Head of Cloud
Posted 5 days ago by Linkedin
Negotiable
Undetermined
Onsite
London, England, United Kingdom
Location
Canary Wharf, London
About The Job
Job summary
As a Head of Cloud, you will work within a team of Architects and Platform Engineers to deliver and maintain cloud solutions across multiple cloud platforms.
As well as having responsibility for designing and providing assurance of the platforms that underpin critical business services, you will work in a variety of service and project teams to create, update, implement and tune platforms as part of projects and change programmes.
The ideal candidate will possess a strong background in cloud computing, leadership, and strategic oversight, with a proven track record of managing multi-cloud environments that align with departmental policies and compliance requirements.
There is potential for a specialist pay allowance of up to 15,000 could be available depending on a capability assessment.
We pride ourselves as being an employer of choice, where Everyone Matters promoting equality of opportunity to actively encourage applications from everyone, including groups currently underrepresented in our workforce.
UKHSA ethos is to be an inclusive organisation for all our staff and stakeholders. To create, nurture and sustain an inclusive culture, where differences drive innovative solutions to meet the needs of our workforce and wider communities. We do this through celebrating and protecting differences by removing barriers and promoting equity and equality of opportunity for all.
Please visit our careers site for more information https://gov.uk/ukhsa/careers
Job Description
As the Head of Cloud, you will play a pivotal role in shaping the future of cloud-based platforms and services within UKHSA. This position involves overseeing the design, implementation, and governance of cutting-edge cloud solutions that ensure optimal performance to critical business services. You will collaborate closely with other senior leaders to align the cloud strategy with the organisation s goals, ensuring that cloud initiatives enhance our service offerings and support UKHSA s mission.
The role demands a strategic leader who is not only adept at managing complex cloud environments across multiple providers but also skilled in fostering a culture of innovation and technical excellence. Through effective leadership and a commitment to professional development, you will also ensure that our technical teams are continually advancing.
This role is not just about maintaining the status quo but about pushing boundaries and implementing sustainable, cost-effective solutions that align with UKHSA s strategic objectives. You will be responsible for leading on the implementation of cloud solutions within UKHSA adopting a "Right Cloud, Right Technology" approach.
As the Head of Cloud, you will be expected to:
Oversee the design and implementation of solutions within cloud platforms/services. Using your leadership skills, technical knowledge and initiative to ensure the availability and stability of UKHSA services to clinicians, NHS bodies and citizens.
Create and execute a comprehensive cloud strategy that aligns with the organisation s goals and other strategies.
Carry out advanced impact analysis to understand how change will affect different components and produce estimates for planned changes to cloud platforms and services.
Oversee the governance and maintenance of cloud platforms and services, ensuring security measures are implemented to grant appropriate access and maintain system integrity in accordance to UKHSA s security principles and processes.
Drive the development and implementation of standards of best practice in the cloud platforms within the organisation. Make recommendations and challenge and persuade others when standards are not followed or opinions differ.
Lead and expand teams of cloud, platform and DevOps engineers, fostering an inclusive culture of technical excellence and continuous improvement. Promoting ongoing professional development of team members in the latest cloud technologies and practices.
Drive innovation through continuous horizon scanning for emerging technologies and innovate processes that could enhance the organisation s cloud platforms and services. Driving forward thinking adoption that ensures the organisation remains ahead of the technological curve.
Oversee the UKHSA s cloud financial operations, ensuring effective management of cloud spend across multiple cloud providers. Collaborate with internal stakeholders to implement cost-optimisation strategies and financial accountability, driving cost efficiency.
In addition to the above accountabilities, as post holder you are expected to:
Maintain a detailed understanding and be aware of developments in the use of cloud technologies in delivering business objectives by researching changes, tools and solutions.
Work within UKHSA s policies, standing orders, financial regulations and legislative requirements.
Oversee the creation and maintenance of technical documentation for all cloud platforms and services. Ensuring documentation meets set standards of accuracy and usability, facilitating seamless knowledge transfer within the organisation.
Complete own assigned tasks to a high quality and within agreed timelines. Pro-actively proposing improvements to enhance own and business areas. Escalating issues at appropriate times.
Actively identify your development and training needs within this specialism to develop your skills in Cloud Technologies to meet the requirements of the business.
In addition to the above accountabilities, as post holder you are expected to:
Undertake additional duties and responsibilities in line with the overall purpose of your role and as agreed by your line manager.
Demonstrate UKHSA values and core capabilities in all aspects of your work.
Foster an environment where your own and colleagues safety and well-being is promoted. Contribute to a culture which values diversity and inclusion.
Comply with UKHSA policies, procedures and protocols as they apply to your role.
Internal
Senior Civil Servants/Head level members of the UKHSA
Technology and Data teams
Product owners across UKHSA
Users within UKHSA including key business sponsors
External
Software suppliers and design agency representatives
Representatives of other bodies with NHS and Department of Health
Government Digital Service
Person specification
Essential Criteria
Proficiency with Unix/Linux/Windows operating systems.
Advanced understanding of DevOps concepts:
Version control and GitOps.
Test automation.
Continuous integration and continuous deployment (CI/CD).
Infrastructure as code (IaC).
Observability.
Containerisation.
Microservice architecture
A strong focus on collaboration and communication, particularly in managing relationships with a range of stakeholders (suppliers and customers)
Experience of at least one of UKHSA s strategic platforms (AWS and Azure ) and relevant tooling
Experience in the design (translating business need into functional and non-functional requirements.), implementation and operation of platforms (backup and recovery, monitoring, capacity planning, performance tuning, security, audit).
Significant advanced and recent experience as an engineer managing cloud platforms including:
proactive and reactive support
security conscious decision making.
Technical versatility.
Automation oriented approach to problem solving.
Practical experience of a variety of platform hosting models (on-premise, private/public/ hybrid cloud) and suppliers.Experience of cloud platform services and provisioning. E.g. IaaS, PaaS, XaaS.
Experience of building solutions following microservice architecture.
Practical experience / in-depth knowledge of a variety of platform hosting models (on-premise, private/public/ hybrid cloud), cloud platforms and multiple cloud technologies:
Suppliers and platforms (e.g AWS, Azure, Google Cloud)
Infrastructure as Code (e.g Terraform, Pulumi, Crossplane, Ansible)
Container building (e.g Docker, podman, buildah)
Container orchestration (e.g Kubernetes, AWS ECS, OpenShift, Azure Container Apps)
CI/CD (GitHub Actions, GitLab CI, ArgoCD, Flux)
Observability (e.g OpenTelemetry, Grafana, Prometheus, Fluentd, Jaeger, Elasticsearch, Kibana, Logstash)
Security and compliance (Checkov, Snyk, ZAP, SonarCloud, OPA)
Benefits
Alongside your salary of 72,739, UK Health Security Agency contributes 21,072 towards you being a member of the Civil Service Defined Benefit Pension scheme. Find out what benefits a Civil Service Pension provides.
Learning and development tailored to your role
An environment with flexible working options
A culture encouraging inclusion and diversity
A Civil Service pension with an employer contribution of 28.97%
Things you need to know
Selection process details
This vacancy is using Success Profiles and will assess your Behaviours and Experience.
Stage 1: Application & Sift
You will be required to complete an application form. You will be assessed on the above listed 9 essential criteria, and this will be in the form of a:
Application form ( Employer/ Activity history section on the application)
1250 word Statement of Suitability.
This should outline how your skills, experience, and knowledge, provide evidence of your suitability for the role, with reference to the essential criteria.
Please be aware that you will be assessed on the above listed 9 essential criteria, rather than the full list on the job description document.
The Application form and Statement of Suitability will be marked together.
If you are successful at this stage, you will progress to interview and assessment.
Please do not exceed 1250 words. We will not consider any words over and above this number.
Please note you will not be able to upload your CV. You must complete the application form in as much detail as possible. Please do not email us your CV.
Stage 2: Interview (Success Profiles)
You will be invited to a face to face interview. In exceptional circumstances, we may be able to offer a remote interview.
Behaviours and experience will be tested at interview.
There will be a presentation as part of the process.
The Behaviours tested during the interview stage will be:
Leadership (Lead behaviour)
Making effective decisions
Communicating and Influencing
Delivering at Pace
Interviews will be held in January 2025. Please note, these dates are subject to change.
Once this job has closed, the job advert will no longer be available. You may want to save a copy for your records.
Feedback will not be provided at this stage.
Eligibility Criteria
Open to all external applicants (anyone) from outside the Civil Service (including by definition internal applicants).
Location
This role is being offered as hybrid working based at our Canary Wharf offices. We offer great flexible working opportunities at UKHSA and operate using a hybrid working model where business needs allow. This provides us with greater flexibility about how and where we work, to get the best from our workforce. As a hybrid worker, you will be expected to spend a minimum of 60% of your contractual working hours (approximately 3 days a week pro rata, (averaged over a month). Our core HQ offices are modern and newly refurbished with excellent city centre transport link and benefit from benefit from co-location with other government departments such as the Department for Health and Social Care (DHSC).
Security Clearance Level Requirement
Successful candidates must pass a disclosure and barring security check.
Successful candidates must meet the security requirements before they can be appointed. The level of security needed is Basic Personnel Security Standard.
Reasonable Adjustments
The Civil Service is committed to making sure that our selection methods are fair to everyone. To help you during the recruitment process, we will consider any reasonable adjustments that could help you. An adjustment is a change to the recruitment process or an adjustment at work. This is separate to the Disability Confident Scheme. If you need an adjustment to be made at any point during the recruitment process you should contact the recruitment team in confidence as soon as possible to discuss your needs. You can find out more information about reasonable adjustments across the Civil Service here: https://www.civil-service-careers.gov.uk/reasonable-adjustments/
International Police Check
If you have spent more than 6 months abroad over the last 3 years you may need an International Police Check. This would not necessarily have to be in a single block, and it could be time accrued over that period.
Artificial Intelligence (AI)
Your application may be rejected and/or you may be subject to disciplinary action if evidence of plagiarism is detected. Examples of plagiarism can include presenting the ideas and experience of others, or generated by artificial intelligence (AI), as your own.
Feedback will only be provided if you attend an interview or assessment.
Security
Successful candidates must undergo a criminal record check.
People working with government assets must complete baseline personnel security standard (opens in new window) checks.
Nationality Requirements
This job is broadly open to the following groups:
UK nationals
nationals of the Republic of Ireland
nationals of Commonwealth countries who have the right to work in the UK
nationals of the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein and family members of those nationalities with settled or pre-settled status under the European Union Settlement Scheme (EUSS) (opens in a new window)
nationals of the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein and family members of those nationalities who have made a valid application for settled or pre-settled status under the European Union Settlement Scheme (EUSS)
individuals with limited leave to remain or indefinite leave to remain who were eligible to apply for EUSS on or before 31 December 2020
Turkish nationals, and certain family members of Turkish nationals, who have accrued the right to work in the Civil Service
Further information on nationality requirements (opens in a new window)
Working for the Civil Service
The Civil Service Code (opens in a new window) sets out the standards of behaviour expected of civil servants.
We recruit by merit on the basis of fair and open competition, as outlined in the Civil Service Commission's recruitment principles (opens in a new window) .
The Civil Service embraces diversity and promotes equal opportunities. As such, we run a Disability Confident Scheme (DCS) for candidates with disabilities who meet the minimum selection criteria.
Diversity and Inclusion
The Civil Service is committed to attract, retain and invest in talent wherever it is found. To learn more please see the Civil Service People Plan (opens in a new window) and the Civil Service Diversity and Inclusion Strategy (opens in a new window) .
Apply and further information
This vacancy is part of the Great Place to Work for Veterans (opens in a new window) initiative.
Once this job has closed, the job advert will no longer be available. You may want to save a copy for your records.
Contact point for applicants
Job contact :
Name : Jon Payne
Email : recruitment@ukhsa.gov.uk
Recruitment team
Email : recruitment@ukhsa.gov.uk
Further information
The law requires that selection for appointment to the Civil Service is on merit on the basis of fair and open competition as outlined in the Civil Service Commission's Recruitment Principles. If you feel your application has not been treated in accordance with the Recruitment Principles, and you wish to make a complaint, in the first instance, you should contact UKHSA Public Accountability Unit via email: Complaints@ukhsa.gov.uk If you are not satisfied with the response you receive from the Department, you can contact the Civil Service Commission: Visit the Civil Service Commission website: https://civilservicecommission.independent.gov.uk
http://www.healthjobsuk.com/vacancy/6824589
Show more
Canary Wharf, London
About The Job
Job summary
As a Head of Cloud, you will work within a team of Architects and Platform Engineers to deliver and maintain cloud solutions across multiple cloud platforms.
As well as having responsibility for designing and providing assurance of the platforms that underpin critical business services, you will work in a variety of service and project teams to create, update, implement and tune platforms as part of projects and change programmes.
The ideal candidate will possess a strong background in cloud computing, leadership, and strategic oversight, with a proven track record of managing multi-cloud environments that align with departmental policies and compliance requirements.
There is potential for a specialist pay allowance of up to 15,000 could be available depending on a capability assessment.
We pride ourselves as being an employer of choice, where Everyone Matters promoting equality of opportunity to actively encourage applications from everyone, including groups currently underrepresented in our workforce.
UKHSA ethos is to be an inclusive organisation for all our staff and stakeholders. To create, nurture and sustain an inclusive culture, where differences drive innovative solutions to meet the needs of our workforce and wider communities. We do this through celebrating and protecting differences by removing barriers and promoting equity and equality of opportunity for all.
Please visit our careers site for more information https://gov.uk/ukhsa/careers
Job Description
As the Head of Cloud, you will play a pivotal role in shaping the future of cloud-based platforms and services within UKHSA. This position involves overseeing the design, implementation, and governance of cutting-edge cloud solutions that ensure optimal performance to critical business services. You will collaborate closely with other senior leaders to align the cloud strategy with the organisation s goals, ensuring that cloud initiatives enhance our service offerings and support UKHSA s mission.
The role demands a strategic leader who is not only adept at managing complex cloud environments across multiple providers but also skilled in fostering a culture of innovation and technical excellence. Through effective leadership and a commitment to professional development, you will also ensure that our technical teams are continually advancing.
This role is not just about maintaining the status quo but about pushing boundaries and implementing sustainable, cost-effective solutions that align with UKHSA s strategic objectives. You will be responsible for leading on the implementation of cloud solutions within UKHSA adopting a "Right Cloud, Right Technology" approach.
As the Head of Cloud, you will be expected to:
Oversee the design and implementation of solutions within cloud platforms/services. Using your leadership skills, technical knowledge and initiative to ensure the availability and stability of UKHSA services to clinicians, NHS bodies and citizens.
Create and execute a comprehensive cloud strategy that aligns with the organisation s goals and other strategies.
Carry out advanced impact analysis to understand how change will affect different components and produce estimates for planned changes to cloud platforms and services.
Oversee the governance and maintenance of cloud platforms and services, ensuring security measures are implemented to grant appropriate access and maintain system integrity in accordance to UKHSA s security principles and processes.
Drive the development and implementation of standards of best practice in the cloud platforms within the organisation. Make recommendations and challenge and persuade others when standards are not followed or opinions differ.
Lead and expand teams of cloud, platform and DevOps engineers, fostering an inclusive culture of technical excellence and continuous improvement. Promoting ongoing professional development of team members in the latest cloud technologies and practices.
Drive innovation through continuous horizon scanning for emerging technologies and innovate processes that could enhance the organisation s cloud platforms and services. Driving forward thinking adoption that ensures the organisation remains ahead of the technological curve.
Oversee the UKHSA s cloud financial operations, ensuring effective management of cloud spend across multiple cloud providers. Collaborate with internal stakeholders to implement cost-optimisation strategies and financial accountability, driving cost efficiency.
In addition to the above accountabilities, as post holder you are expected to:
Maintain a detailed understanding and be aware of developments in the use of cloud technologies in delivering business objectives by researching changes, tools and solutions.
Work within UKHSA s policies, standing orders, financial regulations and legislative requirements.
Oversee the creation and maintenance of technical documentation for all cloud platforms and services. Ensuring documentation meets set standards of accuracy and usability, facilitating seamless knowledge transfer within the organisation.
Complete own assigned tasks to a high quality and within agreed timelines. Pro-actively proposing improvements to enhance own and business areas. Escalating issues at appropriate times.
Actively identify your development and training needs within this specialism to develop your skills in Cloud Technologies to meet the requirements of the business.
In addition to the above accountabilities, as post holder you are expected to:
Undertake additional duties and responsibilities in line with the overall purpose of your role and as agreed by your line manager.
Demonstrate UKHSA values and core capabilities in all aspects of your work.
Foster an environment where your own and colleagues safety and well-being is promoted. Contribute to a culture which values diversity and inclusion.
Comply with UKHSA policies, procedures and protocols as they apply to your role.
Internal
Senior Civil Servants/Head level members of the UKHSA
Technology and Data teams
Product owners across UKHSA
Users within UKHSA including key business sponsors
External
Software suppliers and design agency representatives
Representatives of other bodies with NHS and Department of Health
Government Digital Service
Person specification
Essential Criteria
Proficiency with Unix/Linux/Windows operating systems.
Advanced understanding of DevOps concepts:
Version control and GitOps.
Test automation.
Continuous integration and continuous deployment (CI/CD).
Infrastructure as code (IaC).
Observability.
Containerisation.
Microservice architecture
A strong focus on collaboration and communication, particularly in managing relationships with a range of stakeholders (suppliers and customers)
Experience of at least one of UKHSA s strategic platforms (AWS and Azure ) and relevant tooling
Experience in the design (translating business need into functional and non-functional requirements.), implementation and operation of platforms (backup and recovery, monitoring, capacity planning, performance tuning, security, audit).
Significant advanced and recent experience as an engineer managing cloud platforms including:
proactive and reactive support
security conscious decision making.
Technical versatility.
Automation oriented approach to problem solving.
Practical experience of a variety of platform hosting models (on-premise, private/public/ hybrid cloud) and suppliers.Experience of cloud platform services and provisioning. E.g. IaaS, PaaS, XaaS.
Experience of building solutions following microservice architecture.
Practical experience / in-depth knowledge of a variety of platform hosting models (on-premise, private/public/ hybrid cloud), cloud platforms and multiple cloud technologies:
Suppliers and platforms (e.g AWS, Azure, Google Cloud)
Infrastructure as Code (e.g Terraform, Pulumi, Crossplane, Ansible)
Container building (e.g Docker, podman, buildah)
Container orchestration (e.g Kubernetes, AWS ECS, OpenShift, Azure Container Apps)
CI/CD (GitHub Actions, GitLab CI, ArgoCD, Flux)
Observability (e.g OpenTelemetry, Grafana, Prometheus, Fluentd, Jaeger, Elasticsearch, Kibana, Logstash)
Security and compliance (Checkov, Snyk, ZAP, SonarCloud, OPA)
Benefits
Alongside your salary of 72,739, UK Health Security Agency contributes 21,072 towards you being a member of the Civil Service Defined Benefit Pension scheme. Find out what benefits a Civil Service Pension provides.
Learning and development tailored to your role
An environment with flexible working options
A culture encouraging inclusion and diversity
A Civil Service pension with an employer contribution of 28.97%
Things you need to know
Selection process details
This vacancy is using Success Profiles and will assess your Behaviours and Experience.
Stage 1: Application & Sift
You will be required to complete an application form. You will be assessed on the above listed 9 essential criteria, and this will be in the form of a:
Application form ( Employer/ Activity history section on the application)
1250 word Statement of Suitability.
This should outline how your skills, experience, and knowledge, provide evidence of your suitability for the role, with reference to the essential criteria.
Please be aware that you will be assessed on the above listed 9 essential criteria, rather than the full list on the job description document.
The Application form and Statement of Suitability will be marked together.
If you are successful at this stage, you will progress to interview and assessment.
Please do not exceed 1250 words. We will not consider any words over and above this number.
Please note you will not be able to upload your CV. You must complete the application form in as much detail as possible. Please do not email us your CV.
Stage 2: Interview (Success Profiles)
You will be invited to a face to face interview. In exceptional circumstances, we may be able to offer a remote interview.
Behaviours and experience will be tested at interview.
There will be a presentation as part of the process.
The Behaviours tested during the interview stage will be:
Leadership (Lead behaviour)
Making effective decisions
Communicating and Influencing
Delivering at Pace
Interviews will be held in January 2025. Please note, these dates are subject to change.
Once this job has closed, the job advert will no longer be available. You may want to save a copy for your records.
Feedback will not be provided at this stage.
Eligibility Criteria
Open to all external applicants (anyone) from outside the Civil Service (including by definition internal applicants).
Location
This role is being offered as hybrid working based at our Canary Wharf offices. We offer great flexible working opportunities at UKHSA and operate using a hybrid working model where business needs allow. This provides us with greater flexibility about how and where we work, to get the best from our workforce. As a hybrid worker, you will be expected to spend a minimum of 60% of your contractual working hours (approximately 3 days a week pro rata, (averaged over a month). Our core HQ offices are modern and newly refurbished with excellent city centre transport link and benefit from benefit from co-location with other government departments such as the Department for Health and Social Care (DHSC).
Security Clearance Level Requirement
Successful candidates must pass a disclosure and barring security check.
Successful candidates must meet the security requirements before they can be appointed. The level of security needed is Basic Personnel Security Standard.
Reasonable Adjustments
The Civil Service is committed to making sure that our selection methods are fair to everyone. To help you during the recruitment process, we will consider any reasonable adjustments that could help you. An adjustment is a change to the recruitment process or an adjustment at work. This is separate to the Disability Confident Scheme. If you need an adjustment to be made at any point during the recruitment process you should contact the recruitment team in confidence as soon as possible to discuss your needs. You can find out more information about reasonable adjustments across the Civil Service here: https://www.civil-service-careers.gov.uk/reasonable-adjustments/
International Police Check
If you have spent more than 6 months abroad over the last 3 years you may need an International Police Check. This would not necessarily have to be in a single block, and it could be time accrued over that period.
Artificial Intelligence (AI)
Your application may be rejected and/or you may be subject to disciplinary action if evidence of plagiarism is detected. Examples of plagiarism can include presenting the ideas and experience of others, or generated by artificial intelligence (AI), as your own.
Feedback will only be provided if you attend an interview or assessment.
Security
Successful candidates must undergo a criminal record check.
People working with government assets must complete baseline personnel security standard (opens in new window) checks.
Nationality Requirements
This job is broadly open to the following groups:
UK nationals
nationals of the Republic of Ireland
nationals of Commonwealth countries who have the right to work in the UK
nationals of the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein and family members of those nationalities with settled or pre-settled status under the European Union Settlement Scheme (EUSS) (opens in a new window)
nationals of the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein and family members of those nationalities who have made a valid application for settled or pre-settled status under the European Union Settlement Scheme (EUSS)
individuals with limited leave to remain or indefinite leave to remain who were eligible to apply for EUSS on or before 31 December 2020
Turkish nationals, and certain family members of Turkish nationals, who have accrued the right to work in the Civil Service
Further information on nationality requirements (opens in a new window)
Working for the Civil Service
The Civil Service Code (opens in a new window) sets out the standards of behaviour expected of civil servants.
We recruit by merit on the basis of fair and open competition, as outlined in the Civil Service Commission's recruitment principles (opens in a new window) .
The Civil Service embraces diversity and promotes equal opportunities. As such, we run a Disability Confident Scheme (DCS) for candidates with disabilities who meet the minimum selection criteria.
Diversity and Inclusion
The Civil Service is committed to attract, retain and invest in talent wherever it is found. To learn more please see the Civil Service People Plan (opens in a new window) and the Civil Service Diversity and Inclusion Strategy (opens in a new window) .
Apply and further information
This vacancy is part of the Great Place to Work for Veterans (opens in a new window) initiative.
Once this job has closed, the job advert will no longer be available. You may want to save a copy for your records.
Contact point for applicants
Job contact :
Name : Jon Payne
Email : recruitment@ukhsa.gov.uk
Recruitment team
Email : recruitment@ukhsa.gov.uk
Further information
The law requires that selection for appointment to the Civil Service is on merit on the basis of fair and open competition as outlined in the Civil Service Commission's Recruitment Principles. If you feel your application has not been treated in accordance with the Recruitment Principles, and you wish to make a complaint, in the first instance, you should contact UKHSA Public Accountability Unit via email: Complaints@ukhsa.gov.uk If you are not satisfied with the response you receive from the Department, you can contact the Civil Service Commission: Visit the Civil Service Commission website: https://civilservicecommission.independent.gov.uk
http://www.healthjobsuk.com/vacancy/6824589
Show more