Platform Architect (Cloud Services)

We have an exciting opportunity to join our small, highly collaborative platforms team. Within this role, you will assist with the operation, support and development of the platforms and services that we provide internally and to customers. You will have the opportunity will be to collate, review and design evidence-based solutions to help drive efficiencies within the company. As part of the Platforms team, the architect will drive innovation in the services provided both internally and to customers — working with key suppliers and to a continual improvement strategy.

Core Responsibilities

• Assist in support of the Data Centre estate
• Develop, support and maintain the Private Cloud based on VMware VCF 9.1
• Working with other departments to gather requirements and develop solutions that meet their needs
• Deliver robust, secure and reliable systems that are well defined and meet agreed availability targets
• Ensure that all systems are documented effectively, processes are fit for purpose and capacity is managed
• Staying up to date on the latest trends in technologies
• Provide an escalation path for Service Desk to assist in diagnosing and fixing systems
• Securing data and infrastructure from threats
• Assist in improving operational efficiency
• Assist in increasing competitive advantage
• Move towards a proactive / automated service
• Working to SLA or agreed project timelines
• Assist with BAU when required

Requirements:

We welcome applications from engineers who have the following essential requirements:

• Proven experience designing, deploying and supporting VMware Cloud Foundation (VCF) / vSphere private cloud environments
• Degree in Computer Science/IT, or equivalent professional experience
• Strong knowledge of Data Centre infrastructure — compute, storage and networking
• Experience with capacity management, system documentation and operational processes
• Working understanding of information/data security principles
• Experience operating as an escalation point for 2nd/3rd-line support teams
• Experience gathering requirements from other departments and translating these into technical solutions
• Experience delivering work to SLAs or agreed project timelines
• VMware certification relevant to VCF/vSphere (e.g. VCP-DCV)
• Advanced VMware certification (e.g. VCAP, VCDX)
• Certification in a public cloud platform (AWS/Azure/GCP)
• ITIL Foundation
• Experience with VMware NSX and/or vSAN
• Scripting/automation experience (e.g. PowerCLI, Terraform, Ansible) to support a move towards proactive/automated service
• Experience working in a managed service or customer-facing environment
• Experience working with Kubernetes or container environments Experience working with third-party suppliers and managing supplier relationships
• Experience mentoring or providing technical leadership to junior engineers

Key Behaviours

• Confident communicator able to explain technical decisions to engineers, project teams, customer stakeholders and end users.
• Ability to work independently, manage competing priorities and collaborate effectively across technical disciplines.
• Builds good relationships with customers and colleagues
• Maintain a high standard of work and technical capability, setting an example to junior members of the team
• Takes ownership of actions
• Learns about customer and stakeholder needs, interests and concerns

Who are ITPS?

We’re experts in solving complex business problems through intelligent and secure IT implementation that protects and transforms organisations, helping them to grow. We embrace innovation and drive change, bringing new ideas, new technologies and new ways of thinking as a trusted IT partner.

With 26 years of experience, we partner with companies across the public and private sector to deliver data centre, cyber security, cloud, data and analytics, network services and managed services solutions. Our highly accredited and experienced engineering teams combined with our strategic relationships with partners such as Microsoft and Cisco, mean that our customers trust us to simplify the complexity of IT and deliver benefits that make them more agile, competitive and resilient. Our vision is a world in which technology makes lives easier, society fairer and our planet greener.

Employee Benefits:

As soon as you are employed, you can access these benefits:

• 27 days annual leave
• Your birthday off work
• Annual pay reviews
• On-Line GP and Physiotherapy Service for you and your family
• Enhanced maternity leave benefit (4 months full pay)
• Enhanced paternity leave benefit (2 weeks full pay)
• Salary Sacrifice pension scheme match funded up to 7%
• Fully funded training and certification path
• Fresh fruit, soft drinks and a commercial coffee machine

Following probation, you can access these benefits too:

• Hybrid/flexible working (3 days office/2 days home)
• Cycle to Work Scheme
• Curry’s and IKEA voucher Scheme
• Electric Car Lease Scheme

Your standard hours would be 8:30am -5:00pm, based at our offices in Chester le Street.