Senior Infrastructure Analyst in Bristol

The role: We are looking for a Senior Cloud Infrastructure Analyst to join our IT department in Bristol. At Simmons & Simmons, technology is central to delivering exceptional client service. We are seeking a talented and motivated Senior Cloud Infrastructure Analyst to join our Platforms team and help build, automate and operate the Azure platform underpinning our applications and services. This is a hands-on engineering role focused on designing and delivering secure, scalable and resilient cloud solutions in Microsoft Azure, using Infrastructure as Code and CI/CD automation as the default approach. You will work closely with architects, security and application teams to implement cloud platform patterns and enable delivery teams to deploy safely and consistently. You will be required to act as senior technical authority within the platforms team, supporting decision-making, mentoring engineers, and shaping the Azure roadmap.

What will you do:

• Azure Infrastructure as Code (IaC) & CI/CD automation: Build, deploy, and maintain Azure infrastructure using IaC (Bicep and/or Terraform) with peer review and version control. Strong familiarity working in IaC and pipelines to ensure quality, security and adherence to baseline standards.
• Cloud reliability, operations & incident/problem support (engineering-led): Act as a senior escalation point for complex Azure platform incidents; leading to troubleshoot, perform root cause analysis, and implement sustainable fixes (automation over repeated manual intervention). Monitor and improve platform health using Azure observability tooling (e.g., Azure Monitor, Log Analytics/KQL, Application Insights, Science Logic), and improve alerting and diagnostics. Lead reliability and resilience improvements such as performance tuning, resource optimisation, cost optimization using FinOps and provide availability enhancements, aligned to our service-level expectations. A senior analyst is expected to be a point of contact and escalation at all times, taking ownership of incident management, while providing 3rd & 4th level and technical support. Any experience working within the Agile framework using Scrum.
• Security, compliance & governance: Embed security controls and compliance checks into delivery pipelines (DevSecOps approach), ensuring cloud systems are configured securely and remain compliant. Contribute to platform governance initiatives such as naming/tagging conventions, logging standards, Key Vault/secret patterns, and controlled change via Github Push/Pull requests. Work closely with Security and CISO stakeholders and the wider networks team to maintain a strong and compliant security posture across our Azure public cloud subscription.
• Delivery collaboration & technical project contribution: Collaborate with stakeholders, architects and engineers to translate requirements into Azure designs and deliver working solutions. Contribute to planning and execution of cloud-focused initiatives, identifying risks and dependencies early and supporting smooth transition into support. Maintain clear technical documentation (design notes, runbooks, standard operating procedures) in the team’s knowledge base.

What we are looking for:

The role deliberately covers a relatively broad brief of technologies, targeted at enabling effective communication and efficient working practices. We would expect the role holder to be able to demonstrate a skill base that spans a range of the following topics and, where necessary, to demonstrate the aptitude and desire to develop to meet the entire brief.

• Knowledge of a range of enterprise IT application technologies, including a demonstrated track record in operating and administering or working with infrastructure applications as part of the Microsoft Application Stack such as Exchange 365; Active Directory, AD connect, Azure site recovery (ASR) and Azure Virtual Desktop (AVD) and Azure SQL.
• Experience of working with VMware vSphere, HPE Servers & Storage, upgrades and maintenance procedures.
• Hands-on experience engineering solutions in Microsoft Azure, including a solid understanding of Azure IaaS and PaaS services (e.g., VMs, Storage, App Services, Front Door, API Management, Azure Functions, Azure SQL, Azure Networking).
• Strong experience with Infrastructure as Code in either (Bicep and/or Terraform; ARM knowledge acceptable where relevant).
• Practical experience with Azure DevOps (Pipelines, Repos, CI/CD concepts) and Git-based version control.
• Azure networking knowledge including VNETs, vWAN, ExpressRoute, VPN gateways, hub-and-spoke, and traffic management concepts.
• Azure security fundamentals including Managed Identities, Key Vault, Conditional Access, Defender for Cloud/Security Centre.
• Strong scripting capability in PowerShell (and/or Bash), and the ability to automate operational tasks and deployments.
• Strong troubleshooting mindset: diagnosing complex issues and driving them to resolution with appropriate escalation and RCA.
• Clear communication skills, including the ability to explain technical topics in plain English in a professional services environment.
• A Strong problem-solver with proactive, engineering-led mindset.
• Self-motivated technical lead and mentor.
• Comfortable working as a senior engineer in a collaborative, geographically diverse and inclusive team.
• Preferably either: 5-years relevant experience working in a similar role, or a qualification in Computer Science or Engineering or Microsoft accredited Azure Certifications (e.g., Azure Administrator / DevOps / Cloud Engineering) and relevant experience working in a similar role.
• Excellent Knowledge of the Azure and Windows Stack.

Career Level: The career level assigned to this role is level 3. The career level framework provides a formal structure for the business services functions at the firm. The framework, which ranges from level 1 to level 7, clearly defines the responsibilities, skills and competencies required at each level.

Here at Simmons & Simmons: At Simmons, we are proud of our collaborative, open and non-hierarchical culture, where everyone is treated with respect and dignity and the wellbeing of our people is paramount. Our dynamic minds work as one integrated team, partnering with leading organisations on inspirational and thought-provoking projects that matter. From day one, irrespective of job title, qualification or background, everyone’s voice is heard, and you are encouraged to have an enquiring mind and share ideas that drive the firm forward. Through innovative learning and development opportunities, you will have a platform to excel, exceed your career ambitions, and achieve things you never thought possible.

Some key information: We offer a competitive package including bonuses dependant on role/level, private medical insurance and pension contribution. Our global skills academy provides our people, regardless of their role and location, with excellent learning opportunities (including live workshops, podcasts, short videos and practical learning experiences). We have adopted a hybrid working approach with a requirement for a minimum of three days in the office with flexibility dependant on role/team/client demands. We are proud to rank as a Times Top 50 Employer for Gender Equality, a Stonewall Top Global Employer, and a Top 75 Employer for Social Mobility. We have a range of social and sports committees, summer and winter parties and monthly get togethers. We have a range of diversity networks to connect people and celebrate our differences which is integral to our inclusive culture. All UK offices have their own artwork collections – including Damien Hirst and Tracey Emin pieces in the London office. We have a long-standing history in supporting the art community especially up-and-coming artists. We have recently introduced a Strategic Advisory Council which is a mix of associates and business services who will propose strategic initiatives that align with our firm's mission and support the delivery of our business plan, shaping the future of our next-generation law firm. Our in-house generative AI tool, Percy, won the ‘Innovation in Automation and AI Tools’ category at the 2024 FT Innovative Lawyers Europe Awards. This achievement highlights our commitment to technological innovation and client service. We have been commended in The Times Best Law Firms 2026 across three categories: construction, employment, and intellectual property. Our profile is highly positive, highlighting our sector specialisms and notable case and transactional work.

Equal opportunities: We are committed to fostering equality, diversity and inclusion within our firm and to ensuring equal employment opportunities. We believe that this commitment creates a vibrant and rewarding work environment. We are therefore committed to: Upholding equal opportunities, regardless of race, ethnicity, religion, belief, age, disability, sexual orientation, sex, gender reassignment, gender identity, marital status, or pregnancy, including maternity and paternity. This commitment extends to addressing any instances of perceived or associative discrimination and harassment. We also ensure fair treatment during recruitment and selection processes for those who are serving or have served in the armed forces, along with their families. Accommodating requests for flexible working arrangements whenever possible. We encourage you to discuss your needs with us if this is something you require. Making our roles accessible to individuals with diverse abilities. If you need any reasonable adjustments during the recruitment process, please let us know so we can meet your needs. We offer a range of employee networks to support our colleagues. More information about these networks can be found in the D&I Information booklet that candidates are sent when invited to interview. We encourage you to apply even if you don't meet every single requirement. We are looking for individuals who are passionate and eager to learn and grow with us. Your unique experiences and perspectives could be a great addition to our team. We reserve the right to close this vacancy early if we receive sufficient applications for the role. Therefore, if you are interested, please submit your application as early as possible. If you’re interested in finding out more about this position, please contact the Recruitment Team. To apply for the role, click on the link at the top of the page or visit our careers page for more details.