Head of Cloud

My client is looking for a Head of Cloud to join their team and build out their cloud function.
Read the overview of this opportunity to understand what skills, including and relevant soft skills and software package proficiencies, are required.
Job overview As the Head of Cloud, youll be responsible for building, leading, and scaling cross-functional teams to establish best practices, drive innovation, and implement governance standards for cloud services throughout the organization.
This role requires collaboration with various departments, including engineering, client support, IT, and talent acquisition, to ensure cloud technologies are utilized securely, efficiently, and cost-effectively.
Primary Responsibilities: Strategic Leadership Develop and lead a Cloud Center of Excellence to define the organization\’s cloud strategy and best practices.
Set standards for cloud adoption, policies, and frameworks across departments.
Align cloud initiatives with overarching business objectives to foster innovation and optimize efficiency.
Cloud Governance & Best Practices Establish governance policies around security, compliance, architecture, and operational standards for cloud.
Oversee cloud operations to ensure security, resilience, and adherence to regulatory and audit requirements.
Service Portfolio & Cloud Solutions Design and maintain an internal and external service catalog for cloud solutions, aligning with business priorities.
Partner with stakeholders to update offerings as new cloud technologies and services emerge.
Professional Development in Cloud Create pathways for career growth in cloud roles across the organization.
Develop and implement initiatives to foster skill development, certifications, and ongoing education in cloud technologies.
Cloud Training & Enablement Lead training initiatives on cloud platforms (e.g., AWS, Azure, GCP), and deliver workshops, courses, and mentorship.
Ensure teams stay updated with evolving cloud technologies and best practices through continuous training programs.
Client Architecture & Solution Support Guide client engagements through discovery, scoping, and architecture phases to align solutions with their business goals.
Partner with clients to understand cloud requirements and develop customized solutions.
Project Staffing & Resource Allocation Support the allocation of cloud engineers to projects, ensuring optimal expertise alignment.
Collaborate with project management to allocate resources efficiently and maximize team effectiveness.
Industry Engagement & Thought Leadership Represent the organization at industry events, sharing insights on best practices and cloud strategy.
Engage in thought leadership to drive discussion on innovation, governance, and cloud advancements.
Collaboration & Knowledge Transfer Act as an intermediary between business units, development teams, and cloud engineers to enhance cloud usage.
Promote a collaborative culture focused on knowledge sharing and continuous improvement.
Provide expertise in cloud-native development, migration strategies, and infrastructure optimization.
Innovation & Cloud Enablement Identify and promote opportunities for cloud-driven innovation to increase operational efficiency and cost savings.
Champion cloud-native solutions, such as serverless computing, containerization, and microservices.
Cultivate a learning environment around emerging technologies like AI/ML, IoT, and edge computing within the cloud landscape.
Cloud Automation & Tools Advocate for automation, DevOps practices, and Infrastructure as Code (IaC) to streamline cloud operations.
Implement monitoring, alerting, and analytics tools to enhance cloud performance, availability, and scalability.
Ensure effective use of cloud management and automation tools (e.g., Terraform, Ansible, CloudFormation).
Team Leadership & Development Recruit, develop, and manage a team of cloud professionals, including architects, security experts, and engineers.
Mentor and guide teams on cloud best practices, tools, and platforms.
Foster an environment of accountability, continuous learning, and innovation.
Vendor & Stakeholder Collaboration Work with external cloud providers (AWS, Azure, GCP) and other partners to maximize business value from cloud investments.
Communicate cloud strategies, milestones, and challenges to senior leadership and key stakeholders.
Required Qualifications: Bachelors or Masters degree in Computer Science or a related field.
10 years of experience, including 5 years in cloud architecture, engineering, or management roles.
In-depth knowledge of cloud platforms (AWS, Azure, GCP) and experience with multi-cloud or hybrid environments.
Expertise in cloud automation, DevOps, and IaC tools (e.g., Terraform, Ansible).
Proven track record of leadership in cross-functional teams and cloud project management.
Strong communication skills with both technical and business stakeholders.
Preferred Qualifications: Cloud certifications (e.g., AWS Solutions Architect, Azure Architect Expert, Google Cloud Architect).
Experience in cloud-native design, serverless computing, and container orchestration (Docker, Kubernetes).
Familiarity with data lakes, AI/ML infrastructure, and analytics in cloud environments.
Knowledge of cloud security and compliance standards (e.g., ISO, SOC, GDPR) and cost management practices.
For more information, please contact Alice Armstrong at Hayward Hawk.
Skills: Cloud services AWS Leadership