Lead Infrastructure Operations Engineer

Yolk Recruitment; Cardiff; Hybrid; GBP 47,000 - 53,000; Full time

Job summary

Yolk Recruitment is seeking a Lead Infrastructure Operations Engineer in the UK, with Cardiff or Bangor as a hybrid site. You will lead a seven-person team, set technical direction for Azure/Microsoft 365, and drive security, resilience and continuous service improvement across enterprise infrastructure.

The role requires strong Azure/M365 expertise, ITIL knowledge and hands-on leadership, plus budget and supplier management. Hybrid work arrangement offered.

Qualifications

• Strong Microsoft Azure knowledge, including Virtual Machines, Storage, Virtual Networking and Azure Virtual Desktop.
• Strong Microsoft 365 administration and operational experience.
• Good knowledge of Microsoft Entra ID, including Conditional Access, MFA and role-based access.
• Experience with monitoring/security tooling such as Azure Monitor, Log Analytics, Microsoft Sentinel and Microsoft Defender.
• Strong PowerShell automation skills, ideally alongside Microsoft Graph and/or Azure CLI.
• Good understanding of ITIL service management, particularly incident, problem, change and continual service improvement.
• Previous experience leading, managing or mentoring technical infrastructure teams.
• Experience supporting infrastructure change and transition into live services.
• Degree/IT qualification or equivalent relevant industry experience.

Responsibilities

• Leading the day-to-day delivery and improvement of infrastructure services.
• Managing and developing a team of 7 infrastructure professionals.
• Providing technical leadership across Azure, Microsoft 365 and associated infrastructure services.
• Overseeing monitoring, capacity, availability, patching and security.
• Leading the investigation of major or recurring incidents and driving root-cause resolution.
• Supporting infrastructure changes, projects and service transitions into live environments.
• Managing third-party suppliers and ensuring agreed service levels are achieved.
• Identifying opportunities for automation and continual service improvement.
• Managing relevant operational budgets and supplier spend.

Skills

Microsoft Azure

Microsoft 365

Microsoft Entra ID

Azure Monitor

Log Analytics

Microsoft Sentinel

Microsoft Defender

PowerShell automation

ITIL service management

Leadership/mentoring

Education

Degree or IT qualification

Tools

Azure CLI

Microsoft Graph

Job description

Lead Infrastructure Operations Engineer

Location: Cardiff or Bangor | Hybrid

Salary: £47,055-£52,770

Hours: 37 hours per week

Pension: 28.97%

The organisation

We\'re recruiting on behalf of a large, purpose-led Welsh public-sector organisation responsible for delivering essential services across Wales. Technology plays a critical role in keeping the organisation operational, secure and able to support its people and wider stakeholders.

They are looking for an experienced Lead Infrastructure Operations Engineer to lead their infrastructure operations function, combining technical leadership, people management and continuous service improvement.

The role

You\'ll lead a team of seven infrastructure professionals responsible for the operation, support and improvement of a predominantly Microsoft-based enterprise environment.

This is a hands-on leadership position where you\'ll provide technical direction while ensuring critical infrastructure remains secure, resilient, available and fit for purpose.

Key responsibilities will include:

• Leading the day-to-day delivery and improvement of infrastructure services.
• Managing and developing a team of 7 infrastructure professionals.
• Providing technical leadership across Azure, Microsoft 365 and associated infrastructure services.
• Overseeing monitoring, capacity, availability, patching and security.
• Leading the investigation of major or recurring incidents and driving root-cause resolution.
• Supporting infrastructure changes, projects and service transitions into live environments.
• Managing third-party suppliers and ensuring agreed service levels are achieved.
• Identifying opportunities for automation and continual service improvement.
• Managing relevant operational budgets and supplier spend.

What we\'re looking for:

We\'re looking for someone with strong experience operating and leading within a complex Microsoft infrastructure environment.

Essential experience:

• Strong Microsoft Azure knowledge, including Virtual Machines, Storage, Virtual Networking and Azure Virtual Desktop.
• Strong Microsoft 365 administration and operational experience.
• Good knowledge of Microsoft Entra ID, including Conditional Access, MFA and role-based access.
• Experience with monitoring/security tooling such as Azure Monitor, Log Analytics, Microsoft Sentinel and Microsoft Defender.
• Strong PowerShell automation skills, ideally alongside Microsoft Graph and/or Azure CLI.
• Good understanding of ITIL service management, particularly incident, problem, change and continual service improvement.
• Previous experience leading, managing or mentoring technical infrastructure teams.
• Experience supporting infrastructure change and transition into live services.
• Degree/IT qualification or equivalent relevant industry experience.

Think this one\'s for you

Yolk Recruitment is an equal opportunities employer and embraces diversity in our workforce. We employ the best people for the job at hand and actively encourage applications from all qualified candidates, regardless of gender, age, race, religion, sexual orientation, disability, educational background, parental status, gender identity or any other protected characteristic. We champion and celebrate diversity at Yolk allowing our team to bring their whole selves to work.