Lead DevOps Engineer
Lead DevOps engineer at a Wellington-based cloud SaaS company: shape the AWS cloud strategy (reliability, cost, observability), drive IaC and CI/CD (CloudFormation/Terraform, Docker, Jenkins/GitLab), and mentor a team of 3-4 junior/intermediate DevOps engineers while partnering with the CIO/CISO, Product and Developers.
- Compensation
- NZ$150K–NZ$175K / yr
- Location
- Wellington Central, Wellington
- Work setup
- Onsite
- Seniority
- Lead
- Employment
- Not specified
- Experience
- Not specified
- Category
- Devops
- Posted
Skills
Must have
- Strong familiarity with core AWS services and modern cloud architecture
- Experience (or natural aptitude for) mentoring, line management and building inclusive team environments
- Hands-on experience with IaC tools like CloudFormation, Terraform, CDK, Docker
- Hands-on experience with modern CI/CD systems (Jenkins, GitHub, GitLab)
- Knowledge of Linux administration, cloud networking fundamentals and secure system design
- Strong interpersonal skills, collaborative problem-solving mindset and empathy
- NZ residency or a valid NZ work visa
Nice to have
- Familiarity with PostgreSQL, Python, or Java
Full description
Salary: $150,000 – $175,000 per year + more!
About the Role
Join a leading cloud-based software business supporting communities across New Zealand and Australia, processing over $4.5 billion annually.
We are looking for a collaborative, supportive Lead DevOps Engineer to join our Wellington team. In this senior role, you’ll help shape our AWS cloud strategy—focusing on sustainability, observability, platform reliability, and cost-efficiency.
Beyond the technical side, you will play a pivotal role in nurturing talent. You’ll serve as a direct line manager and mentor for a warm, dedicated team of 3–4 Junior and Intermediate DevOps Engineers. Reporting directly to the Hiring Manager, you'll partner closely with our CIO/CISO, Product Team, and Developers to keep our SaaS platform secure, reliable, and built for the future.
What You’ll Be Doing
- Shape Cloud Strategy & Efficiency: Guide our AWS environment with a focus on proactive maintenance, smart resource allocation, and platform stability.
- Empower & Mentor: Provide compassionate line management, coaching, and career development for 3–4 DevOps engineers, helping them thrive and achieve their goals.
- Architecture & IaC: Co-design the infrastructure roadmap alongside the platform architecture team using Infrastructure as Code (CloudFormation, Terraform, Docker, CDK).
- CI/CD & DevSecOps: Support continuous integration systems (Jenkins, GitLab/GitHub) while fostering a security-minded, best-practice engineering culture.
- Build Meaningful Connections: Work cross-functionally across Development, Product, and Security teams, and maintain strong external relationships with third-party vendors and our dedicated AWS team.
What We’re Looking For
- AWS Experience: Strong familiarity with core AWS services and modern cloud architecture.
- People Leadership: Experience (or a natural aptitude for) mentoring, line management, and building inclusive team environments.
- Automation & IaC: Hands-on experience with tools like CloudFormation, Terraform, CDK, Docker, or modern CI/CD systems (Jenkins, GitHub, GitLab).
- Networking & Security: Knowledge of Linux administration, cloud networking fundamentals, and secure system design.
- Communication & Empathy: Strong interpersonal skills, a collaborative problem-solving mindset, and an appreciation for a supportive, human-first culture. *Bonus points if you have familiarity with PostgreSQL, Python, or Java.