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Senior Cloud Ops Engineer

Southern Water

The Role

Overview

Design, implement and operate Azure cloud infrastructure for Southern Water.

Key Responsibilities

  • landing zones
  • iac
  • automation
  • cost management
  • security
  • monitoring

Tasks

-Support compliance with internal policies and regulatory standards by ensuring guardrails and policies are in place. -Help maintain consistent operational practices and contribute to knowledge sharing across the team. -Enforce cloud security best practices, including role-based access control (RBAC), encryption, and secure networking. -Stay informed on the latest Azure features, cloud architecture patterns, and best practices. -Monitor and manage cloud workloads to ensure availability, performance, and security. -Support the transition from IaaS to PaaS services by designing and implementing modern cloud-native solutions. -Build, configure, and maintain Azure cloud environments (IaaS, PaaS, storage, networking, identity). -Work with infrastructure architects, data platform teams, developers, and project teams to support solution delivery. -Recommend improvements or innovations based on emerging technologies and industry trends. -Act as an escalation point for cloud-related incidents and changes. -Collaborate with the DR/BCP team to maintain and update recovery procedures and test plans. -Deploy and support Azure Landing Zones in line with enterprise architecture standards. -Automate provisioning, scaling, and maintenance of cloud resources using DevOps pipelines and scripts (PowerShell, Azure CLI, CI/CD etc.). -Contribute to cost optimization by right-sizing resources and identifying opportunities to reduce waste. -Use Azure Cost Management tools and dashboards to track and forecast cloud spend. -Document standard operating procedures, cloud configurations, and runbooks. -Participate in training, certifications, or knowledge-sharing sessions to continuously enhance cloud skills. -Ensure cloud services are resilient and recoverable in line with Recovery Time Objectives (RTO) and Recovery Point Objectives (RPO). -Implement infrastructure as code (IaC) using tools such as Bicep, ARM templates, or Terraform. -Assist with service transitions, knowledge transfer, and training for BAU support teams. -Collaborate with Security Operations and Compliance teams to remediate vulnerabilities and audit issues. -Monitor system health, respond to incidents, and participate in root cause analysis and continuous improvement. -Provide reporting and insights to the Cloud Operations Manager and Finance teams. -Support the implementation and testing of disaster recovery and business continuity plans related to cloud infrastructure.

Requirements

  • bachelor's
  • azure
  • docker
  • kubernetes
  • terraform
  • devops

What You Bring

-Bachelor's degree in Computer Science, Information Technology, or a related field or equivalent work experience. -Scaling and Performance Optimisation: Ability to scale cloud resources based on demand and optimize resource utilization for cost-effectiveness. -Documentation: Thorough documentation of configurations, processes, and procedures to ensure clarity and knowledge sharing. -Containerisation and Orchestration: Proficient with container technologies like Docker and container orchestration platforms such as Kubernetes. -Cloud Security and Compliance: Expertise in applying security best practices, including identity and access management (IAM), encryption, regulatory compliance and cloud-native security tools. -Infrastructure as Code (IaC): Knowledge of IaC tools like Terraform or CloudFormation to provision and manage infrastructure resources programmatically. -Networking: Strong knowledge of cloud networking concepts, including virtual networks, subnets, security groups, load balancers, and VPN configurations. -Proven experience in defining and implementing cloud infrastructure standards and best practices. -DevOps Principles: An understanding of DevOps practices and the ability to integrate development and operations workflows for faster and more reliable deployments. -Strong knowledge of landing zone architecture and best practices. -FinOps (Cloud Financial Operations): Experience with managing cloud costs, optimising cloud spending, and implementing FinOps principles to drive cost-effective cloud strategies while balancing performance and scalability. -Automation: Strong scripting skills (e.g., Python, PowerShell) and the ability to automate routine tasks and deployment processes for efficiency and consistency. -Security: Expertise in cloud security best practices, identity and access management (IAM), encryption, and compliance frameworks (e.g., PCI DSS, NIST). -Extensive experience with Microsoft Azure cloud services and PaaS/IaaS solutions. -Cloud Platform Expertise: Expert in MS Azure with a deep understanding of its services, features, and capabilities. -Communication: Excellent communication skills to convey technical information clearly to both technical and non-technical stakeholders. -Training: Demonstrated ability to train, mentor, and develop team members, fostering a culture of continuous learning, skill-building, and knowledge-sharing within the team. -Troubleshooting: Strong problem-solving and debugging skills to identify and resolve issues quickly.

Benefits

-Company and performance-related bonus. -Occupational health service. -An employee assistance program. -Pension contributions up to 11% (depending on your contribution). -Study support may be available for job-related qualifications. -Salary sacrifice electric car scheme (after 6 months service). -Competitive maternity & paternity leave and flexible return to work options. -A network of sports and social clubs. -Digital GP service. -Two paid volunteering days a year. -25 days annual leave + Bank Holidays. -Free annual flu jab and eye test vouchers. -Discounts with over 800 popular retailers. -Life assurance equal to 4x salary. -Cycle to work scheme. -Health Cash Plan.

The Company

About Southern Water

-Constructs reservoirs, pipelines, sewage treatment upgrades, and implements contingency measures like importing water during droughts. -Specializes in large-scale water infrastructure, operational delivery, and environmental engineering across the South East. -Notably fined for misreporting sewage spills; offers guided tours of Victorian sewers and public access to historic reservoirs.

Sector Specialisms

Water Resources

Wastewater Networks

Sewer Services

Water Treatment

Water Filtration

Drinking Water Systems

Water Purification

Residential Water Services

Industrial Water Solutions

Infrastructure

Environmental Improvement

Utilities