Director of Azure Cloud Services

Capita; Dartford; Remote; GBP 80,000 - 100,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading global technology firm is seeking a Director of Azure Cloud Services to drive cloud strategy, oversee operations, and lead the integration of AI technologies. This role offers a unique opportunity to influence enterprise-wide change and collaborate with skilled teams in a dynamic environment. The ideal candidate has extensive experience in IT leadership and cloud technology, with a strong focus on Azure capabilities and global service delivery.

Qualifications

• Extensive experience in IT leadership with a focus on Azure cloud strategy.
• Proven experience in managing global cloud environments.
• Strong financial acumen for cloud cost optimization and budgeting.

Responsibilities

• Define and lead the global Azure cloud strategy aligned with business objectives.
• Collaborate with experts to architect enterprise-grade Azure solutions.
• Oversee 24/7 global cloud operations ensuring high availability and reliability.

Skills

Azure cloud strategy

AI/ML integration

IT leadership

Cloud architecture

Stakeholder engagement

Job description

This is an exceptional opportunity to join a dynamic and rapidly growing global technology team at a pivotal moment in our cloud transformation journey. As Director of Azure Cloud Services, you will take on a senior leadership role with the autonomy to shape strategy, drive innovation, and lead cutting-edge initiatives across AI, global operations, and managed services.

With Microsoft Azure at the heart of our digital infrastructure, this role offers the chance to influence enterprise-wide change, collaborate with highly skilled colleagues, and deliver impactful solutions at scale. If you’re passionate about cloud technology and ready to make a lasting contribution, there’s never been a better time to join us.

Job Description:

The Director of Azure Cloud Services is a strategic leadership position responsible for driving the global Azure cloud vision, architecture, and operations across the organisation.

This role oversees the delivery of scalable, secure, and innovative cloud solutions, including AI-driven services, while ensuring robust support in a managed service environment. The successful candidate will lead global teams, manage vendor relationships, and align cloud initiatives with business and operational goals.

You will work with skilled teams to develop Azure Cloud Service offerings, establish new capabilities in an evolving environment, optimise cloud usage, and further shape our strategic direction and cloud adoption.

Key Responsibilities:

Cloud Strategy & Innovation

• Define and lead the global Azure cloud strategy, ensuring alignment with business objectives and digital transformation goals.
• Promote the adoption of AI and machine learning capabilities within Azure to enhance operational efficiency and user experience.
• Evaluate emerging technologies and trends to continuously evolve the cloud roadmap.

Architecture & Design

• Collaborate with Microsoft and subject matter experts to architect enterprise-grade Azure solutions across IaaS, PaaS, SaaS, and AI services.
• Design resilient, scalable, and secure cloud platforms that support global operations and business continuity.

Transformation

• Partner with enterprise architects and engineering teams to modernise legacy systems and enable cloud-native development.
• Lead the integration of Azure AI services (e.g., Azure OpenAI, Cognitive Services, Machine Learning) into business processes and applications.

Global Operations & Service Delivery

• Oversee 24/7 global cloud operations, ensuring high availability, performance, and reliability.
• Implement and manage service support models within a managed service environment, including SLAs, incident management, and escalation procedures.
• Drive operational excellence through automation, monitoring, and proactive issue resolution.

Security, Compliance & Governance

• Establish and enforce cloud governance frameworks, security policies, and compliance standards across all regions.
• Collaborate with cybersecurity teams to implement zero-trust architectures and advanced threat protection.
• Ensure compliance with global regulations including GDPR, ISO 27001, and NIST.

Leadership & Collaboration

• Build and lead a high-performing global Azure team, fostering a culture of innovation, accountability, and continuous improvement.
• Take full accountability for the financial performance of the business area.
• Collaborate with business units, IT leadership, and external partners to deliver strategic cloud initiatives.

What We’re Looking For

• Extensive experience in IT leadership, with time focused on Azure cloud strategy and operations.
• Proven experience managing global cloud environments and distributed teams.
• Strong expertise in Azure services, cloud architecture, AI/ML integration, and managed service operations.
• Excellent leadership, communication, and stakeholder engagement skills.
• Strong financial acumen for cloud cost optimisation and budgeting.
• Demonstrated ability to develop modern cloud services using the latest technologies, with a strong track record of partnership with cloud providers.

We’re an equal opportunity and Disability Confident employer, which means we recruit and develop people based on their merit and passion. We’re committed to providing an inclusive, barrier-free recruitment process and working environment for everyone. If you need the job description or application form in an alternative format (such as large print or audio), or if you’d like to discuss other changes or support you might need going forward, please email [e-mail] and we’ll get back to you.

Location: Home-Based - GBR, United Kingdom

Time Type: Full time

Contract Type: Permanent