Head of Platforms

National Nuclear Laboratory Limited; Warrington; On-site; GBP 76,000 - 93,000; Full time

Job summary

National Nuclear Laboratory Limited is seeking a Head of Platforms to define and deliver the enterprise platform strategy and ensure secure, compliant and resilient technology platforms in a heavily regulated environment.

You will lead across cloud, infrastructure, networking, identity, end user computing and core technology services, with a focus on reducing complexity, technical debt and driving value through platform improvements.

Qualifications

• Leadership across cloud, infrastructure, networking, identity, end user computing and core technology services.
• Knowledge of security, compliance and architectural standards.
• Experience in platform strategy, governance and lifecycle management.

Responsibilities

• Define and deliver the enterprise platform strategy and technology roadmap.
• Lead design, engineering and evolution of enterprise platforms (cloud, infrastructure, networking, identity, end user computing).
• Drive platform modernisation, standardisation and automation to improve resilience and efficiency.
• Establish engineering standards, reference architectures and governance controls.
• Evaluate emerging technologies to deliver measurable business value and support strategic objectives.
• Oversee operation, security, resilience and lifecycle management of platforms and services.

Job description

£84,549 to £84,549 per year, Salary starting at £84,549

Contract Type:

Permanent

Hours:

Full time

Disability Confident:

No

Closing Date:

17/11/2026

About this job

Summary Job Description for Head of Platforms: There’s never been a more exciting time to be part of the nuclear sector.

New opportunities are being created all the time.

At UKNNL, you’ll be in the ideal place to capitalise on this momentum, face new challenges and develop a long, successful and meaningful career.

We’re an organisation that’s here to experiment and push the limits of what’s possible.

So, if you’re keen to excel in your chosen field, this is the place to do it.

Because at UKNNL, anything is possible.

The Head of Platforms is responsible for defining and delivering the enterprise platform strategy and ensuring the effective operation, security, resilience and lifecycle management of technology platforms.

The role provides leadership across cloud, infrastructure, networking, identity, end user computing and core technology services, ensuring platforms remain secure, compliant, available and fit for purpose.

Operating within a heavily regulated environment, the role ensures technology platforms support business operations through robust engineering standards, operational effectiveness and continuous improvement.

A key focus is maximising the value of existing technology platforms, reducing complexity and technical debt, and ensuring that the adoption of new platform capabilities delivers measurable business value while meeting regulatory, security and architectural standards.The role works closely with business leaders, risk and compliance functions, and technology partners to deliver secure, resilient and scalable platform services while maintaining strong governance and operational control.

Main Responsibilities for Head of Platforms

Platform Strategy & Engineering Own the enterprise platform strategy and technology roadmap, ensuring platform capabilities support current and future business requirements.

Lead the design, engineering and continual evolution of enterprise platforms, including cloud, infrastructure, networking, identity, end user computing and collaboration technologies.

Drive platform modernisation, standardisation and automation initiatives to improve resilience, scalability, security and operational efficiency.

Establish engineering standards, reference architectures and governance controls to ensure platforms are delivered consistently and aligned with enterprise architecture principles.

Evaluate emerging technologies and platform capabilities, ensuring investment decisions deliver measurable business value and support strategic objectives.

Platform Operations & ServiceEnable

Provide senior accountability for the operation and performance of enterprise technology platforms.

Ensure platform services remain secure, available, compliant and fit for purpose through effective operational management and engineering oversight.

Lead the delivery and operation of cloud platforms, datacentres, server infrastructure, storage, networking, end user computing, collaboration technologies and identity services.

Work closely with service management functions to ensure platform services support business operations and meet agreed service levels.

Reliability, Resilience & Technical Recovery

Ensure platform availability, resilience and recoverability meet business, regulatory and operational requirements.

Own platform capacity planning, performance management, backup and recovery capabilities, ensuring services can support current and future demand.

Lead disaster recovery planning, testing and continual improvement activities to maintain organisational preparedness.

Provide technical leadership during major incidents, including investigation, root cause analysis, engineering remediation and implementation of permanent corrective actions.

Drive continuous improvement through the identification and resolution of recurring platform issues and systemic weaknesses.

Engineering Excellence & Continuous Improvement

Promote a culture of engineering excellence across the platform estate.

Drive adoption of automation, Infrastructure as Code and modern engineering practices to improve consistency, reliability and delivery speed.

Reduce technical debt through proactive lifecycle management, platform simplification and technology refresh activities.

Improve platform observability, monitoring and engineering insight to support proactive management and rapid issue resolution.

Champion continuous improvement initiatives that enhance platform performance, security, resilience and user experience.

Risk, Security