Platform Engineering Manager

Reports To: Head of IT – Platform Engineering

Direct Reports: 3-5

Location: UK / IRL (Hybrid) - the successful hire will work from our London or Manchester offices in the UK, or Dublin office (Citywest Business Campus) in Ireland.

About the role

The Platform Engineering Manager - Design Engineering & Cloud Enablement will lead architecture, cloud strategy, and network services across Inizio's corporate IT estate. You will set technical direction, governs standards, and lead senior engineers and architects designing solutions for the wider Platform Engineering organisation.

You will lead Design Engineering & Cloud Enablement and ensure Inizio's enterprise architecture remains consistent, scalable, secure, and supportable. You will translate technology strategy into practical engineering direction and develop a team operating as a true Centre for Enablement.

Responsibilities

Technical Leadership & Architecture Governance

• Set engineering standards, architectural direction, and quality expectations across Inizio's enterprise platform estate.
• Oversee architecture governance, ensuring you approve, and document solution designs through the appropriate processes.
• Maintain reference architectures, technology standards, and Architecture Decision Records across cloud, network, identity, observability, and integration domains.
• Assess the latest technologies and vendor capabilities, providing clear recommendations for Inizio's environment.
• Embed security, resilience, supportability, and cost effectiveness into all architecture and engineering outputs.

Cloud Enablement & C4E Leadership

• Lead Inizio's Centre for Enablement model, delivering reusable patterns, landing zones, golden paths, and engineering guardrails.
• Oversee the cloud enablement strategy, driving Azure and AWS adoption following standards, security requirements, and the IT roadmap.
• Oversee cloud engineering delivery across Infrastructure as Code, CI/CD, automation, and governance.
• Provide leadership across the cloud and platform toolchain, including Azure, AWS, Entra ID, Boomi, ServiceNow integrations, and related controls.
• Manage cloud vendor and managed service partner relationships.

People Management & Development

• Manage senior engineers and architects through regular 1:1s, goals, performance reviews, and development conversations.
• Build and sustain a collaborative team culture.
• Identify skills gaps and develop plans to address them through recruitment, training, or professional development.
• Act as a technical mentor across Platform Engineering.
• Support workforce planning and succession activity.

Stakeholder Engagement & Roadmap

• Shape and communicate the roadmap for the Design Engineering & Cloud Enablement with the Head of IT – Platform Engineering.
• Translate business, security, architecture, and operational demand into priorities, reusable patterns, and standards.
• Represent the function in architecture governance, service design, transition, and senior leadership forums.
• Produce roadmaps, business cases, standards, and technical briefings to support decision-making.

Delivery & Operational Oversight

• Ensure engineering delivery oversees work delivered to agreed time, quality, risk, and scope expectations.
• Ensure architecture and cloud changes are governed, assessed, and ready for operational handover.

About you

Essential Experience

• Experience in technical management or lead architecture within a complex enterprise IT environment.
• Experience across Azure, AWS, enterprise networking, Entra ID, Boomi, and ServiceNow-aligned delivery and governance.
• Experience leading senior technical teams across architecture, cloud, networks, or platform engineering.
• Track record delivering cloud adoption, architecture transformation, or platform standardisation in a multi region enterprise.
• Experience with reference architectures, design standards, service transition controls, and formal architecture review processes.
• Experience operating in a Centre for Enablement, platform engineering, or reusable pattern model.

Qualifications

• Degree in Computer Science, Information Systems, Engineering, or a related discipline, or equivalent senior-level professional experience.
• Senior cloud or architecture certification expected, such as Azure Solutions Architect Expert, AWS Solutions Architect Professional, Google Professional Cloud Architect, TOGAF, or equivalent.
• Additional qualifications in security, networking, IT service management, project delivery, or cloud financial management are advantageous, including AZ-500, CCNP, CISSP, ITIL, PRINCE2, FinOps, or equivalent.

Skills & Attributes

• Credible technical leader able to set direction across cloud architecture, platform engineering, enterprise networking, identity, automation, observability, and security by design.
• The ability to build, coach, motivate, and hold senior engineers and architects accountable for delivery, quality, and professional growth.
• Can explain complex architecture choices, trade offs, risks, and benefits to senior, operational, security, finance, and technical team members.
• Strategic and commercially aware, able to oversee cost, resilience, risk, compliance, vendor selection, platform investment, and long-term total cost of ownership.
• Delivery-focused; able to balance governance with enablement and push adoption of reusable patterns, guardrails, automation, and continuous improvement.

Core competencies

• Technical Leadership – Sets a credible technical direction and earns the respect of senior engineers and architects.
• Can connect engineering decisions to the broader organisational technology strategy.
• People Development – Invests in building team capability and creating an environment where engineers can do their best work.
• Communication & Influence – Articulates complex technical ideas for varied audiences and builds effective stakeholder relationships.
• Delivery Focus – Drives engineering outcomes with pace and quality.
• Collaboration – Works as a genuine partner with the other Technical Managers and the Head of IT to deliver Platform Engineering as a unified function.
• Commercial Awareness – Makes engineering decisions with an understanding of cost, risk, and business impact.

About Inizio

At Inizio, we're a global team motivated by a shared purpose: to reimagine health. Formed in 2022, we unite decades of experience and expertise with data, technology, and AI to create tailored solutions that drive Intelligent Commercialization™ at every stage of the journey - from discovery to post-launch.

Our global network of over 10,000 experts operates across 50 countries, supporting clients with strategic insight, medical excellence, creative engagement, and real-world delivery. We work with the world's leading health and life sciences businesses to solve complex challenges and accomplish meaningful outcomes for our clients and patients.

What sets Inizio apart is our people - and we believe everyone should excel. Here, you're encouraged to reimagine your possibilities: to grow, to be curious and to make change happen. We value your individuality, support your development, and celebrate your ambition. If you're ready to push boundaries and accelerate your career, Inizio is the best place to be.

Our Pledge

At Inizio, we value inclusivity, recognize the power of diversity and inspire the next generation of change-makers. We are an equal opportunities employer. We believe in creating a dynamic work environment that values diversity, equity and inclusion. We aim to recruit from a diverse slate of candidates and foster an environment that provides the right conditions for long-term success. We welcome all applications. We consider them regardless of race, color, religion, or belief. We also consider them regardless of gender, gender identity, age, national origin, marital status, military veteran status, genetic information, sexual orientation, and physical or mental disability.

Artificial Intelligence

Inizio may use AI technologies to support certain aspects of our recruitment process, but all hiring decisions at Inizio are made by our human recruiting team. We are committed to fair, inclusive, and human-led hiring practices.

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