Lead DevOps Engineer

NCC Group; Cheltenham; On-site; GBP 60,000 - 100,000; Full time

Job summary

An established industry player is seeking a Lead DevOps Engineer to spearhead the design and management of cloud infrastructure. This pivotal role involves optimizing AWS environments, implementing Infrastructure as Code with Terraform and Ansible, and ensuring robust CI/CD pipelines using GitLab. You will collaborate with cross-functional teams to drive a DevOps culture while mentoring engineers. Join a forward-thinking organization that values innovation, efficiency, and continuous improvement, and take part in high-impact projects that shape the future of technology. If you are passionate about automation and security, this opportunity is perfect for you.

Benefits

Flexible working

Pension

Life Assurance

Share Save Scheme

Maternity & Paternity leave

Healthcare

Employee Referral Program

Learning & Development

Diversity & Inclusion

Green Car Scheme

Qualifications

• Extensive DevOps experience in cloud infrastructure design and management.
• Deep expertise in AWS services like EC2, S3, and Lambda.

Responsibilities

• Architect and maintain AWS-based cloud infrastructure with a focus on security.
• Lead DevOps engineers and foster a culture of collaboration and best practices.

Skills

DevOps

AWS

Terraform

Ansible

CI/CD

GitLab

Docker

Kubernetes

Bash

Python

Education

Bachelor's Degree in Computer Science or related field

Tools

GitLab

Terraform

Ansible

Docker

Kubernetes

Job description

Position Title: Lead DevOps Engineer

Location: Manchester/London/Cheltenham

Role Purpose:

We are looking for an experienced Lead DevOps Engineer to drive the design, implementation, and management of our cloud infrastructure and deployment pipelines. This role requires strong expertise in DevOps best practices, with a focus on automation, security, scalability, and reliability. You will be responsible for optimizing our AWS environment, managing Infrastructure as Code (IaC) with Terraform and Ansible, and ensuring efficient CI/CD pipelines using GitLab.

As a key technical leader, you will collaborate with development, operations, and security teams, fostering a DevOps culture while mentoring engineers and driving continuous improvement.

Summary:

Cloud Infrastructure & Automation

• Architect, implement, and maintain AWS-based cloud infrastructure, ensuring high availability, security, and scalability.
• Automate infrastructure provisioning, configuration management, and deployments using Terraform and Ansible.

CI/CD & Software Delivery

• Design, build, and optimize CI/CD pipelines with GitLab, enabling seamless software delivery.
• Implement best practices for release management, automated testing, and deployment strategies.

Containerization & Orchestration

• Manage containerized applications using Docker, ECS, and Kubernetes (EKS).
• Optimize and maintain serverless (FaaS) architectures where applicable.

Security, Networking & Monitoring

• Ensure secure infrastructure by implementing best practices in IAM, VPC security, and compliance.
• Manage AWS networking, including VPC peering, security groups, and traffic routing.
• Implement observability solutions for monitoring, logging, and alerting.

Leadership & Collaboration

• Lead and mentor DevOps engineers, fostering a culture of collaboration, knowledge sharing, and best practices.
• Work closely with developers, security teams, and operations to align infrastructure with business needs.

What we are looking for in you:

Technical Expertise:

• Extensive DevOps experience in designing, building, and maintaining cloud infrastructure.
• Deep expertise in AWS (EC2, S3, RDS, Lambda, IAM, VPC).
• Strong hands-on experience with Terraform (IaC) and Ansible (configuration management).
• Advanced CI/CD knowledge, particularly with GitLab pipelines.
• Containerization & orchestration: Docker, ECS, and Kubernetes (EKS preferred).
• Proficiency in scripting & automation (Bash, Python, or Go).
• Networking & security best practices (VPC, SSO/SAML, IAM, firewalls, encryption).

Soft Skills

• Experience leading and mentoring engineers in an agile, DevOps-first environment.
• Strong problem-solving and troubleshooting skills.
• Excellent communication and stakeholder management abilities.
• Ability to drive best practices, standardization, and continuous improvement.

This role offers an opportunity to lead high-impact projects, work with cutting-edge DevOps technologies, and contribute to a culture of automation, efficiency, and innovation.

Behaviours:

• Focusing on Clients and Customers.
• Working as One NCC.
• Always Learning.
• Being Inclusive and Respectful.
• Delivery Brilliantly.
• Enabling Performance

Why NCC Group?

At NCC Group, our mission is to create a more secure digital future. That mission underpins everything we do, from our work with our incredible clients to groundbreaking research shaping our industry. Our teams partner with clients across a multitude of industries, delving into, securing new products, and emerging technologies, as well as solving complex security problems. As global leaders in cyber and escrow, NCC Group is a people-powered business seeking the next group of brilliant minds to join our ranks.

Our colleagues are our greatest asset, and NCC Group is committed to providing an inclusive and supportive work environment that fosters creativity, collaboration, authenticity, and accountability. We want colleagues to put down roots at NCC Group, and we offer a comprehensive benefits package, as well as opportunities for learning and development and career growth. We believe our people are at their brilliant best when they feel bolstered in all aspects of their well-being, and we offer wellness programs and flexible working arrangements to provide that vital support.

What do we offer in return?

We have a high-performance culture which is balanced evenly with world-class well-being initiatives and benefits;

• Flexible working
• Financial & Investment
• Pension
• Life Assurance
• Share Save Scheme
• Maternity & Paternity leave

Community & Volunteering Programmes

• Green Car Scheme
• Cycle Scheme
• Healthcare
• Employee Referral Program

Lifestyle & Wellness

• Learning & Development
• Diversity & Inclusion

So, what's next?

If this sounds like the right opportunity for you, then we would love to hear from you! Click on apply to this job to send us your CV and the relevant member of our global talent team will be in touch with you. Alternatively send your details to [e-mail] .

About your application

We review every application received and will get in touch if your skills and experience match what we're looking for. If you don't hear back from us within 10 days, please don't be too disappointed - we may keep your CV on our database for any future vacancies and we would encourage you to keep an eye on our career opportunities as there may be other suitable roles.

If you do not want us to retain your details, please email [e-mail]. All personal data is held in accordance with the NCC Group Privacy Policy (candidate-privacy-notice-261023.pdf (nccgroupplc.com)). We are committed to diversity and flexibility in the workplace. If you require any reasonable adjustments to support you during the application process, please tell us at any stage.

Please note that this role involves mandatory pre-employment background checks due to the nature of the work NCC Group does. To apply, you must be willing and able to undergo the vetting process. This role being advertised will be subject to BS7858 screening as a mandatory requirement.