At a Glance
- Tasks: Lead the architectural vision for our cloud platform and ensure compliance with AWS standards.
- Company: Join Wickes, a digitally-led home improvement retailer with a supportive culture.
- Benefits: Enjoy competitive pay, 25 days holiday, hybrid working, and wellness support.
- Other info: Be part of a collaborative team that values inclusivity and personal growth.
- Why this job: Make a real impact on our digital transformation while working with cutting-edge technology.
- Qualifications: Expertise in AWS architecture, automation tools, and CI/CD practices required.
The predicted salary is between 70000 - 90000 £ per year.
We’re looking for a high-calibre Platform Architect to join our team in a permanent capacity to spearhead our long-term infrastructure modernization and governance strategy. This is a "hands-on" architectural leadership role; you’ll be the primary custodian of our technical roadmap, responsible for defining high-level strategy and leading the end-to-end execution of complex migrations, automated lifecycle management, and security hardening.
As a permanent pillar of the team, you will be the driving force behind enforcing AWS Well-Architected standards across our entire multi-account estate. You will treat the platform as a product—continuously identifying and eliminating technical debt, from decommissioning legacy directory services to upgrading out-of-support libraries. By building and scaling the automated deployment pipelines and robust guardrails that underpin our operations, you will ensure our "seriously digital" future is built on a resilient, secure, and world-class foundation.
What you’ll be doing:
- Architectural Ownership: Define and maintain the long-term architectural vision for the Wickes cloud platform, ensuring it scales with the business.
- Governance & Guardrails: Design and enforce automated preventive and detective guardrails (SCPs, AWS Config) across the AWS Organization to ensure continuous compliance.
- Identity Modernization: Lead the strategic decommissioning of AWS Active Directory and manage the lifecycle of Microsoft Domain Controller upgrades.
- Automated Lifecycle Management: Establish frameworks for automated patching and version upgrades for AWS Lambda and RDS to ensure zero-touch maintenance.
- Engineering Excellence: Champion Infrastructure as Code (Terraform/Ansible) and CI/CD (GitLab) best practices, mentoring engineers to improve overall code quality and deployment velocity.
- Security Hardening: Proactively manage CVEs by identifying and upgrading out-of-support tools and provider libraries.
- Stakeholder Partnership: Collaborating with cross-functional teams to translate business requirements into scalable architectural patterns.
What we’re looking for:
You’ll be an expert AWS Architect with extensive hands-on experience designing and operating production-grade AWS environments at scale. You’ll have a solid background in traditional infrastructure (compute, storage, networking) applied to cloud-native architectures. As well as this you’ll have skills and experience in the following areas:
- Automation Mastery: Expert-level proficiency in Terraform and Ansible, with a strong focus on modular, reusable code.
- CI/CD Specialist: Deep experience building and optimizing pipelines, preferably within GitLab.
- Identity Expert: Strong working knowledge of identity protocols such as OpenID Connect, SAML and hands-on experience with Microsoft Active Directory and AWS IAM (Identity and Access Management).
- Observability: Hands-on experience with Datadog for enterprise-wide monitoring and proactive alerting.
- Agile Tooling: Proficient in using JIRA for task management and Confluence for technical documentation and ADRs (Architectural Decision Records).
Preferred Qualifications
- Multi-Cloud: Exposure to Google Cloud Platform (GCP).
- Retail Sector: Experience in high-volume, high-availability retail or e-commerce environments.
- Certifications: AWS Solutions Architect Professional or Security Specialty.
What's in it for you?
Our strong family values and 'cornerstones' lie at the heart of the success of our journey. If matching your ambition to our culture is an exciting prospect, there's never been a better time to join us. We’re a team. And teams work best together when they know and respect one another. Listen and learn from one another. So we offer a hybrid working model. Giving you the support you need to do well at work, and the flexibility to make life work for you.
We’ll also equip you with a benefits package that includes:
- Competitive package including an annual bonus
- 25 Days holiday plus bank holidays
- Contributory Pension and Life Assurance
- Flexible Hybrid working (2-3 days in Watford)
- Save-as-you-earn scheme
- Colleague discount
- Discount platform including savings and cash back at numerous retailers, savings on gym membership, cycle to work scheme
Our widely recognised wellbeing strategy is something we’re proud of at Wickes. As part of this, we offer a range of health and wellbeing benefits and support, including an Employee Assistance Programme, financial education & loans, and access to parental, menopause, and fertility support.
About Us:
Wickes is a digitally-led, service-enabled home improvement retailer. Our purpose is to help the nation feel house-proud. We are a business that is 'big on people' and we are committed to creating a culture where anyone can be themselves and feel proud to be part of the Wickes family. Our agile, cross-functional teams work in a supportive, collaborative environment, and we are on a journey to become a 'seriously digital' business, leveraging modern, event-driven architectures (MACH) to deliver a best-in-class experience for our customers and colleagues.
We care for our people – and we look out for one another. Everyone has a voice. We’re ambitious, but we’re inclusive, supportive and down-to-earth with it. Anyone can build on their talent and expect our support to get on.
Please contact us here if you require any adjustments within the application process. If you require any reasonable adjustments at the interview stage you will have an opportunity to inform us when we invite you to interview.
Platform Architect - AWS, Automation & Guardrails in Watford employer: Wickes
Wickes is an exceptional employer that prioritises a supportive and inclusive work culture, making it an ideal place for a Platform Architect to thrive. With a strong emphasis on employee wellbeing, competitive benefits, and a hybrid working model, we empower our team members to balance their professional and personal lives while fostering continuous growth and development in a digitally-led environment. Join us in Watford, where your expertise will be valued, and you will play a pivotal role in shaping the future of our cloud platform.
StudySmarter Expert Advice🤫
We think this is how you could land Platform Architect - AWS, Automation & Guardrails in Watford
✨Tip Number 1
Network like a pro! Reach out to current employees at Wickes on LinkedIn or other platforms. Ask them about their experiences and any tips they might have for the interview process. It’s all about making connections!
✨Tip Number 2
Prepare for those technical questions! Brush up on your AWS knowledge, especially around automation and security hardening. We want to see you shine in the interview, so practice explaining your past projects and how they relate to the role.
✨Tip Number 3
Show us your passion for the platform! Be ready to discuss how you treat platforms as products and your approach to eliminating technical debt. We love candidates who can think strategically and practically at the same time.
✨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 joining the Wickes family.
We think you need these skills to ace Platform Architect - AWS, Automation & Guardrails in Watford
Some tips for your application 🫡
Show Your AWS Expertise:Make sure to highlight your hands-on experience with AWS in your application. We want to see how you've designed and operated production-grade environments, so share specific examples that showcase your skills!
Emphasise Automation Skills:Since automation is key for this role, let us know about your proficiency in Terraform and Ansible. Share any projects where you’ve implemented Infrastructure as Code or optimised CI/CD pipelines – we love to see that kind of initiative!
Tailor Your Application:Don’t just send a generic CV! Tailor your application to reflect the job description. Mention your experience with identity protocols and security hardening, as these are crucial for the Platform Architect role we’re looking to fill.
Apply Through Our Website:We encourage you to apply through our website for a smoother process. It helps us keep track of applications and ensures you don’t miss out on any important updates from us. Plus, it’s super easy!
How to prepare for a job interview at Wickes
✨Know Your AWS Inside Out
Make sure you brush up on your AWS knowledge, especially around Well-Architected standards. Be ready to discuss your hands-on experience with AWS environments and how you've tackled challenges in the past.
✨Showcase Your Automation Skills
Prepare to talk about your expertise in Terraform and Ansible. Have examples ready that demonstrate how you've implemented Infrastructure as Code and optimised CI/CD pipelines, particularly in GitLab.
✨Understand Identity Management
Familiarise yourself with identity protocols like OpenID Connect and SAML. Be prepared to explain your experience with AWS IAM and Microsoft Active Directory, as this will be crucial for the role.
✨Emphasise Collaboration and Communication
Since this role involves working with cross-functional teams, think of examples where you've successfully collaborated with others. Highlight your experience using tools like JIRA and Confluence to manage tasks and document decisions.
