Platform Services - Azure Cloud Operations Lead

The Azure Cloud Engineering Lead will be responsible for leading DevSecOps practices, which includes the design into the operational implementation, and management of Azure cloud solutions. This role involves working closely with cross-functional teams, including developers, architects, and project managers, to ensure the successful delivery of cloud projects from design to successful operations. The ideal candidate will have extensive experience in Azure cloud services, strong leadership skills, and a passion for driving innovation in cloud technology. They will have experience leading junior cloud administrators.

IT Systems Analysis work focuses on designing information systems that are appropriate for users' needs and consistent with the overall design of the organization's information systems architecture including:

• Collecting and analyzing information from system users to formulate the scope and objectives of the system;
• Preparing flow charts, models, and procedures and conducting feasibility studies to design possible system solutions;
• Estimating the costs of system solutions and preparing project plans to provide input into decisions about prioritizing projects and allocating IT resources;
• Preparing and maintaining technical documentation to guide system users and to assist with the ongoing operation, maintenance, and development of the system;
• Leverages agile methodology to design and configure solutions;
• Works closely with business to develop required training, change management and operations process;
• Develop use cases, customer scenarios, and/or demos, and plan and coordinate testing of the newly developed or enhanced applications and provide support;
• Looks for opportunities to automate business process with technology, and may provide consultation to users in the area of automated systems.

Required Qualifications:

• Education: Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science, Information Technology, or a related field or the equivalent.
• Experience: 6+ years of hands-on experience with cloud engineering, with at least 3 years focused on Azure cloud services.
• Leadership: Minimum 3 years of experience leading and mentoring cloud engineering teams.
• Cloud Architecture: Proven track record in designing and implementing large-scale, secure, and highly available Azure architectures, including IaaS, PaaS, and SaaS solutions.
• DevSecOps Expertise: Strong experience with DevSecOps practices, including CI/CD pipelines, infrastructure as code (Terraform, ARM templates), and automated testing.
• Git & Version Control: Expertise in Git for version control, including branching strategies, pull requests, and collaboration in cloud environments.
• Kubernetes: Experience with Kubernetes for container orchestration, including deploying, managing, and scaling applications in Azure Kubernetes Service (AKS) or equivalent environments.
• Security & Compliance: In-depth understanding of cloud security frameworks (e.g., CIS, NIST) and compliance requirements (e.g., GDPR, HIPAA). Experience with cloud-native security tools (Azure Security Center, Sentinel).
• Automation: Proficiency in automation scripting (PowerShell, Python, or similar) and configuration management tools (Ansible, Chef, or Puppet).
• Collaboration & Communication: Excellent written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to interact with technical and non-technical stakeholders at all levels.

Preferred Qualifications:
• Project Management: Experience managing end-to-end cloud projects using agile methodologies. Familiarity with tools like Azure DevOps or Jira for project tracking.
• Networking: Strong understanding of Azure networking, including virtual networks, VPNs, firewalls, load balancers, and hybrid connectivity (ExpressRoute, VPN Gateway).
• Certifications: Microsoft Certified: Azure Solutions Architect Expert or equivalent required. Other relevant certifications (e.g., Azure Security Engineer Associate) are a plus.