Azure Platform Engineer

Forsters is seeking an experienced Azure Platform Engineer to strengthen, standardise and modernise our core Microsoft Azure environment. Working closely with Development, Applications and Security teams, the role will focus on foundational cloud setup, serverless components, core PaaS databases, platform health, security alignment and practical self-service infrastructure blueprints.

A key objective of the assignment will be to create clear architecture, operational and best practice guides that enable internal development and application teams to build and deploy applications securely and efficiently, aligned with Forsters’ information security baselines. While longer-term strategy includes modern CI/CD patterns and delivery pipelines, this role will primarily establish the Azure platform foundations and contribute to a pipeline roadmap that can be operationalised over time.

Hours: 9am – 5.30pm with flexibility for additional hours / on-call as required.

What sort of work?

• Design, configure and maintain Azure serverless components, including Azure Functions, Function Apps, App Service Plans, scaling models, host processes and environment lifecycles.
• Oversee Azure SQL Databases and Managed Instances, including availability, firewalls, private endpoints, Entra ID integration, performance monitoring, backups and recovery readiness.
• Manage certificates and secrets across Azure workloads using Azure Key Vault, App Service certificates and SSL/TLS automation, including rotation, renewal and lifecycle controls.
• Identify, analyse and resolve Azure infrastructure vulnerabilities, deployment issues and configuration risks in close coordination with the Security team.
• Provision and maintain cloud resources using infrastructure as code, such as Terraform, Bicep or ARM templates, with structured Resource Groups aligned to Microsoft Cloud Adoption Framework governance.
• Perform regular health checks, administrative oversight and capacity monitoring for Power Apps environments, Power Automate flows and custom connections integrated with Azure platform services.
• Establish curated Azure Deployment Environments and self-service infrastructure blueprints for Development, Applications and wider IT teams.
• Configure monitoring, observability, log aggregation and operational metrics using Azure Monitor, Log Analytics and Application Insights.
• Work with Infrastructure, Applications and Security Architects to ensure systems follow Business Continuity and Disaster Recovery guidelines, with documented plans reviewed and tested regularly.
• Act as a third-level escalation point for IT Operations, troubleshooting cloud infrastructure issues and working with vendor partners to maintain service levels and resolve complex problems.
• Develop and maintain platform standards, guardrails, runbooks, architectural documentation, operational guides and knowledge articles for Azure cloud services.
• Contribute to the future CI/CD and pipeline strategy, including roadmap definition, reusable deployment patterns and operational handover requirements.
• Support change management, incident resolution, problem management, service improvement and other ad hoc cloud platform projects as required.

Why Forsters?

We are renowned for our private wealth and real estate focus, together with our strong corporate and commercial and dispute resolution teams. We work alongside individuals, families and businesses across a wide range of complex matters and situations.

What makes us different is how we build closer connections with our clients to deliver exceptional results. We do it through creating genuine relationships, a sharp focus on what matters to them and the flexibility to adapt our advice to their situation.

When you come through our door, you’ll notice how genuinely open, friendly and authentic people are. We work well together because we have fun together. We take your happiness and wellbeing seriously. Here, you are free to express yourself and be the best you can be.

Delivering exceptional results takes on a different meaning at Forsters. For us, it’s about being more closely connected to clients, each other and our communities. It’s what drives us, them and you forward.

Why this team?

You will join an IT team focused on modernising how cloud services are designed, delivered, governed and supported. This role will help create the Azure foundations, standards and practical guidance that enable Forsters teams to build secure, reliable and supportable applications more efficiently.

What is the environment?

You will work in a collaborative, delivery-focused environment, partnering closely with Development, Applications, Information Security, Infrastructure, Service Delivery and external suppliers. The role combines hands-on Azure engineering with documentation, governance, operational support, knowledge transfer and continuous improvement. We work both in and out of the office in Marylebone depending on what is best for our clients, our team, our business and our professional growth.

Are we right for you?

We are looking for someone who enjoys creating secure, well-governed Azure platforms that other teams can confidently use. You will be pragmatic, technically credible and comfortable moving between engineering detail, documentation, security expectations and business outcomes. You will care about platform health, repeatability, operational readiness and making complex Azure services easier to adopt and support.

Other skills required:

Collaboration:

• Work closely with Development, Applications, Information Security, Infrastructure, Service Delivery and project teams to design, govern, document and support Azure platform services.
• Partner with stakeholders to establish Azure best practice, define self-service patterns and prioritise platform improvements that reduce risk and improve delivery confidence.
• Mentor colleagues on automation, infrastructure as code, Azure governance and operational handover practices to build a stronger platform engineering capability.
• Engage with vendors and technology partners to understand roadmaps, benchmark approaches and ensure appropriate support, service levels and root cause analysis for escalated issues.

Essential:

• Proven experience working collaboratively across Development, Applications, Security and Infrastructure teams to deliver secure and performant cloud environments.
• Practical coding and scripting capability using PowerShell, Python, Azure CLI or equivalent command-line tooling to support operational automation.
• Strong hands-on experience with Microsoft Azure serverless and PaaS services, including Azure Functions, Function Apps, App Service Plans and related hosting models.
• Experience administering Azure SQL Database and/or Managed Instance, including access controls, private connectivity, resource tiering, backup/recovery and performance optimisation.
• Strong experience with infrastructure as code, including Terraform, Bicep or ARM templates, to deploy modular and repeatable cloud resources.
• Experience managing certificates, TLS/SSL, domain bindings, secrets and secret rotation using Azure Key Vault and automated renewal workflows.
• Practical knowledge of Azure governance, networking, Resource Group boundary design, Microsoft Entra ID, RBAC and information security best practice.
• Ability to monitor, troubleshoot and assess the operational health of Power Apps, Power Automate flows and underlying connectors.
• Experience configuring Azure Monitor, Log Analytics, Application Insights and operational telemetry to support platform health and incident response.
• Excellent technical documentation skills, including best practice guides, architecture records, standard operating procedures, runbooks and support handover material.
• Strong communication skills, attention to detail and ability to manage multiple priorities in a busy professional services environment.

Desirable:

• Strategic understanding of CI/CD concepts and ability to help define a future roadmap for build and release pipelines using Git, GitHub Actions or Azure DevOps.
• Experience integrating infrastructure workflows with ITSM tools such as ServiceNow and maintaining accurate CMDB data through automation.
• Experience with Ansible, Windows Server, Active Directory, Docker, Kubernetes, Azure Container Apps or AKS.
• Experience with Azure Cost Management, budgets, FinOps practices and resource optimisation.
• Familiarity with Azure Policy, automated security policy enforcement and legal or regulated security baselines.
• Experience in a legal, professional services or regulated environment.

Desirable qualifications and certifications:

• Bachelor’s degree in a related field, or equivalent practical experience.
• AZ-104: Microsoft Certified Azure Administrator Associate.
• AZ-305: Designing Microsoft Azure Infrastructure Solutions.
• AZ-400: Microsoft Certified DevOps Engineer Expert.
• AZ-500: -Microsoft Azure Security Certification.

Equal opportunities

Forsters LLP is an equal opportunities employer and is committed to ensuring an inclusive and accessible hiring experience for everyone.

We strive to attract and encourage applications from all candidates regardless of their gender, age, race, nationality, marital status, disability, sex, sexual orientation or religious beliefs. Click here to find out more about how we are committed to building a culture where our people can thrive.

If you require any support or adjustments in the application or hiring process, please let us know.