Lead DevOps Engineer

Job title : Lead DevOps Engineer (contract) Duration : 6 months Target Start Date : ASAP Location : Cardiff Hybrid - travel to Cardiff office on an adhoc basic and for training on week 1. Rate : Competitive, inside IR35 Deloitte Working with the Deloitte Associate (Contractor) Programme means we can offer you the opportunity to work on a variation of industry and client related projects. Our aim is to retain the best talent and so when your project end date nears our team of Talent Community Advisors will be working with you to look at alternative projects within the firm that suit your experience should you wish to continue with Deloitte.

About the role: We are looking for a Lead DevOps Engineer to join the Enabling Functions team. Reporting to Tech lead, you will be responsible for leading, mentoring and guiding a team of 5 DevOps Engineers in the delivery, robust availability and stringent security of our core Audit Analytics platform. You will drive the adoption of best practices, streamline processes, and ensure the platform remains highly stable, secure and resilient. While this is not a client-facing role, a key element is a desire to continuously improve the process and the solution by identifying, recommending and implementing opportunities to optimise, enhance, and secure existing functionality and processes. You will collaborate closely with development teams, product owners and other stakeholders to ensure seamless software deployment, maintain platform integrity, and deliver an optimal end-user experience. You will also be instrumental in evaluating and implementing new tools and technologies to further automate and enhance our DevOps capabilities, specifically with a view to improving stability, availability, and security. The on-premises platform is on a path to scheduled sunset in 2027 as part of a strategic transition to the cloud. This is a fixed term role to manage day-to-day operations, maintenance, and technical administration.

Responsibilities but not limited to; Infrastructure & Operations Lead, mentor, and manage a small team of DevOps Engineers, fostering a culture of continuous improvement, collaboration, and technical excellence. Define and implement the strategic roadmap for the data warehouse and analytics platform infrastructure, ensuring alignment with business objectives and technical best practices. Oversee the administration and optimisation of critical infrastructure, including Microsoft SQL Server installations and server estates (Windows and Linux). Pro-actively engage in the long-term maintenance and evolution of the platform, improving current practices, and adopting new technologies. Release Management & DevOps Automation Drive the enhancement and automation of software deployment pipelines, promoting CI/CD principles and tools. Collaborate strategically with development teams to optimise their environments, remove blockers, and facilitate efficient software delivery. Production Support Act as a primary escalation point for 3rd/4th line support issues, guiding the team in incident resolution and problem management. Oversee the monitoring platform, ensuring effective alerting and proactive identification of potential issues, and guiding the team in responding to alerts.

Essential Skills: Experience with the following is required: Proven experience in a DevOps leadership or senior engineering role, with experience managing or mentoring a team. Stakeholder Management - Able to lead technical discussions with technical and non-technical senior stakeholders, make informed decisions and drive initiatives to completion. On-prem experience with performance tuning, Debugging error states, Backups, Disaster recovery and Security Deep expertise in Microsoft SQL Server 2019 and MySQL, including advanced performance tuning, debugging, backup strategies, disaster recovery, and security. Extensive experience with Windows Server 2016/2019 administration and strong knowledge of Linux administration. Demonstrable experience in designing, implementing, and optimising CI/CD pipelines and automation tools. Experience with monitoring and logging solutions to ensure platform health and performance. Excellent problem-solving, analytical, and communication skills.

Desirable skills : Proficient in scripting languages such as PowerShell or Bash for automation. Advanced knowledge of Active Directory , enterprise networking, and security best practices. Experience with Octopus Deploy or similar deployment automation tools. Windows .NET service administration, including installation, editing app.config files and monitoring Working with NuGet packages Experience managing vendor relationships and technical support engagements.

Deliverables Ensure the overall reliability, performance and security of the data warehouse and analytics platform. Lead the team in providing effective production support for both on-premise infrastructure and applications. Oversee the strategic management and maintenance of Windows/Linux servers, SQL Server installations, storage and physical hardware. Drive preventive maintenance, upgrades, and patching schedules, coordinating effectively with global teams. Develop and implement continuous improvement initiatives for DevOps processes and tools. Mentor and develop team members, enhancing their technical capabilities and career growth.

IR35 As a means of managing tax, commercial and reputational risks, Deloitte prohibits the use of Associates through Personal Service Companies (‘PSCs’). All Associates must contract under PAYE arrangements through a Deloitte approved ‘Employment Company’ (aka ‘umbrella company.’)