Head of Platform & Infrastructure

Head of Platform & Infrastructure

About us

Home. There’s no place like it. And there’s no feeling like helping people create the joy of feeling truly at home.

At Dunelm, that’s what we do.

We’re the UK's number one choice for homewares because we make home life lovelier for our customers. And the caring and supportive culture we've created makes this a place you'll feel right at home too.

About the area

Technology is transforming Dunelm for our customers and for our colleagues.

Platforms, Operations & Enterprise innovate, support and maintain the foundational technologies that underpin Dunelm’s daily operations and enable our digital transformation.

Dunelm Platform: We innovate, support and maintain the foundational technologies that underpin Dunelm’s daily operations and enable our digital transformation. We are a big user of AWS services but also have some services utilising Azure and GCP

Tech for 195 locations We configure, manage and support all the technology infrastructure across our 195 stores and sites.

Security We automate security best practice and implement security tools across Dunelm technologies

Enterprise Solutions: We develop, manage & support third-party solutions essential to Dunelm operation including SAP & Microsoft 365

People & Finance We develop configure, manage and support all technology services in Finance & People business functions

Support & Operations We support all our colleagues and customers across Dunelm, making sure technology is working 24x7

Behaviours/Values

Our shared values of 'act like owners', 'keep listening and learning', 'long term thinking', and 'stronger together' help ensure we are always finding better ways of doing things and spending our time focusing on what’s important.

As head of platform & infrastructure you will be leading teams of technology specialist and experts. As a senior leader all capabilities from our framework are relevant however for success in the role the following are most important:

• Connecting
• Team working
• Being curious
• Making decisions
• Innovating
• Taking responsibility
• Making it happen
• Being resourceful

The Role

A senior leadership role within Dunelm technology the Head of Platforms is accountable for the selection, implementation, operation and security of all Dunelm platform, network, database & CI/CD pipeline technologies and services that enable our 195 locations, Dunelm.com and our inhouse software engineering.

• Own the roadmaps for platform, network and pipeline with a focus on the selection and implementation of innovative technologies that both enable the delivery of valuable outcomes for customers and colleagues and empower our engineering colleagues in a devops culture
• Bring together teams delivering “traditional” infrastructure technologies with teams focussed on new cloud native technologies. Support and coach the development for all platforms teams with a focus on developing our platform engineers to be highly skilled, cloud first with good commercial awareness
• Collaborate effectively with engineering and support teams to ensure platform reliability, scalability and security is maintained or enhanced in all changes and new services.
• Be the senior escalation point for Platform delivery, operation and service
• Own and manage the relationship with 3rd party suppliers utilised within the platform ensuring achievement of delivery and service commitments
• Own and manage the opex and capex budgets for platform technologies delivery and operation with a focus on ensuring cost optimisation
• Operate as a thought leader within the Dunelm technology community through membership of the heads of community and the architecture review forum. Lead and/or participate on cross Dunelm tech initiatives to mature our culture and ways of working.
• Maintain good external awareness and networks including promoting Dunelm technology innovation externally

About the Candidate

• Experienced in leading diverse teams in the selection, implementation and operation of traditional and cloud native platform, network and CI/CD pipeline technologies including:
  • AWS EC2 & Serverless (essential)
  • Microsoft Azure or GCP (ideal)
  • CI/CD pipeline technologies (ideal)
  • Database technologies: MSSQL, RDS (essential)
  • Networking & firewalling technologies (essential)
  • Hosting of mission critical applications on Windows Server Technologies: ERP, EWM & POS.
  • Enterprise Cyber Security
• Experience in communicating technical concepts and roadmaps to non technical leaders up to and including c-level
• Experience in managing multi million opex and capex budgets and third party supplier relationships
• Experienced in leading in an agile matrix managed organisation that is maturing but not yet fully mature

Join our Tech Team and you’ll not only be part of stimulating projects that are making an impact across our business, you’ll be somewhere you can build a long-term career that always promises to challenge and excite.

Find your happy place

We recruit people from all types of backgrounds, who share our entrepreneurial, hands-on approach to work. We are committed to creating a full inclusive environment that is representative of our customers and locations. We recognise the value and importance in inclusion and diversity and welcome applications from all candidates, regardless of sex, age, race, religion, disability, neuro-diversity, gender or sexual identity, socio-economic background or education.