At a Glance
- Tasks: Lead and empower a cross-functional team in DevOps, SRE, and Network Engineering.
- Company: Join a dynamic engineering leadership team in the heart of Manchester City Centre.
- Benefits: Enjoy a competitive salary of £100k plus benefits and hybrid working options.
- Why this job: Shape platform roadmaps and foster a culture of collaboration and continuous improvement.
- Qualifications: Proven experience in leading high-performing teams and deep expertise in Azure services required.
- Other info: Work in a vibrant office environment just two days a week.
The predicted salary is between 72000 - 108000 £ per year.
I have a need for a Head of DevOps for my client based in Manchester City Centre on a hybrid basis. You’ll be a key member of our engineering leadership team, responsible for developing and empowering a cross-functional group of DevOps, SRE, DBA, and Network Engineering specialists. We’re looking for a strong leader who thrives on building high-performing teams, delivering complex projects at pace, and proactively drives strategic initiatives that align with our ambitious growth goals. With deep experience in Azure and cloud-native architectures, you’ll shape our platform roadmap, improve reliability and scalability, and foster a culture of ownership, collaboration, and continuous improvement.
Experience
- Essential:
- Proven experience leading high-performing Platform Engineering, DevOps, or SRE teams, in a SaaS environment.
- Deep expertise in Microsoft Azure services, including Azure Functions, AKS, ADF, Cosmos DB, Azure DevOps, and Infrastructure as Code (e.g. Terraform) and good open source knowledge e.g. PostgreSQL.
- Strong people leadership and line management experience—able to coach, develop, and performance-manage cross-functional teams.
- Track record of designing, building, and operating scalable, secure, and cost-efficient cloud platforms.
- Hands-on experience implementing CI/CD pipelines, infrastructure automation, and observability frameworks.
- Deep understanding of operational excellence practices, including system reliability, incident management, and SRE methodologies.
- Demonstrated ability to embed security and compliance practices across the SDLC (e.g., DevSecOps, Zero Trust).
- Excellent communication and stakeholder engagement skills, capable of aligning technical initiatives with business outcomes.
- Experience in the Contact Centre, Telephony, or VoIP domain, particularly within CCaaS or real-time communications platforms.
- Familiarity with networking principles, SIP, SBCs, and telephony infrastructure in cloud environments.
- Exposure to FinOps practices and tools for managing cloud cost efficiency and forecasting.
- Experience working closely with Product and Engineering leadership to shape platform roadmaps and internal developer tools.
- Azure certifications (e.g., Azure Solutions Architect Expert, DevOps Engineer Expert) or equivalent SRE/DevSecOps accreditations.
- Experience managing vendor relationships and third-party cloud tooling integrations.
The split will likely be 70% Azure focused DevOps and 30% people management. £100k + Benefits. Need to be in the Manchester Office 2 days per week.
Head of DevOps employer: GBV Ltd
Contact Detail:
GBV Ltd Recruiting Team
StudySmarter Expert Advice 🤫
We think this is how you could land Head of DevOps
✨Tip Number 1
Network with professionals in the DevOps community, especially those with experience in Azure and SaaS environments. Attend local meetups or online webinars to connect with potential colleagues and learn about the latest trends in cloud-native architectures.
✨Tip Number 2
Showcase your leadership skills by sharing examples of how you've built and empowered high-performing teams. Consider discussing your approach to coaching and developing team members during informal conversations or networking events.
✨Tip Number 3
Familiarise yourself with the specific tools and technologies mentioned in the job description, such as Terraform and Azure DevOps. Engage in hands-on projects or contribute to open-source initiatives to demonstrate your expertise and commitment to continuous improvement.
✨Tip Number 4
Prepare to discuss your experience with operational excellence practices and how you've implemented security and compliance in previous roles. This will help you align your technical knowledge with the business outcomes that the company is aiming for.
We think you need these skills to ace Head of DevOps
Some tips for your application 🫡
Tailor Your CV: Make sure your CV highlights your experience in leading DevOps or SRE teams, particularly in a SaaS environment. Emphasise your expertise in Microsoft Azure services and any relevant certifications.
Craft a Compelling Cover Letter: In your cover letter, showcase your leadership style and how you've successfully built high-performing teams. Mention specific projects where you delivered complex solutions and how you align technical initiatives with business outcomes.
Highlight Relevant Experience: When detailing your work history, focus on your hands-on experience with CI/CD pipelines, infrastructure automation, and operational excellence practices. Use metrics to demonstrate the impact of your contributions.
Showcase Soft Skills: Don't forget to mention your communication and stakeholder engagement skills. Provide examples of how you've coached and developed cross-functional teams, as well as how you've managed vendor relationships.
How to prepare for a job interview at GBV Ltd
✨Showcase Your Leadership Skills
As a Head of DevOps, you'll need to demonstrate your ability to lead high-performing teams. Prepare examples of how you've successfully coached and developed cross-functional teams in the past, focusing on specific outcomes and improvements.
✨Highlight Your Technical Expertise
Make sure to discuss your deep experience with Microsoft Azure services and cloud-native architectures. Be ready to explain how you've implemented CI/CD pipelines and infrastructure automation, as well as any hands-on experience with tools like Terraform.
✨Emphasise Operational Excellence
Talk about your understanding of operational excellence practices, including system reliability and incident management. Share specific instances where you've improved reliability and scalability in previous roles, aligning these with the company's growth goals.
✨Prepare for Stakeholder Engagement Scenarios
Since excellent communication is key, think of examples where you've aligned technical initiatives with business outcomes. Be prepared to discuss how you engage with stakeholders and manage vendor relationships effectively.