At a Glance
- Tasks: Lead and define DevOps practices for secure, resilient digital platforms.
- Company: OCU Digital, a tech company focused on critical services and infrastructure.
- Benefits: Inclusive culture, career growth, and the chance to shape future technologies.
- Other info: Join a team that values integrity, collaboration, and innovation.
- Why this job: Take ownership of DevOps and make a real impact in a dynamic environment.
- Qualifications: Extensive experience in DevOps, CI/CD tooling, and cloud-native architectures.
The predicted salary is between 48000 - 72000 £ per year.
At OCU Digital, we build technology that underpins critical services and infrastructure. Our platforms must be secure, resilient and trusted because the work we do matters. As our digital capability continues to grow, we are looking for an experienced DevOps based in Preston to lead and define how our platforms are built, deployed and operated at scale. This is a rare opportunity to take end-to-end ownership of DevOps and application-layer reliability across OCU Digital, shaping standards, tooling and culture while leading and developing a talented DevOps engineering team.
About the role
The DevOps Lead is a senior technical leadership role accountable for the design, governance and continuous improvement of DevOps and reliability practices across OCU Digital. You will define how OCU designs, builds, secures, deploys, operates and scales its digital platforms ensuring delivery is fast, repeatable, observable and resilient across all environments. Working across our Digital Platform Teams (including OCU One, Data and Dynamics), you will set and govern standards for CI/CD pipelines, secure build and release practices, deployment automation, runtime configuration, observability and Site Reliability Engineering (SRE). This role acts as the single point of accountability for DevOps capability, operating at the boundary between Engineering, Cloud & Infrastructure, Security and Architecture.
In addition to technical leadership, you will have line management responsibility for DevOps Engineers embedded within platform teams, ensuring consistent practices, strong operational ownership and continuous capability uplift while enabling teams to deliver at pace with confidence.
Can you?
- Own and govern the DevOps tooling landscape, with explicit accountability for Azure DevOps configuration and administration.
- Define and govern Azure DevOps Boards work item types, process templates and lifecycle models (Requirements, Change Requests, Work Requests, Bugs and Tasks).
- Define, own and continuously evolve CI/CD standards, templates and reusable pipeline patterns.
- Govern how build, test, security scanning, deployment and rollback stages are implemented across platforms.
- Enforce secure build and release practices aligned with security and architecture standards.
- Own the reliability and performance of CI/CD pipelines, ensuring rapid recovery from failure.
- Provide clear guidance and leadership on CI/CD tooling, patterns and best practice.
- Ensure release processes are auditable, predictable and aligned to risk and change controls.
- Support platform teams during complex or high-risk releases.
- Design and govern the application-layer SRE monitoring and performance framework.
- Define and manage service reliability standards, including SLIs, SLOs and error budgets.
- Lead reliability practices such as fault injection, resilience testing and reliability drills.
- Proactively identify reliability risks and drive preventative engineering improvements.
- Deploy DevOps Engineers into Digital Platform Teams while maintaining central standards and governance.
- Mentor senior engineers and support progression across the DevOps & SRE career framework.
- Shape the DevOps capability roadmap, including future skills, tooling and hiring needs.
- Foster a culture of ownership, reliability, learning and continuous improvement.
What we need
- Extensive hands-on experience leading DevOps and SRE practices in complex, multi-platform environments.
- Strong expertise in CI/CD tooling, including Azure DevOps and GitHub Actions.
- Proven experience defining CI/CD standards, templates and secure build pipelines.
- Deep understanding of cloud-native architectures, Kubernetes and application runtime configuration.
- Strong background in SRE concepts, including SLIs, SLOs, error budgets and reliability governance.
Driven by values, powered by inclusion. At OCU, our values guide everything we do: integrity, collaboration, respect, innovation and one company united. They shape how we work with our clients, communities, and each other. We believe that inclusion is more than a principle — it's the foundation of our success. By embracing equity and ensuring that every individual has the opportunity to thrive, we create a workplace where diverse perspectives are valued, and everyone feels they belong. Together, we build stronger teams, deliver better outcomes, and grow in ways that reflect the communities we serve. If you want to be part of a culture where values matter and inclusion is at the heart of everything we do apply now and help us shape the future together.
If you are invited to progress in the recruitment process, will you require any reasonable adjustments to support you? Please let us know so we can ensure the process is accessible and fair for you. Any information you share will be treated confidentially and will only be used to support you during the recruitment process.
DevOps Manager in Preston employer: OCU
OCU is an excellent employer that prioritises a supportive work culture and offers flexible working hours, making it an ideal place for those seeking a balance between personal and professional life. With a strong emphasis on employee growth opportunities, team members are encouraged to develop their skills while contributing to delivering exceptional customer service in the vibrant city of Leeds.
StudySmarter Expert Advice🤫
We think this is how you could land DevOps Manager in Preston
✨Tip Number 1
Network like a pro! Reach out to folks in the industry, attend meetups, and connect with people on LinkedIn. You never know who might have the inside scoop on job openings or can put in a good word for you.
✨Tip Number 2
Show off your skills! Create a portfolio or GitHub repository showcasing your DevOps projects. This gives potential employers a taste of what you can do and sets you apart from the crowd.
✨Tip Number 3
Prepare for interviews by brushing up on common DevOps scenarios and challenges. Be ready to discuss how you've tackled issues in the past and how you can bring value to OCU Digital's platforms.
✨Tip Number 4
Don't forget to apply through our website! It’s the best way to ensure your application gets seen by the right people. Plus, it shows you're genuinely interested in being part of our team at OCU Digital.
We think you need these skills to ace DevOps Manager in Preston
Some tips for your application 🫡
Tailor Your Application:Make sure to customise your CV and cover letter to highlight your experience with DevOps and SRE practices. We want to see how your skills align with our needs, so don’t hold back on showcasing your relevant achievements!
Showcase Your Technical Skills:When applying, be specific about your hands-on experience with CI/CD tooling like Azure DevOps and GitHub Actions. We’re looking for someone who can hit the ground running, so let us know how you’ve used these tools in past projects.
Demonstrate Leadership Experience:As a DevOps Manager, you’ll be leading a team, so it’s crucial to highlight any previous leadership roles. Share examples of how you’ve mentored others or driven improvements in your teams – we love to see that kind of initiative!
Apply Through Our Website:We encourage you to apply directly through our website. It’s the best way to ensure your application gets into the right hands. Plus, you’ll find all the details you need about the role and our company culture there!
How to prepare for a job interview at OCU
✨Know Your Tech Inside Out
Make sure you’re well-versed in the specific technologies mentioned in the job description, like Azure DevOps and CI/CD practices. Brush up on your knowledge of cloud-native architectures and Kubernetes, as these will likely come up during technical discussions.
✨Showcase Your Leadership Skills
As a DevOps Manager, you'll need to demonstrate your ability to lead and mentor teams. Prepare examples of how you've successfully managed teams in the past, focusing on fostering a culture of ownership and continuous improvement.
✨Prepare for Scenario-Based Questions
Expect questions that assess your problem-solving skills in real-world scenarios. Think about challenges you've faced in previous roles, particularly around reliability and performance issues, and be ready to discuss how you addressed them.
✨Align with Company Values
OCU Digital places a strong emphasis on values like integrity, collaboration, and inclusion. Be prepared to discuss how your personal values align with theirs and provide examples of how you've embodied these principles in your work.
