At a Glance
- Tasks: Build and improve secure platforms for critical national services used by millions.
- Company: Join a major global tech and engineering organisation with a focus on public-sector digital programmes.
- Benefits: Hybrid work, training opportunities, and career development in a supportive environment.
- Other info: Opportunity to progress towards technical leadership roles in a dynamic team.
- Why this job: Solve complex engineering challenges and influence platform strategy at a national scale.
- Qualifications: Strong experience in AWS, Terraform, Kubernetes, and a passion for mentoring others.
The predicted salary is between 63000 - 77000 £ per year.
Midlands and North of England | Hybrid (2-6 days per month)
Join a major global technology and engineering organisation delivering some of the UK’s most significant public-sector digital programmes.
You will help build, operate and improve the platforms behind critical national services used by millions of people.
These are complex, highly regulated environments where security, reliability, resilience and engineering quality genuinely matter.
This is not an architecture-only or delivery-management position.
We are looking for engineers who still enjoy building, automating, troubleshooting and improving platforms while mentoring others and influencing technical direction.
The opportunity
You could be involved in
- Building secure, multi-account AWS platforms and landing zones
- Engineering and operating production Kubernetes and EKS environments
- Creating reusable Terraform modules and automated infrastructure capabilities
- Building internal developer platforms, self-service tooling and golden paths
- Developing shared CI/CD platforms using Git Hub Actions, Git Lab or Jenkins
- Implementing Git Ops using Argo CD or Flux
- Improving observability with Open Telemetry, Prometheus and Grafana
- Automating security, compliance and operational processes
- Troubleshooting complex production incidents
- Improving platform reliability, resilience and developer experience
- Setting engineering standards and helping teams adopt them
- Mentoring engineers while remaining actively involved in technical delivery
You will work alongside experienced engineers on large-scale programmes, with the opportunity to influence how modern engineering platforms are designed and operated across major government services.
- What we are looking for
- You should have strong production experience across several of the following:
- AWS - Must
- Terraform, Terragrunt or Open Tofu - Must
- Kubernetes or EKS - Must
- Git Hub Actions, Git Lab CI or Jenkins
- Infrastructure as Code
- Python, Go or Bash automation
- Networking and IAM
- Prometheus, Grafana, Open Telemetry or Datadog
- Production support and incident response
You do not need experience with every tool listed.
What matters is your ability to explain
- What you personally built
- Why it was needed
- How it worked
- The technical decisions and trade-offs involved
- How it performed in production
- How you improved the experience of other engineers
You may already lead engineers, own a platform capability or be progressing toward broader technical leadership.
You will bring strong hands-on engineering experience, credible platform ownership and the ability to influence technical decisions beyond your immediate team.
You will already operate as a senior technical authority.
You will bring deeper evidence of production ownership, engineering scale, technical decision-making, mentoring and the ability to lead conversations with senior client engineering teams.
Why consider the opportunity?
- Work on critical digital services operating at national scale
- Solve complex engineering problems in secure, regulated environments
- Build modern cloud-native and internal developer platforms
- Influence platform strategy, standards and engineering practices
- Work alongside a large community of experienced cloud and platform specialists
- Access significant training, certification and career-development opportunities
- Progress toward broader technical leadership, Principal or SME positions
- Location and working arrangements
We are recruiting across the Midlands and North, including
Manchester, Leeds, Newcastle, Birmingham, Leeds.
The role is hybrid, combining home working with office. (2-6 days per month)
This is not a fully remote position, and onsite requirements will vary depending on the programme, delivery phase and security environment.
Security clearance
Candidates must be eligible to complete BPSS checks and obtain UK Security Check clearance.
This will normally require a suitable period of UK residency, permanent UK working rights and the ability to complete the relevant background checks.
We are particularly interested in engineers who combine strong technical judgement with platform ownership, clear communication and the potential to become future technical leaders.
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Lead Platform Engineer in Manchester employer: SF Technology Partners
This company is an exceptional employer for a Staff Engineer, offering a unique opportunity to lead in AI innovation and product development while enjoying a healthy work-life balance through hybrid and flexible working arrangements. With a strong commitment to employee growth, including a well-structured training scheme and regular salary reviews, you will thrive in a collaborative and autonomous team culture that values your contributions and supports your professional journey. Located near Manchester, this PE-backed firm not only provides competitive salaries but also the chance to significantly benefit from the company's growth trajectory.
StudySmarter Expert Advice🤫
We think this is how you could land Lead Platform Engineer 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 SF Technology Partners 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 SF Technology Partners.
✨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 SF Technology Partners.
✨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 SF Technology Partners 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 Lead Platform Engineer 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 SF Technology Partners.
Craft a killer cover letter:Your cover letter is your chance to stand out—make it personal! Explain why you want to work at SF Technology Partners 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 SF Technology Partners
✨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 SF Technology Partners 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.
