Job description

We are seeking an experienced and dynamic Cloud Platform Engineer Lead for our Cloud Engineering Team. The Cloud Platform Engineer Lead will be responsible for providing technical leadership, guiding the implementation of the Allen & Overy cloud platform, and overseeing the operations and performance of our cloud infrastructure. They will play a crucial role in driving innovation, improving scalability, and ensuring the stability and security of our cloud environment.

You will be responsible for the delivery of work items relating to the area of Cloud Platform Engineering within the overall Cloud Platform Team backlog.  You will collaborate with the Principal Cloud Platform Engineer and the Lead Workload Engineer to manage the priority of the backlog, identify enablers, and record any technical debt on the backlog.

Department purpose
The Architecture, Data & Engineering teams are primarily accountable for delivering the software and applications that Allen & Overy develop internally, and with the help of selected near source and outsource partners.
 
The Cloud Platform Team's responsibility is to design, deliver support and operate Allen & Overy's foundational cloud platform, ensuring it is stable, resilient, performant, and secure, enabling application and development teams across the organization to quickly and safely design, deliver and manage applications for our users.

What you’ll do in this role
Technical leadership: Provide guidance and mentorship to the cloud engineering team, fostering a culture of excellence and continuous learning. Lead architectural discussions, make design decisions, and drive the adoption of best practices in cloud platform development and operations.

Cloud platform design and implementation: Assist with design and lead in the implementation of cloud platforms and services, ensuring scalability, reliability, and security. Collaborate with cross-functional teams to gather requirements and drive their successful delivery.  Build, support and extend a cloud platform on which application engineers can craft high quality applications, at speed.

Team collaboration and coordination: Collaborate with stakeholders, including developers, operations staff, and management, to align cloud platform initiatives with business goals and requirements. Coordinate with other teams to ensure seamless integration of cloud services and applications. Provide technical guidance and mentorship to team members, fostering their professional growth and development.

Cloud infrastructure optimisation: Continuously assess and optimise the performance, scalability, and cost-efficiency of the cloud infrastructure. Identify areas for improvement and implement strategies to enhance resource utilization, automate processes, and optimize costs.

Security and compliance management: Ensure the security and compliance of the cloud infrastructure by implementing robust security measures, monitoring for vulnerabilities, and adhering to industry best practices and regulatory requirements. Collaborate with the security team to develop and enforce security policies and procedures.

3rd Line Incident response and troubleshooting: Lead the resolution of complex technical issues and incidents related to the cloud infrastructure. Conduct root cause analysis, implement preventive measures, and drive continuous improvement to ensure high availability and reliability.

Cloud governance and strategy: Implement and execute governance guardrails, including policies, and standards. Ensure adherence to governance principles and practices in all aspects of cloud infrastructure design, implementation, and operation.

Stakeholder communication: Effectively communicate complex technical concepts to both technical and non-technical stakeholders. Provide regular updates on the performance, status, and progress of cloud platform initiatives. Collaborate with stakeholders to gather feedback and address concerns.

You should apply if you bring

• Minimum of 5 years of experience in cloud engineering or related roles, with demonstrated progression in responsibilities and leadership
• Strong expertise in cloud platforms such as AWS, Azure, or GCP
• Deep understanding of cloud computing concepts, principles, and best practices.
• Strong knowledge of infrastructure-as-code (IaC) and Configuration-as-Code (CaC) tools and methodologies
• Deep understanding of Cloud services such as virtual networks, storage, compute resources, and security features.
• Deep understanding of networking concepts and protocols in cloud environments.
• In-depth knowledge of DevOps/SRE practices and tools for continuous integration, delivery, and deployment (CI/CD) in a cloud environment.  
• Strong understanding of security best practices in cloud computing, including IAM, network security, and data protection.
• Strong communication and collaboration skills, with the ability to work effectively in cross-functional teams.
• Extensive experience with automation tools such as Ansible, Chef, or Puppet
• Expert in containerisation technologies such as Docker and Kubernetes
• Excellent troubleshooting and problem-solving skills
• Solid scripting and programming skills (Python, Bash, PowerShell, etc.)
• Excellent problem-solving and analytical abilities
• Strong communication and collaboration skills
• Proven leadership and mentoring abilities

You’ll stand out if you bring

• Experience working in a highly regulated industry sector
• In-depth experience of the Azure Cloud Platform
• In-depth experience with ELK with proven examples of implementation
• Experience with Bicep for infrastructure provisioning, and Ansible for configuration and provisioning.

Should you require additional support at any stage of the recruitment process due to a disability or a health condition, please do not hesitate to contact a member of Allen & Overy’s recruitment team who will work with you to provide any reasonable adjustments as required.

We are an equal opportunities recruiter and do not discriminate on the basis of race, colour, sex, religion, sexual orientation, national origin, disability, or any other protected characteristic.

At Allen & Overy, we recognise that our people are our most valuable asset, which is reflected in the wide range of benefits that are available to our employees. Some of these benefits include: our occupational pension scheme, group income protection cover, private medical insurance, mental health resources and free apps, health and wellbeing services encompassing an onsite gym, wellbeing centre and GP service, emergency back-up care support, parental and special leave, holiday entitlement increasing with length of service, holiday trading, season ticket loans and online discounts and lifestyle management services.

Allen & Overy is a leading global law firm operating in over thirty countries. We work on some of the most challenging and important deals and have built a reputation for delivering exceptional legal solutions that help our clients grow, innovate and thrive. The legal industry is changing, and we're committed to leading that change, putting our people first, embracing new ways of thinking and integrating technology into our everyday work. Our business teams work hand-in-hand with our lawyers, Consultants and other specialist teams, and are ambitious, driven and leaders in their field.

With us, you will constantly be learning and growing. We invest in you by offering exceptional professional and personal development – providing training, mentoring and practical support. We offer rewarding careers that are built around your strengths and designed to ensure you can achieve your personal and professional goals, recognising that those may look different for everyone.

We have a powerful commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion. We’re determined to play our part in advancing a workplace where progress is made by harnessing our differences – whatever defines you, we ask you to bring your whole self to work.

What truly defines a career at Allen & Overy? We recruit the best and ask for the best of you. We provide challenge, support and a place for you to belong. And together we excel, working on meaningful projects of global significance.