Infrastructure Architect

The Manchester Airports Group; Manchester; On-site; GBP 90,000 - 140,000; Full time

Job summary

The Manchester Airports Group (MAG) is seeking an AWS-focused Infrastructure Architect to shape MAG's technology landscape. You will design scalable, secure infrastructure across AWS with on-premise integration, guiding platforms from concept to implementation.

You'll lead across multiple teams, ensure resilience and cost-effectiveness, and help set governance and technical standards for MAG's hybrid estate. This role blends cloud and on-prem expertise in a regulated, critical environment.

Qualifications

• AWS certifications such as AWS Solutions Architect or AWS DevOps Engineer.
• TOGAF or equivalent architecture certification.
• Knowledge of security and compliance frameworks such as ISO27001 or NIST.
• Experience designing enterprise-scale infrastructure and cloud solutions.
• Deep knowledge of AWS architecture and services.
• Experience working in hybrid environments, integrating cloud platforms with on-premise infrastructure, networks and services.
• Strong understanding of core infrastructure disciplines including compute, networking, storage, security and resilience.
• Experience creating architecture designs, roadmaps and technical standards.
• Knowledge of infrastructure automation, DevOps practices and Infrastructure as Code.
• Excellent stakeholder management and communication skills, with the ability to influence both technical and non-technical audiences.
• Experience working within environments that require governance, regulatory oversight or compliance controls.
• Ability to bring teams together, build consensus and navigate competing priorities across multiple stakeholders.
• Commercial awareness with the ability to balance capability, risk and cost when making architectural decisions.

Responsibilities

• Design and own infrastructure architectures across AWS and MAG's wider hybrid technology estate.
• Translate business requirements into scalable, secure and cost-effective technical solutions.
• Partner with engineering, product, project and operational teams to deliver strategic technology outcomes.
• Provide architectural leadership throughout the delivery lifecycle, ensuring designs move successfully into implementation.
• Balance performance, resilience, governance and commercial considerations when making technology decisions.
• Contribute to platform roadmaps, technical standards and architecture governance processes.
• Review emerging technologies and assess their suitability for MAG's future platform strategy.
• Work with suppliers and partners to evaluate technologies, services and commercial options.
• Champion best practice across cloud, infrastructure and platform engineering disciplines.

Skills

AWS certifications

TOGAF certification

Security & compliance

Enterprise-scale infra

AWS architecture

Hybrid environments

Compute networking storage

Architecture governance

IaC DevOps

Stakeholder management

Governance & compliance

Cross-team collaboration

Commercial awareness

Tools

Terraform

AWS CloudFormation

Job description

We're looking for an AWS-focused Infrastructure Architect to join our Platform Architecture team. This role is about much more than designing cloud solutions. You'll help shape the future of MAG's technology landscape by creating infrastructure architectures that connect modern cloud platforms with critical on-premise services supporting our airports and wider business. You'll bring a deep understanding of infrastructure fundamentals, cloud platforms and enterprise architecture principles. Whether your journey started in 1st, 2nd or 3rd line support, infrastructure engineering or platform architecture, you'll understand how technology works from the ground up and be comfortable turning business challenges into practical, scalable solutions. Working with product teams, delivery teams and fellow architects, you'll provide technical leadership from concept through to implementation, ensuring solutions are secure, resilient, cost-effective and aligned to MAG's strategic direction., Essential

Responsibilities

• Design and own infrastructure architectures across AWS and MAG's wider hybrid technology estate.
• Translate business requirements into scalable, secure and cost-effective technical solutions.
• Partner with engineering, product, project and operational teams to deliver strategic technology outcomes.
• Provide architectural leadership throughout the delivery lifecycle, ensuring designs move successfully into implementation.
• Balance performance, resilience, governance and commercial considerations when making technology decisions.
• Contribute to platform roadmaps, technical standards and architecture governance processes.
• Review emerging technologies and assess their suitability for MAG's future platform strategy.
• Work with suppliers and partners to evaluate technologies, services and commercial options.
• Champion best practice across cloud, infrastructure and platform engineering disciplines.

Qualifications

• AWS certifications such as AWS Solutions Architect or AWS DevOps Engineer.
• TOGAF or equivalent architecture certification.
• Knowledge of security and compliance frameworks such as ISO27001 or NIST.
• Strong experience designing enterprise-scale infrastructure and cloud solutions.
• Deep knowledge of AWS architecture and services.
• Experience working within hybrid environments, integrating cloud platforms with on-premise infrastructure, networks and services.
• Strong understanding of core infrastructure disciplines including compute, networking, storage, security and resilience.
• Experience creating architecture designs, roadmaps and technical standards.
• Knowledge of infrastructure automation, DevOps practices and Infrastructure as Code.
• Excellent stakeholder management and communication skills, with the ability to influence both technical and non-technical audiences.
• Experience working within environments that require governance, regulatory oversight or compliance controls.
• Ability to bring teams together, build consensus and navigate competing priorities across multiple stakeholders.
• Commercial awareness with the ability to balance capability, risk and cost when making architectural decisions.

We're looking for someone who understands how modern AWS platforms integrate into a broader enterprise ecosystem. You'll be designing solutions that support critical airport operations and connect with established on-premise infrastructure, so a strong infrastructure background is just as important as cloud expertise. You'll also need the diplomacy and leadership skills to bring different teams together, balancing the needs of developers, engineers, product teams and governance stakeholders to achieve the right outcome for the business.

At MAG, we're transforming the technology that underpins some of the UK's busiest airports and travel businesses. As the UK's largest airport group, we own Manchester, East Midlands and London Stansted Airport, as well as operating CAVU, our travel technology and ecommerce business.

Technology plays a critical role in keeping our airports running safely, securely and efficiently. As we continue our cloud and infrastructure transformation, we're looking for an Infrastructure Architect who can help shape the platforms that support both today's operations and tomorrow's innovation.

This is an opportunity to influence enterprise-scale technology decisions, work across a complex hybrid estate, and partner with technical and business stakeholders to deliver solutions that are reliable, secure, commercially sound and fit for a regulated environment.

We're building something brilliant at MAG: a diverse team of Journey Makers who share our values and want to make a difference. We're on a mission to be number one in our industry, and that takes talent in all its forms. With so many exciting roles across our airports and businesses, there's space for your unique strengths to shine.

Whether this is your first role or your next big step, we want to hear from you - even if you don't think you tick every box. What matters most is what you bring.

We're proud to be a Disability Confident employer. If you need any adjustments to support your application or interview, just let us know. We're committed to helping you perform at your best.

At MAG, every journey matters. Our Colleague Communities play a big part in that: Women's Network, Embrace (Race & Ethnicity), Fly with Pride (LGBTQIA+), Mind Matters (Mental Health), PACT (Parents & Carers), RespectABILITY (Disability & Neurodiversity), and the CAVU Global ID&E Affinity Group.