ClearCourse Partnership LLP website! Tailor your application to showcase our understanding of their consulting style and how we can contribute to their projects. A personalised approach can make a huge difference in landing that full-time position!
We think you need these skills to ace Platform Operations Director
Some tips for your application 🫡
Showcase Your Problem-Solving Skills:In IT consulting, it's all about problem-solving, so make sure your CV highlights your analytical skills and any relevant projects you've tackled. Mention specific technologies or methodologies you've used to resolve issues or improve processes; this shows you can think critically and deliver results, which is vital for us at ClearCourse Partnership LLP.
Highlight Relevant Certifications:Certifications like ITIL, PMP, or even specific tech stack qualifications can really make you stand out. Make sure to include these in your CV, as they not only demonstrate your expertise but also your commitment to staying current in the field. We love seeing candidates who are proactive about their professional development!
Tailor Your Cover Letter:Your cover letter is your chance to connect personally with us at ClearCourse Partnership LLP. Share stories about your experiences in IT consulting, and how they shaped your desire to join our team. Mention why you’re excited about this particular role, and how you see yourself contributing to our projects.
Keep It Clear and Concise:We're all busy, so make sure your application is easy to read. Use bullet points for key achievements, and don’t overload us with jargon. A clean, professional layout goes a long way. Remember, the clearer your application, the more likely we are to invite you in for an interview!
How to prepare for a job interview at ClearCourse Partnership LLP
✨Brush Up on Your Technical Skills
For an IT consulting role, be ready to demonstrate your technical prowess. You might face questions on systems integration, cloud technologies, or even troubleshooting specific software. If you have experience with tools like AWS, Azure, or even specific programming languages, make sure you can talk about them fluently.
✨Showcase Your Problem-Solving Approach
IT consulting is all about solving problems for clients. Think about how you can illustrate your approach to a past challenge using the STAR method (Situation, Task, Action, Result). It's a great way to show how you tackle complex issues and come up with effective solutions.
✨Know the Business Impact of IT Solutions
When discussing your experiences, focus not just on the tech solutions you implemented, but also on their business impact. Employers want to see that you can connect IT with organisational goals. Prep examples that highlight how your tech contributions improved efficiency or reduced costs for past clients or projects.
✨Prepare for Behavioural Questions
Since IT consulting often involves teamwork and client interactions, expect behavioural questions that assess your interpersonal skills. Be prepared with examples that demonstrate your adaptability, communication skills, and how you handle client feedback. Before the interview, think of situations where you worked closely with clients to create effective IT strategies or changes.
