Infrastructure and Cloud Specialist

Avanti Software Inc.; Welland; Hybrid; CAD 110,000 - 129,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

OMERS pension

Five wellness days

Flexible work arrangements

Job summary

City of Welland is seeking an Infrastructure & Cloud Specialist to manage on-premises and cloud infrastructure, including servers, virtualization, storage, and platform services. You will lead Azure, 365, Active Directory, and Entra ID administration, aligning with cloud-first goals.

Responsibilities include security, backup, disaster recovery, governance, and cost management, with collaboration across IT teams.

Qualifications

• University degree or college diploma in Computer Science, Information Technology, Computer Engineering or a related field.
• Minimum five (5) years of progressive enterprise experience supporting infrastructure, Microsoft cloud services, identity platforms or related technologies.
• Advanced knowledge of Windows Server, virtualization, storage, backup and recovery, Active Directory, Entra ID, Microsoft 365 and Azure administration.
• Strong practical knowledge of cloud and infrastructure administration, identity and access management, secure administration, monitoring, patching, vulnerability remediation and disaster recovery.
• Experience administering Exchange Online and integrating SaaS or cloud services with identity, authentication, provisioning and connectivity services.
• Working knowledge of enterprise networking, firewalls, VPN, DNS, DHCP, certificates, Azure networking and security operations sufficient to provide coordinated support and backup coverage.
• Experience developing technical standards, diagrams, procedures, inventories, recovery runbooks, lifecycle plans and management reporting.
• Ability to analyze complex, non-routine problems; exercise sound judgment; balance operational risk; and coordinate urgent technical response.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, including the ability to translate technical matters for non-technical audiences.
• Ability to exercise discretion and sound judgment when handling confidential, security-sensitive or privileged information.
• Relevant certifications in Microsoft Azure, Microsoft 365, identity, infrastructure or security technologies are considered an asset.
• Availability to work flexible hours, participate in scheduled after-hours work when required and respond to emergencies or on-call requirements if necessary.

Responsibilities

• Design, implement, administer, maintain and continually improve on-premises, hosted and cloud infrastructure, including servers, virtualization, storage, operating systems, platform services and associated management tools.
• Lead the administration, technical design, governance and lifecycle planning of Microsoft Azure, Microsoft 365 and other assigned cloud services in alignment with the City’s cloud-first and SaaS-first direction.
• Administer and secure Active Directory and Entra ID, including directory services, authentication, synchronization, administrative roles, group and access structures, and collaboration on identity governance.
• Administer Microsoft 365 platform services, including tenant configuration, Exchange Online and assigned collaboration, security and compliance configurations, in coordination with other Information Services roles.
• Design and maintain backup, recovery, retention and technical disaster recovery capabilities for infrastructure and cloud services; coordinate testing, documentation and remediation of identified issues.
• Monitor infrastructure and cloud availability, performance, capacity, configuration and cost; analyze trends; resolve complex incidents; and recommend improvements or lifecycle investments.
• Develop and maintain infrastructure and cloud standards, configurations, inventories, diagrams, operating procedures, recovery runbooks, lifecycle plans and technical roadmaps.
• Implement secure configuration, patching, vulnerability remediation, privileged administration, logging and monitoring for infrastructure, cloud, identity and Microsoft 365 platforms.
• Lead technical integration of SaaS and cloud services, including identity, authentication, provisioning, connectivity, data exchange and vendor technical coordination.
• Collaborate with the Network & Cybersecurity Specialist on Conditional Access, identity security, cloud security, Azure networking, certificates, incident response, security assessments and penetration-test remediation.
• Provide secondary operational coverage for selected network, firewall, VPN, monitoring and security-response functions, supported by documented procedures and cross-training.
• Plan and execute infrastructure migrations, upgrades, consolidations and decommissioning initiatives that reduce technical debt and support service continuity.
• Manage technical relationships with infrastructure, cloud and platform vendors and service providers, including product evaluation, procurement support, licensing input, contract input, escalation and performance oversight.
• Prepare concise reports and recommendations regarding platform health, capacity, cost, risk, lifecycle status, recovery readiness and modernization priorities.
• Provide technical guidance and knowledge transfer to Information Services staff and communicate complex infrastructure and cloud matters to technical and non-technical stakeholders.
• Maintain current knowledge of emerging infrastructure, cloud, identity and Microsoft 365 technologies and professional practices.
• Participate in after-hours maintenance, on-call coverage and emergency response as required. Perform other duties as assigned.
• Indirect supervision of 2 full-time staff - two (2) Technology Analysts and potential co-op students as required.

Skills

Windows Server

Virtualization

Azure administration

Active Directory

Entra ID

Microsoft 365

Cloud security

Disaster recovery

Networking

IT governance

Analytical thinking

Communication

Education

University degree or college diploma in Computer Science / IT / Computer Engineering or related field

Tools

Azure

Exchange Online

Job description

At the City of Welland, we're continuously rewriting our story. Not because we don't know where we're going, but because we are constantly reaching for new heights, engaging in new approaches, and pursuing what many believe to be unattainable or too ambitious. We're not satisfied with the status quo, and we're certainly not satisfied with doing things a certain way simply because that's how they were done in the past.

We expect our population to increase to over 80,000 in the next 20 years, and serving a diverse, growing community requires strategic thinkers, norm breakers, and passionate civil servants. In Niagara, Welland's growth leads every other municipality, and the City is becoming the region's heartbeat.

So, we invite you to author your chapter and contribute to the overall body of work the City of Welland is creating. At the City of Welland, your ideas are nurtured, your input is invited, a healthy work-life balance is available, and most importantly, your voice will make a difference.

About the Position

Reporting to the Chief Information Officer, the Infrastructure & Cloud Specialist is responsible for the administration, security, reliability and modernization of the City’s on-premises and cloud infrastructure.

The position provides senior technical leadership for servers, virtualization, storage, backup and recovery, Microsoft Azure, Microsoft 365, Active Directory, Entra ID and related platform services. The role leads infrastructure and cloud lifecycle planning, supports the City’s cloud-first and SaaS-first direction, coordinates technical work with external service providers, and works collaboratively with the Network & Cybersecurity Specialist to provide secure, resilient and well-documented technology services.

The role serves as the City’s primary technical owner for infrastructure, cloud and identity platforms and provides trained backup support for selected network and cybersecurity functions.

Duties & Responsibilities

• Design, implement, administer, maintain and continually improve on-premises, hosted and cloud infrastructure, including servers, virtualization, storage, operating systems, platform services and associated management tools.
• Lead the administration, technical design, governance and lifecycle planning of Microsoft Azure, Microsoft 365 and other assigned cloud services in alignment with the City’s cloud-first and SaaS-first direction.
• Administer and secure Active Directory and Entra ID, including directory services, authentication, synchronization, administrative roles, group and access structures, and collaboration on identity governance.
• Administer Microsoft 365 platform services, including tenant configuration, Exchange Online and assigned collaboration, security and compliance configurations, in coordination with other Information Services roles.
• Design and maintain backup, recovery, retention and technical disaster recovery capabilities for infrastructure and cloud services; coordinate testing, documentation and remediation of identified issues.
• Monitor infrastructure and cloud availability, performance, capacity, configuration and cost; analyze trends; resolve complex incidents; and recommend improvements or lifecycle investments.
• Develop and maintain infrastructure and cloud standards, configurations, inventories, diagrams, operating procedures, recovery runbooks, lifecycle plans and technical roadmaps.
• Implement secure configuration, patching, vulnerability remediation, privileged administration, logging and monitoring for infrastructure, cloud, identity and Microsoft 365 platforms.
• Lead technical integration of SaaS and cloud services, including identity, authentication, provisioning, connectivity, data exchange and vendor technical coordination.
• Collaborate with the Network & Cybersecurity Specialist on Conditional Access, identity security, cloud security, Azure networking, certificates, incident response, security assessments and penetration-test remediation.
• Provide secondary operational coverage for selected network, firewall, VPN, monitoring and security-response functions, supported by documented procedures and cross-training.
• Plan and execute infrastructure migrations, upgrades, consolidations and decommissioning initiatives that reduce technical debt and support service continuity.
• Manage technical relationships with infrastructure, cloud and platform vendors and service providers, including product evaluation, procurement support, licensing input, contract input, escalation and performance oversight.
• Prepare concise reports and recommendations regarding platform health, capacity, cost, risk, lifecycle status, recovery readiness and modernization priorities.
• Provide technical guidance and knowledge transfer to Information Services staff and communicate complex infrastructure and cloud matters to technical and non-technical stakeholders.
• Maintain current knowledge of emerging infrastructure, cloud, identity and Microsoft 365 technologies and professional practices.
• Participate in after-hours maintenance, on-call coverage and emergency response as required. Perform other duties as assigned.
• Indirect supervision of 2 full-time staff - two (2) Technology Analysts and potential co-op students as required.

What you need to Succeed...

• University degree or college diploma in Computer Science, Information Technology, Computer Engineering or a related field, or an approved equivalent combination of education and experience.
• Minimum five (5) years of progressive enterprise experience supporting infrastructure, Microsoft cloud services, identity platforms or related technologies.
• Advanced knowledge of Windows Server, virtualization, storage, backup and recovery, Active Directory, Entra ID, Microsoft 365 and Azure administration.
• Strong practical knowledge of cloud and infrastructure administration, identity and access management, secure administration, monitoring, patching, vulnerability remediation and disaster recovery.
• Experience administering Exchange Online and integrating SaaS or cloud services with identity, authentication, provisioning and connectivity services.
• Working knowledge of enterprise networking, firewalls, VPN, DNS, DHCP, certificates, Azure networking and security operations sufficient to provide coordinated support and backup coverage.
• Experience developing technical standards, diagrams, procedures, inventories, recovery runbooks, lifecycle plans and management reporting.
• Ability to analyze complex, non-routine problems; exercise sound judgment; balance operational risk; and coordinate urgent technical response.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, including the ability to translate technical matters for non-technical audiences.
• Ability to exercise discretion and sound judgment when handling confidential, security-sensitive or privileged information.
• Relevant certifications in Microsoft Azure, Microsoft 365, identity, infrastructure or security technologies are considered an asset.
• Availability to work flexible hours, participate in scheduled after-hours work when required and respond to emergencies or on-call requirements if necessary.

Salary and Benefit Information

$110,059 – $128,754 (2026 rates) plus a comprehensive benefits package, and OMERS pension.

Why Choose Welland?

Why choose Welland?

OMERS Pension: Secure your future with an OMERS pension, one of Canada’s largest defined benefit pension plans. To learn more visit https://www.omers.com/.

Five Wellness days: We understand the importance of mental and physical well-being. That's why we offer five wellness days that can be taken in succession, giving you the opportunity to recharge, rejuvenate, and prioritize self-care when you need it most.

Adaptable and generous benefits package: Your health and happiness matter to us. That's why we offer a flexible and generous benefits package. From medical and dental coverage to additional perks, we've got you covered, ensuring you and your loved ones receive the care and support you deserve.

Flexible work arrangements: We believe in work-life harmony, and that means something different to each of us. Embrace flexibility with our assortment of work arrangements, including hybrid, condensed work weeks, and flexible schedules. Whether you thrive in a traditional office setting or prefer the comfort of your home office, we empower you to tailor your work environment to suit your needs.

Fair-market value salary: We recently conducted a comprehensive compensation review to ensure our pay aligned with current market values and fairly reflected the skills and contributions of our team. This process involved industry benchmarking and employee feedback to maintain competitive and equitable compensation.