Head of Platform in London

Head of Platform in London

London Full-Time 43200 - 72000 £ / year (est.) Home office (partial)
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At a Glance

  • Tasks: Lead the creation of a groundbreaking observability platform from scratch.
  • Company: Holland & Barrett, a historic brand with a fresh startup vibe.
  • Benefits: Competitive salary, health cash plan, flexible working, and exclusive discounts.
  • Why this job: Shape the future of platform engineering in a dynamic, innovative environment.
  • Qualifications: Proven leadership in SRE, DevOps, and cloud-native systems.
  • Other info: Join a diverse team committed to health and wellness for all.

The predicted salary is between 43200 - 72000 £ per year.

At Holland & Barrett, we are over a century old and yet a startup. Our radical digital transformation has made us fully cloud-native, leveraging containers, Kubernetes, serverless, and event-driven services to redefine our industry. We are looking for a visionary Head of Platform to lead the next chapter in our engineering story. This isn’t just another leadership role; it’s your chance to build a greenfield observability platform from scratch and shape the future of our operations, security, and developer experience.

We are creating an operational platform that will become the backbone of incident management, security, and service owner operations. From IoT devices and network assets to cloud infrastructure, this platform will give us a unified view across our ecosystem. Our goal: enable teams to move faster, more reliably, and more securely while giving our developers a world-class platform experience.

We embrace a platform as a product philosophy: our platform is built for developers, designed with their feedback, and crafted to accelerate innovation across the organisation.

What You’ll Do

  • Define and execute the roadmap for our greenfield observability platform.
  • Lead and mentor a high-performing team of SRE, DevOps, and DevSecOps engineers.
  • Drive architecture and technology decisions to ensure the platform is secure, scalable, and reliable.
  • Partner with security and engineering teams to embed security into every layer of the platform.
  • Champion a platform as a product mindset, delivering a seamless developer experience.
  • Promote SRE and DevSecOps best practices across the organisation.

Key Requirements

  • Proven senior leadership experience (Head of Platform, Head of DevOps, or similar).
  • Deep expertise in SRE, DevOps, and DevSecOps practices.
  • Hands-on experience building and operating large-scale, cloud-native systems (AWS).
  • Skilled in containerization and orchestration (Docker, Kubernetes), serverless, and event-driven architectures.
  • Track record of building and leading high-performing engineering teams.
  • Strong communicator with the ability to articulate technical vision and influence stakeholders.
  • Passion for developer experience and treating internal platforms as products.
  • Familiarity with observability tools and technologies (Prometheus, Grafana, ELK stack, distributed tracing).

Why Holland & Barrett

This is a rare opportunity to build a platform from the ground up in a historic, global company with a startup mindset. You’ll have autonomy, access to cutting-edge technology, and the support of a forward-thinking leadership team. We offer a competitive salary, a comprehensive benefits package, and a flexible working environment.

If you’re a passionate, innovative, and results-oriented leader excited by the challenge of shaping the future of observability and secure platform engineering, we’d love to hear from you.

What We Offer

  • Health Cash Plan
  • Life Assurance
  • Bonus Scheme - Based on company & personal performance
  • Virtual GP
  • Private Medical care
  • FREE at-home blood test kit
  • Holiday Purchase option
  • Pension Contribution scheme
  • Access to Wellhub with gyms, studios and wellbeing apps
  • 25% Colleague Discount with FREE Standard Delivery
  • Exclusive Discounts from a wide range of partners
  • £/€50 Annual Product Allowance to spend in store
  • Access to a variety of learning opportunities, including Level 2-5 Apprenticeships, Workshops and our Digital Learning Library

Holland and Barrett is an equal opportunity employer. We welcome diverse perspectives and are committed to creating an inclusive environment for all colleagues. We understand that when our colleagues are listened to, respected and valued for who they are, we build an organisation with belonging at its heart making health and wellness a way of life for everyone.

Head of Platform in London employer: Shanghai VIM Industrial Design Co., Ltd.

At Holland & Barrett, we pride ourselves on being a forward-thinking employer that combines over a century of heritage with a dynamic startup culture. As the Head of Platform, you'll have the unique opportunity to lead the development of a groundbreaking observability platform while enjoying a flexible working environment, competitive salary, and extensive benefits that prioritise your wellbeing and professional growth. Join us in shaping the future of secure platform engineering within a supportive and inclusive team that values innovation and collaboration.
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Contact Detail:

Shanghai VIM Industrial Design Co., Ltd. Recruiting Team

StudySmarter Expert Advice 🤫

We think this is how you could land Head of Platform in London

✨Tip Number 1

Network like a pro! Reach out to your connections in the industry, attend meetups, and engage in online forums. The more people you know, the better your chances of landing that Head of Platform role.

✨Tip Number 2

Showcase your expertise! Prepare a portfolio or case studies that highlight your experience with cloud-native systems, SRE, and DevOps practices. This will help you stand out during interviews and discussions.

✨Tip Number 3

Be ready to discuss your vision! When you get the chance to chat with hiring managers, articulate how you would approach building a greenfield observability platform. They want to see your strategic thinking in action.

✨Tip Number 4

Apply through our website! It’s the best way to ensure your application gets noticed. Plus, it shows you’re genuinely interested in being part of the Holland & Barrett team.

We think you need these skills to ace Head of Platform in London

Leadership
SRE Practices
DevOps Practices
DevSecOps Practices
Cloud-Native Systems (AWS)
Containerization (Docker, Kubernetes)
Serverless Architecture
Event-Driven Architecture
Team Building
Technical Communication
Observability Tools (Prometheus, Grafana, ELK stack)
Stakeholder Influence
Developer Experience Focus
Architecture and Technology Decision-Making

Some tips for your application 🫡

Show Your Passion: When writing your application, let your enthusiasm for the role shine through. We want to see your excitement about building a greenfield observability platform and how you can contribute to our mission at Holland & Barrett.

Tailor Your Experience: Make sure to highlight your relevant experience in SRE, DevOps, and DevSecOps. We’re looking for someone who can lead and mentor a high-performing team, so share specific examples of your leadership and technical skills that align with our needs.

Be Clear and Concise: Keep your application straightforward and to the point. We appreciate clarity, so avoid jargon and focus on articulating your vision and how it aligns with our platform as a product philosophy.

Apply Through Our Website: Don’t forget to submit your application through our website! It’s the best way for us to receive your details and ensures you’re considered for this exciting opportunity to shape the future of our operations.

How to prepare for a job interview at Shanghai VIM Industrial Design Co., Ltd.

✨Know Your Tech Inside Out

Make sure you’re well-versed in the technologies mentioned in the job description, like Kubernetes, AWS, and observability tools. Brush up on your knowledge of containerization and serverless architectures, as these will likely come up during technical discussions.

✨Showcase Your Leadership Style

Prepare to discuss your leadership experience and how you've built high-performing teams in the past. Think of specific examples where you’ve mentored engineers or driven architectural decisions that led to successful outcomes.

✨Emphasise Developer Experience

Since the role focuses on treating the platform as a product, be ready to share your thoughts on enhancing developer experience. Discuss any past initiatives you’ve led that improved workflows or made tools more user-friendly for developers.

✨Prepare Questions That Matter

Have insightful questions ready about the company’s vision for the platform and how they plan to integrate security into their operations. This shows your genuine interest in the role and helps you assess if the company aligns with your values.

Head of Platform in London
Shanghai VIM Industrial Design Co., Ltd.
Location: London
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