Job Summary: Platform Engineering Manager (Azure)

Lorien is recruiting a Platform Engineering Manager to lead a growing, Azure-focused team through a critical phase of organizational evolution. This is a foundational leadership role; as the team’s first dedicated manager, you will be responsible for bringing structure to an early-stage function and defining how modern, automated infrastructure is delivered.

You will balance people leadership with technical governance, ensuring that the Infrastructure-as-Code (IaC) estate is robust, scalable, and follows industry best practices.

Key Responsibilities

Team Leadership & Mentorship: Act as the first dedicated manager for the Platform Engineering squad, focusing on career development, technical growth, and creating a high-performance culture.
Infrastructure-as-Code (IaC) Governance: Oversee the development and maintenance of platform templates and automation using Terraform and Ansible.
Backlog & Delivery Management: Use Agile practices to prioritize engineering enhancements against operational requests and support escalations.
Cross-Functional Collaboration: Partner with Software Engineering, Product, and Cloud Operations to ensure infrastructure aligns with application needs and deployment schedules.
Technical Standard-Setting: Provide leadership in Azure architecture, CI/CD tooling, and scripting (PowerShell/Bash) to ensure consistency and repeatability.
Escalation Support: Act as a senior point of contact for 2nd/3rd-line support issues, driving long-term stability through root-cause analysis and documentation.

Role Details

Location: Glasgow or Edinburgh (Hybrid).
Working Pattern: 2 days onsite, 3 days from home.
Basis: Permanent, Full-time.
Recruiter: Lorien (part of the Impellam Group Portfolio).

Candidate Requirements

Cloud Expertise: Significant experience with Microsoft Azure and core cloud infrastructure concepts.
Automation Tooling: A solid background in Terraform, Ansible, and CI/CD pipelines.
Leadership Experience: Proven track record of managing or leading technical teams, ideally within an Agile environment.
Scripting: Proficiency in PowerShell or Bash for automation and operational tooling.
Mindset: A “people-first” leader who remains calm under pressure and is comfortable making high-stakes technical decisions.

The Evolution of the Platform Function

As the first manager for this team, you are transitioning the organization from manual or ad-hoc cloud management to a “Platform as a Product” model.

Why This Role is High-Impact

Greenfield Opportunity: You aren’t just maintaining a status quo; you are shaping the structure and standards of an evolving function.
Empowerment: You have the autonomy to decide which engineering standards (e.g., naming conventions, module structures, security guardrails) the organization adopts.
Influence: By improving automation templates, you directly impact the speed and reliability with which the entire software engineering department can ship code.

Application Tip: Highlight Your “Bridge-Building” Skills

Since you are the first manager for this team, Lorien will be looking for your ability to manage expectations between different departments:

Define Your Leadership Style: Be prepared to discuss how you transition from being a “lead engineer” to a “manager of engineers.”
Agile Delivery: Mention how you handle a “split” workload—balancing long-term project work (e.g., a new Terraform module) with reactive support requests.

Standardization: Provide an example of how you introduced a new standard (like a specific CI/CD practice or a documentation requirement) that improved the team’s efficiency.

Lorien is a premier technology and transformation recruitment specialist that has operated at the forefront of the UK’s digital sector for over 45 years. As part of the Impellam Group—the UK’s largest STEM staffing collective—Lorien combines the agile, expert-led approach of a boutique agency with the massive scale and infrastructure of a global leader. Recently ranked as the #1 Largest IT Staffing Firm in the UK, the firm is a critical partner for organizations undergoing large-scale digital transformation, ranging from high-growth tech startups to FTSE 100 giants.

Culture and Location

While Lorien has a major national presence, its Glasgow operations serve as a strategic hub for Scotland’s thriving “Silicon Glen” and financial technology corridors. The firm often operates on-site or in hybrid capacities with major local employers (such as leading banks and public sector bodies). Their culture is characterized by the mantra “Our People Make the Difference,” promoting a professional yet flexible environment where consultants are encouraged to be “subject matter experts” rather than just recruiters. They are notable for their commitment to social mobility and are active ambassadors for the Tech Talent Charter.

Key Company Highlights

Feature	Details
Specialization	Tech, Digital, and Transformation recruitment
Parent Group	Impellam Group (STEM portfolio)
Glasgow Focus	Hybrid/On-site delivery for major Scottish FS & Public Sector clients
Market Standing	#1 Largest IT Staffing Firm in the UK (SIA 2024/2025)
Core Solutions	RPO (Recruitment Process Outsourcing) & MSP (Managed Service Provider)

Specialist Tech Verticals

Lorien’s Glasgow team manages a wide array of technical mandates, with deep expertise in:

Software Engineering: Spanning Java, .NET, and Full Stack development for global inventory platforms.
Data & AI: Recruiting for machine learning, data engineering, and analytics leadership.
Cloud & Infrastructure: Supporting large-scale migrations to AWS and Azure.
Cyber Security: Sourcing specialists for security operations, governance, and risk.
Project & Change: Managing the talent pipeline for complex digital transformation programs.

To apply for this job please visit www.lorienglobal.com.