At a Glance
- Tasks: Lead the evolution of our Azure cloud platform and drive AI-enabled engineering practices.
- Company: Join a forward-thinking tech company focused on cloud innovation and AI.
- Benefits: Competitive salary, flexible working options, and opportunities for professional growth.
- Other info: Be part of a dynamic team that values innovation and collaboration.
- Why this job: Shape the future of cloud engineering while working with cutting-edge technologies.
- Qualifications: 15+ years in Platform Engineering, strong Azure and DevOps expertise required.
The predicted salary is between 60000 - 80000 £ per year.
We are looking for an experienced and hands-on Senior Azure Platform Engineering Lead to drive the evolution of our cloud platform, DevOps capabilities, and AI-enabled engineering practices. This is a senior technical leadership role for someone who enjoys remaining close to the technology while influencing engineering strategy and delivery. You will lead the design and implementation of enterprise-scale Azure platforms, modern CI/CD practices, infrastructure automation, and the adoption of AI technologies that enhance software engineering productivity and operational efficiency.
The successful candidate will bring deep Azure expertise, strong software engineering fundamentals, and a passion for leveraging technologies such as Claude, Azure AI, and modern developer tooling to transform the way engineering teams build and deliver solutions.
Responsibilities
- Design, build, and maintain secure, scalable, and resilient Azure cloud platforms.
- Define platform architecture, governance, security, and operational standards.
- Lead cloud transformation and modernization initiatives.
- Drive platform reliability, observability, performance, and cost optimization.
Infrastructure as Code & Automation
- Develop and manage infrastructure using Infrastructure as Code principles.
- Build reusable infrastructure modules and deployment frameworks using Pulumi (preferred) or Terraform.
- Automate provisioning, configuration, deployment, and operational processes.
- Develop automation solutions using Python and cloud-native services.
DevOps & CI
- Design and implement enterprise-grade CI/CD pipelines using Azure DevOps.
- Create and maintain complex YAML-based deployment pipelines.
- Establish engineering best practices across build, release, testing, and deployment processes.
- Improve developer experience through automation and platform enablement.
- Champion the adoption of AI-assisted software engineering practices across technology teams.
- Drive practical use of tools such as Claude, Azure AI, GitHub Copilot, and other emerging AI technologies.
- Identify opportunities to improve engineering productivity, code quality, documentation, testing, and operational efficiency through AI.
- Establish governance, standards, and best practices for enterprise AI usage.
- Coach and mentor teams on AI-assisted development and modern engineering practices.
Technical Leadership
- Provide technical leadership across platform, cloud, DevOps, and AI initiatives.
- Mentor engineers and help develop technical capability across the organization.
- Collaborate with architects, developers, security teams, and business stakeholders to deliver strategic technology outcomes.
- Act as a senior escalation point for complex technical and architectural challenges.
What We're Looking For – Essential Experience
- 15+ years of experience in Platform Engineering, Cloud Engineering, DevOps, Infrastructure Engineering, or Software Engineering.
- Preference for candidates with 20–25 years of broader technology experience and a proven track record of enterprise-scale delivery.
- Strong experience designing and operating production cloud environments.
- Advanced Infrastructure as Code expertise using Pulumi (highly desired) or Terraform.
- Strong Python development and automation skills.
- Experience delivering enterprise CI/CD and platform engineering solutions.
- Excellent troubleshooting, problem-solving, and technical leadership skills.
- Experience with Azure AI, Azure OpenAI, Azure AI Foundry, or similar AI platforms.
- Practical experience using AI-assisted development tools such as Claude, GitHub Copilot, Cursor, or equivalent.
- Experience supporting application development teams using Angular, Node.js, and related technologies.
- Azure certifications in Architecture, DevOps, or AI disciplines.
Why Join Us?
This is an opportunity to shape the future of cloud engineering and AI adoption within a modern technology environment. You’ll have the chance to influence architecture, engineering practices, platform strategy, and AI innovation while remaining deeply hands-on with cutting-edge technologies. If you’re passionate about Azure, automation, DevOps, and helping organisations unlock the value of AI-powered engineering, we’d love to hear from you.
Senior Azure Platform Engineering Lead (AI & DevOps) in Manchester employer: develop
Join a forward-thinking company that prioritises innovation and employee growth, offering a dynamic work culture where your expertise in Azure and AI can truly shine. With a focus on collaboration and mentorship, you'll have the opportunity to lead transformative projects while enjoying a supportive environment that values your contributions and encourages continuous learning. Located in a vibrant tech hub, this role provides access to cutting-edge resources and a network of like-minded professionals dedicated to pushing the boundaries of cloud engineering.
StudySmarter Expert Advice🤫
We think this is how you could land Senior Azure Platform Engineering Lead (AI & DevOps) in Manchester
✨Join Local Tech Meetups
Get out there and mingle with fellow developers by joining local tech meetups. It’s a fantastic way to meet people who might be working at develop or know someone who does. Plus, you can pick up some trendy tech skills and trends while you're at it!
✨Contribute to Open Source Projects
Show off your coding chops by jumping into open-source projects. Not only does this give you practical experience, but it also gets you noticed in the dev community. You'll create a killer portfolio that speaks volumes about your skills to develop.
✨Tap into Online Developer Communities
Don’t underestimate the power of online developer communities like GitHub, Stack Overflow, and even Reddit. Participate in discussions, share your projects, and build your visibility. We can often find opportunities through these channels that can lead to a full-time gig at companies like develop.
✨Explore Job Boards Specifically for Tech Roles
Keep your eyes peeled on job boards that focus on tech roles. Sites like TechCareers or Stack Overflow Jobs can often have listings for companies like develop that might not show up on broader job sites. Make it a habit to check these regularly, and don’t hesitate to apply directly through our website!
We think you need these skills to ace Senior Azure Platform Engineering Lead (AI & DevOps) in Manchester
Some tips for your application 🫡
Show off your coding skills:When applying for a software engineering role, it's super important to showcase your coding skills. Make sure your CV includes your tech stack, any relevant programming languages you’re comfortable with, and examples of projects you've worked on. If you have a GitHub profile, link it up! We love to see code in action.
Tailor your portfolio:For a full-time role, we’d expect to see some solid examples of your work in your portfolio. Make sure to include at least two or three projects that highlight your problem-solving skills and your ability to work with different technologies. Focus on the projects that are most relevant to the position at develop.
Craft a killer cover letter:Your cover letter is your chance to stand out—make it personal! Explain why you want to work at develop and how your skills align with the role. Show us your passion for software development. We dig enthusiastic candidates who understand the value of collaboration and continuous learning!
Be clear and concise:When it comes to writing your CV and cover letter, clarity is key. Avoid jargon that could confuse us and stick to simple, direct language. Highlight your achievements with quantifiable results where possible, and keep everything easy to read. A well-organised application goes a long way!
How to prepare for a job interview at develop
✨Brush Up on Your Coding Skills
For a full-time software engineering role, it's crucial that we stay sharp with our coding abilities. Expect technical questions that might involve solving problems on the spot or discussing algorithms. Practise on platforms like LeetCode or HackerRank to get comfortable with the types of questions that often come up.
✨Know Your Tools and Frameworks
Make sure we’re well-acquainted with the tools and technologies listed in the job description. Familiarise ourselves with any specific frameworks or programming languages mentioned. If develop uses React or Node.js, for instance, be ready to discuss how we’ve used them in previous projects or coursework.
✨Showcase Your Projects
Bring along a portfolio that highlights our best work. This could be code samples, GitHub repositories, or any side projects we’ve built. Make sure we can talk through our thought process for each project, especially the challenges we faced and how we solved them—this shows our problem-solving skills in action.
✨Prepare for Behavioural Questions
While technical skills are key, full-time positions also require cultural fit. Be ready to discuss our previous experiences and how we handle teamwork, conflict, and deadlines. Brush up on the STAR method—Situation, Task, Action, Result—to clearly articulate our past experiences when discussing how we've contributed to a team.
