Senior Infrastructure Engineer - Projects in Manchester

Location: Lowry Mill, Lees Street, Manchester, M27 6DB

Working pattern: Hybrid - 3 days per week in the office, unless on-site delivering projects

Salary: £50,000-£59,000

Hours: Full-time, 37.5 hours per week

Reporting to: Head of Technical Services

ABOUT DATASPIRE

Daspire partners with schools and multi-academy trusts to build dependable, high-performing technology environments. Our work helps schools operate securely and efficiently, while enabling teachers and students to make the most of technology.

We are looking for a Senior Implementation Engineer to lead the technical delivery of complex infrastructure projects across networking, wireless, firewalls, servers, virtualisation, storage and backup. You will be the technical lead on cutovers, migrations and go-live events, translating approved designs into detailed, controlled delivery plans that leave environments properly built, tested and documented. This is a hands-on engineering role for someone who enjoys being on site, thrives under the pressure of a live cutover and takes genuine pride in the quality of what they hand over.

THE ROLE

As Senior Implementation Engineer, you will:

• Lead complex project workstreams and turn high-level designs into detailed implementation plans, task sequences, validation steps and rollback approaches.
• Act as third-line escalation during project delivery.
• Review documentation produced by other engineers to ensure it is fit for operational handover.
• Mentor Associate and Implementation Engineers.
• Work closely with Solutions Design, the PMO and Systems Operations.
• Feed lessons learned back to improve delivery standards across the function.

TRAVEL AND SITE WORKING

This role involves regular travel to customer sites, including schools, colleges, construction sites and building projects. Travel is predominantly across England, with occasional work in Wales and Scotland. Some projects will require overnight stays and work outside of standard hours, including school holiday periods, to minimise disruption to teaching.

The following are required or may be required for this role:

• A full, valid UK driving licence and access to a vehicle
• A clean enhanced DBS check, given the nature of working in schools and colleges around children and young people
• SSSTS (Site Supervisors Safety Training Scheme) may be required for work on construction and building sites
• ECS (Electrotechnical Certification Scheme) card may be required for certain site environments
• Where you do not already hold SSSTS or ECS, we will support you in obtaining these.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES

• Lead complex project workstreams across networking, wireless, firewalls, servers, virtualisation, storage, backup and security.
• Translate high-level designs into detailed implementation plans, task sequences, validation steps and rollback approaches.
• Act as technical lead during cutovers, migrations and go-live events.
• Configure and commission core infrastructure including switching, routing, VLANs, enterprise wireless, firewalls, server builds, hypervisors, storage and backup platforms.
• Carry out structured testing, validation and evidence capture before handover.
• Handle third-line escalation during project delivery.
• Review documentation produced by engineers and ensure it is suitable for operational handover to Systems Operations.
• Work with Project Managers and the PMO on planning, progress, change control and risk tracking.
• Work with Solutions Design to clarify design intent and feedback practical improvements.
• Work with Systems Operations to ensure monitoring, backup and support readiness are in place at go-live.
• Identify delivery risks, dependencies and blockers early and escalate with the right information.
• Mentor and coach Associate and Implementation Engineers, raising technical and documentation standards.
• Contribute to implementation standards, build guides and configuration baselines.
• Work safely and methodically on customer and construction sites, following site rules and safe working practices.

TECHNOLOGIES YOU WILL WORK WITH

Core to the role. These are the areas you will work in day to day and where we expect real depth.

• Network and connectivity: HPE Aruba (primary estate), Cisco Meraki and Ubiquiti.
• Wireless LAN: HPE Aruba and Cisco Meraki.
• Security and edge services: Smoothwall, Securly, Barracuda and Fortinet.
• Servers and operating systems: Windows Server, Dell EMC and HPE ProLiant.
• Virtualisation: Hyper-V, VMware ESXi and vCenter.
• Storage and backup: SAN, NAS, Storage Spaces Direct and Redstor.
• Cabling and physical infrastructure: structured cabling, patching, fibre, PDUs and UPS.

WIDER EXPOSURE

Useful but not essential. You will come across these as part of wider project delivery and where you do not have experience, we will support you to build it.

• Identity and access: Active Directory, Microsoft Entra ID, Azure AD and IAM.
• Collaboration and productivity: Microsoft 365 and Google Workspace for Education.
• Endpoint and device management: Autopilot, SCCM, Intune, Google Endpoint Management, JAMF, Lightspeed and MDM platforms.
• Apple management: macOS, iPadOS, iOS and JAMF.
• Remote access and communications: RDS, VPN, 3CX and Microsoft Teams.
• AV and classroom technology: Promethean, Clevertouch, Prowise, Viewsonic and SMART.
• Security, filtering, safeguarding and compliance technology aligned with DfE, NCSC, Cyber Essentials and KCSIE expectations.

WHAT WE'RE LOOKING FOR

• Strong hands-on delivery experience across networking and server infrastructure in an MSP, education or multi-site environment.
• Demonstrable hands-on experience with HPE Aruba or Cisco Meraki.
• Confident configuring and commissioning managed switching, routing, VLANs and enterprise wireless.
• Solid firewall experience including rule sets, VPNs and applying security baselines.
• Proven Windows Server build and configuration experience including core roles.
• Practical virtualisation experience with Hyper-V or VMware.
• Experience of storage and backup implementation, including restore and recovery testing.
• Demonstrable experience leading, or acting as technical lead on, cutovers, migrations or go-live events including planning rollback.
• Ability to translate a high-level design into a detailed, sequenced implementation plan.
• Clear, disciplined technical documentation suitable for operational handover.
• A calm, structured approach under pressure, with sound judgement on when to escalate.
• A full, valid UK driving licence and willingness to travel to customer sites across England, and occasionally Wales and Scotland.
• Willingness to undergo an enhanced DBS check and maintain a clean record.

DESIRABLE EXPERIENCE

• Vendor certifications in networking, server or virtualisation.
• Experience across both HPE Aruba and Cisco Meraki rather than one.
• SSSTS, ECS card or other relevant site safety qualifications.
• Experience working with schools, colleges or multi-academy trusts.
• Knowledge of DfE standards, NCSC guidance, KCSIE, Cyber Essentials or education safeguarding requirements.
• Experience working on live construction or building site environments.
• Experience mentoring, coaching or peer reviewing other engineers.
• Interest in automation, scripting and repeatable build methods.
• Education-sector experience is beneficial but not essential.

WHAT WE OFFER

• Salary of £50,000-£59,000.
• Hybrid working, with 3 days per week in our Manchester office unless on site delivering projects.
• 32 days' annual leave, including bank holidays.
• An additional paid Christmas shutdown day.
• Your birthday off.
• On-site parking.
• Optional branded workwear.
• Employee Assistance Programme, including wellbeing, mental health, legal, financial and personal support.
• Pluralsight licence and protected learning time.
• Vendor-led training where relevant.
• Support in obtaining site safety qualifications such as SSSTS and ECS where required.
• Monthly one-to-ones and a structured continuing professional development framework.
• Clear progression towards Principal Implementation Engineer.

WHY THIS ROLE MATTERS

Every network you build, every server you commission and every cutover you lead directly affects whether a school starts the day working. The infrastructure you deliver gives teachers confidence in the technology they rely on, keeps students safe online and provides education leaders with reliable foundations for the future.

Dataspire is a Mental Health at Work Committed organisation and a Disability Confident employer. We are committed to creating a working environment where everyone feels supported, valued and able to perform at their best.