Senior Cloud Ops Engineer - Southern Water
Join to apply for the Senior Cloud Ops Engineer role at Southern Water.
Hours: 37 hours
Location: Durrington, Worthing (Hybrid)
Contract Type: Permanent
Salary: Circa £70,000 + bonus
Closing Date: 30 November 2025
Are you ready to make a difference in the water & waste industry? Southern Water is undergoing a massive digital transformation and seeks skilled, talented people to support collaborative teams in delivering these initiatives.
Responsibilities
* Azure Cloud Engineering
o Build, configure, and maintain Azure cloud environments (IaaS, PaaS, storage, networking, identity).
o Deploy and support Azure Landing Zones in line with enterprise architecture standards.
o Support the transition from IaaS to PaaS services by designing and implementing modern cloud‑native solutions.
o Monitor and manage cloud workloads to ensure availability, performance and security.
* Operations & Automation
o Implement infrastructure as code (IaC) using tools such as Bicep, ARM templates or Terraform.
o Automate provisioning, scaling and maintenance of cloud resources using DevOps pipelines and scripts (PowerShell, Azure CLI, CI/CD).
o Monitor system health, respond to incidents and participate in root cause analysis and continuous improvement.
* Security, Governance & Compliance
o Enforce cloud security best‑practice, including role‑based access control, encryption and secure networking.
o Support compliance with internal policies and regulatory standards by ensuring guardrails and policies are in place.
o Collaborate with Security Operations and Compliance teams to remediate vulnerabilities and audit issues.
* Cost Management & FinOps Support
o Contribute to cost optimisation by right‑sizing resources and identifying opportunities to reduce waste.
o Use Azure Cost Management tools and dashboards to track and forecast cloud spend.
o Provide reporting and insights to the Cloud Operations Manager and Finance teams.
* Process Development & Documentation
o Document standard operating procedures, cloud configurations and runbooks.
o Help maintain consistent operational practices and contribute to knowledge sharing across the team.
* Collaboration & Support
o Work with infrastructure architects, data platform teams, developers and project teams to support solution delivery.
o Act as an escalation point for cloud‑related incidents and changes.
o Assist with service transitions, knowledge transfer and training for BAU support teams.
* Disaster Recovery & Business Continuity
o Support the implementation and testing of disaster recovery and business continuity plans related to cloud infrastructure.
o Ensure cloud services are resilient and recoverable in line with RTO and RPO.
o Collaborate with the DR/BCP team to maintain and update recovery procedures and test plans.
* Staying Current with Cloud Technologies
o Stay informed on the latest Azure features, cloud architecture patterns and best practices.
o Participate in training, certifications or knowledge sharing sessions to continuously enhance cloud skills.
o Recommend improvements or innovations based on emerging technologies and industry trends.
Knowledge And Skills Needed
* Bachelor's degree in Computer Science, Information Technology or related field or equivalent experience.
* Extensive experience with Microsoft Azure cloud services and PaaS/IaaS solutions.
* Strong knowledge of landing zone architecture and best practices.
* Proven experience in defining and implementing cloud infrastructure standards and best practices.
* IaC knowledge, e.g., Terraform or CloudFormation.
* Containerisation and orchestration with Docker and Kubernetes.
* Automation skills – Python, PowerShell – and ability to automate routine tasks.
* Expertise in cloud security – IAM, encryption, PCI DSS, NIST.
* Strong networking knowledge – virtual networks, subnets, security groups, load balancers, VPN.
* Understanding of DevOps practices and integration with development workflows.
* Experience with FinOps – managing cloud costs and applying FinOps principles.
Capability Required
* Expertise in MS Azure and deep understanding of its services.
* Ability to scale resources on demand and optimise usage for cost‑effectiveness.
* Proficiency in cloud security and compliance – IAM, encryption, regulatory compliance.
* Strong problem‑solving and debugging skills to resolve issues quickly.
* Comprehensive documentation of configurations, processes and procedures.
* Excellent communication skills for technical and non‑technical stakeholders.
* Mentoring and training ability to foster continuous learning within the team.
* Commitment to staying up‑to‑date with evolving cloud technologies and industry best‑practice.
What Do We Offer?
* 25 days annual leave plus bank holidays.
* Free annual flu jab and eye test vouchers.
* Pension contributions up to 11% (depending on your contribution).
* An employee assistance programme.
* A network of sports and social clubs.
* Company and performance‑related bonus.
* Life assurance equal to 4× salary.
* Salary‑sacrifice electric car scheme (after 6 months service).
* Health Cash Plan.
* Two paid volunteering days a year.
* Occupational health service.
* Discounts with over 800 retailers.
* Digital GP service.
* Study support may be available for job‑related qualifications.
* Competitive maternity and paternity leave and flexible return‑to‑work options.
* Cycle‑to‑work scheme.
We understand the need for flexibility. Although we cannot accommodate every flexible working request, we aim to find a practical solution. Whether you’re unsure if you meet all the requirements or have specific personal circumstances, we encourage you to engage with us to learn more about this role.
Privacy Statement: If you are an existing Southern Water employee, you must confirm with your manager that they are aware of your application.
All applicants must be eligible to live and work in the UK. You will need to provide evidence of eligibility (e.g., a passport or long birth certificate and proof of National Insurance) and a recent proof of address (dated within the last three months). If you do not meet these criteria, your application will not be considered.
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