Find a job 
Featured Companies 
Featured Universities 
For Companies At a Glance
- Tasks: Lead the creation of an SRE function in a dynamic financial services environment.
- Company: Join a major financial services firm undergoing a tech transformation.
- Benefits: Flexible working, competitive salary, and opportunities for career growth.
- Other info: Opportunity to influence a high-visibility programme with potential for extension.
- Why this job: Shape global engineering practices and make a real impact on system reliability.
- Qualifications: Experience in leading SRE functions and strong understanding of reliability engineering.
The predicted salary is between 80000 - 100000 £ per year.
One of our clients is looking to hire an experienced Site Reliability Engineering Lead to support a major financial services firm undergoing a significant technology and operating model transformation. This is a high-impact role where you'll establish and shape an SRE function from the ground up, working directly with newly appointed leadership and global engineering teams.
The role involves joining a client environment where SRE capability is still maturing, giving you the chance to define what 'good' looks like and implement best practices across a global engineering estate. You'll operate at the intersection of engineering, operations, and reliability, embedding SRE principles alongside development teams and driving measurable improvements in system performance and resilience.
What you'll be doing:
- Lead the setup and evolution of an SRE function within a complex financial services environment
- Define and implement SLA/SLO/SLI frameworks, monitoring, alerting, and observability standards
- Establish post-incident review processes and drive a culture of continuous improvement
- Partner closely with engineering teams (50-100 globally) to embed SRE best practices
- Provide strategic advisory to senior stakeholders on reliability, tooling, and operating models
- Work alongside a small existing offshore SRE team to align delivery and standards
- Shape approaches to AI adoption within SRE/observability environments
- Support data-heavy platforms, including data ingestion and calculation pipelines
Technology Environment:
- Observability & Monitoring: Datadog, Grafana, Prometheus
- Event Management: BigPanda
What are they looking for?
- Proven experience leading or establishing SRE functions in enterprise environments
- Strong understanding of SRE principles, reliability engineering, and production systems
- Experience defining monitoring, alerting, and incident management frameworks
- Ability to operate as a hands-on leader and strategic advisor
- Background in financial services
- Familiarity with large-scale distributed systems and data pipelines
- Strong stakeholder engagement skills, particularly in transformation environments
This is a unique opportunity to build an SRE function from scratch in a high-visibility programme. You will influence global engineering practices across a large-scale platform and there is a strong likelihood of extension beyond initial 6 months. They also offer flexible working (2 days a week in their London office).
SRE Lead - Financial Services employer: Vertus Partners
Contact Detail:
Vertus Partners Recruiting Team
StudySmarter Expert Advice 🤫
We think this is how you could land SRE Lead - Financial Services
✨Tip Number 1
Network like a pro! Reach out to your connections in the financial services sector and let them know you're on the lookout for an SRE Lead role. You never know who might have the inside scoop on opportunities that aren't advertised yet.
✨Tip Number 2
Prepare for those interviews by brushing up on your SRE principles and best practices. Be ready to discuss how you would establish an SRE function from scratch and share examples of your past successes in similar roles.
✨Tip Number 3
Showcase your hands-on leadership style! During interviews, highlight your ability to partner with engineering teams and drive measurable improvements. Share specific instances where you've influenced change and improved system performance.
✨Tip Number 4
Don't forget to apply through our website! We’ve got loads of resources to help you nail that application process and land the job. Plus, it shows you're serious about joining the team!
We think you need these skills to ace SRE Lead - Financial Services
Some tips for your application 🫡
Tailor Your CV: Make sure your CV speaks directly to the SRE Lead role. Highlight your experience in establishing SRE functions and any relevant achievements in financial services. We want to see how you can shape our SRE function!
Craft a Compelling Cover Letter: Your cover letter is your chance to shine! Use it to explain why you're passionate about SRE and how your background aligns with our needs. Let us know how you can drive improvements in system performance and resilience.
Showcase Your Technical Skills: Don’t forget to mention your familiarity with tools like Datadog, Grafana, and Prometheus. We’re looking for someone who can hit the ground running, so make sure we see your technical prowess in your application!
Apply Through Our Website: We encourage you to apply through our website for a smoother process. It helps us keep track of your application and ensures you don’t miss out on any updates. We can’t wait to hear from you!
How to prepare for a job interview at Vertus Partners
✨Know Your SRE Principles
Make sure you brush up on your understanding of SRE principles and how they apply to financial services. Be ready to discuss how you've implemented SLA/SLO/SLI frameworks in the past and how you can bring that experience to the table.
✨Showcase Your Leadership Skills
This role is all about leading and shaping an SRE function. Prepare examples of how you've successfully led teams or projects, particularly in complex environments. Highlight your ability to engage with stakeholders and drive a culture of continuous improvement.
✨Familiarise Yourself with Their Tech Stack
Get to know the tools mentioned in the job description, like Datadog, Grafana, and Prometheus. If you have experience with these or similar tools, be ready to share specific instances where you've used them to enhance system performance and reliability.
✨Prepare for Scenario-Based Questions
Expect questions that assess your problem-solving skills in real-world scenarios. Think about past incidents you've managed, how you approached post-incident reviews, and what improvements you implemented as a result. This will show your hands-on leadership style and strategic thinking.