IT Cloud Systems Engineer Salary: £46,938 - £50,961 per annum (Grade 10) Contract type: Full-time (36.5 hours per week), Permanent

The challenge

At WJEC, we contribute to our education communities by providing trusted qualifications and specialist support, to allow our learners the opportunity to reach their full potential. This is a fantastic chance to be part of an organisation that both encourages and enhances the minds of tomorrow.

WJEC is going through a major digital transformation, replacing legacy systems and delivering secure, reliable cloud services for staff and customers. Cloud platforms are central to this work; using Amazon Web Services (AWS) as our main cloud platform, whilst also using Microsoft Azure, Microsoft 365 and IBM Cloud for specific services and workloads. This new role of IT Cloud Systems Engineer will be key to making sure these platforms stay secure, reliable, cost-effective and aligned with business needs.

The role

You will act as the technical authority and subject matter expert for cloud platforms, with primary responsibility for AWS and secondary responsibility for Azure and Microsoft 365. You will design, build, operate and continuously improve WJEC’s cloud environments, ensuring they meet best practice for security, resilience, performance, automation and cost optimisation.

You will work closely with colleagues across IT development, data integration, infrastructure, cyber security and support teams, providing expert guidance and hands‑on engineering. You will also collaborate with third‑party suppliers and support partners to ensure delivery of high‑quality cloud services aligned with organisational objectives.

About you

We’re keen to hear from individuals who enjoy collaborative roles and building positive working relationships across an organisation. They’ll have excellent IT skills and be able to demonstrate an ability to provide complex and/or novel technical solutions under time-pressure. You will have strong cloud engineering experience, be comfortable acting as a technical advisor, and be able to design and implement secure cloud solutions under time pressure while adhering to organisational policies and standards.

Benefits

At WJEC, we pride in being an inclusive and supportive place to work. We also offer a range of excellent benefits including: 25 days annual leave per year (in addition to 16 statutory / additional holidays) adjusted for parttime/compressed working patterns, free Welsh lessons, a generous pension scheme and numerous family friendly policies. A career with WJEC can be extremely rewarding and you will be encouraged throughout with great opportunities to develop your professional and personal skills.

WJEC operates a hybrid working model, enabling the successful candidate to split their time between WJEC offices and working at home, subject to business need. As such, applications are invited from individuals across the UK but please note that regular working from our Cardiff / Treforest offices will be required (occasionally at short notice). Whilst flexibility can be discussed, this team currently requires average office attendance of once per week. Welsh language skills are not essential but the willingness to learn is always valued.

If you would like to know more about this role, or about working at WJEC, please do not hesitate to contact our HR team (HR@wjec.co.uk), who will be more than happy to help.

Please visit our website to download a copy of the job description and application form.

Closing date: 09:00, Wednesday 17 June 2026

Interviews are anticipated to be held in person on Thursday, 09 July 2026

JOB DESCRIPTION

Job Title:	IT Cloud Systems Engineer
Department:	Digital and Transformation
Section:	Technical Services
Responsible to:	Head of Cybersecurity and Infrastructure
Grade:	10
Location:	Western Avenue
Main purpose of Job:

The Cloud Systems Engineer is responsible for the day‑to‑day operation, security and engineering of WJEC’s cloud environments, with a strong focus on AWS. The role also carries a significant advisory and design responsibility, supporting colleagues and shaping cloud architecture, standards and best practice across the organisation.

Principal D sibilities:

Cloud Platform Engineering and Management

• Responsible for the overall configuration and posture of WJEC's AWS and Azure environments

Design, build and maintain cloud infrastructure in line with industry best practice and the AWS Well‑Architected Framework

• Implement and manage Infrastructure as Code using tools such as CloudFormation

• Design and maintain secure multi‑account cloud architectures, networking and connectivity

• Define and continuously evolve cloud architecture standards, patterns and engineering practices

• Lead the design of new cloud operating models and approaches where no existing precedent exists

• Act as delegated authority to set and enforce cloud engineering standards

• Make technical decisions that directly affect service resilience, security and continuity across WJEC

Identity, Security and Governance

• Implement and manage identity and access controls across cloud platforms, aligned to WJEC policies and Zero Trust principles

• Integrate AWS workloads with Microsoft Entra ID, including federation, SSO and role‑based access

Configure and maintain cloud native security services, monitoring and alerting

• Work closely with Cyber Security colleagues to identify risks, remediate vulnerabilities and continuously improve security posture

Monitoring, Resilience and Disaster Recovery

• Configure and maintain performance, availability and security monitoring

• Design, test and maintain cloud‑based backup, business continuity and disaster recovery solutions

Support disaster recovery testing and invocation where required

Advisory, Project and Operational Support

• Act as the cloud subject matter expert, advising IT colleagues on architecture, design and best practice

Support cloud aspects of digital transformation projects

Provide 3rd‑line support for cloud‑related incidents and problems

• Work with external suppliers and partners to support cloud delivery and improvement

• Represent WJEC in complex technical discussions with suppliers, auditors and external partners

• Provide 3rd line support as part of the wider infrastructure team, with lead responsibility for cloud-related issues

Cost optimisation and reporting

Optimise cloud resource usage, balancing performance, resilience and cost

• Implement cost controls, budgets, reporting and recommendations for optimisation

Other duties

To understand and comply with all WJEC policies and procedures detailed in the Staff Handbook; in particular, ensuring you understand your role and responsibilities in relation to Safeguarding, Information Security, GDPR, Confidentiality, Welsh language and Health, Safety and Environment.

Participate actively in supporting the principles and practice of equality of opportunity as laid down in WJEC’s Equality & Diversity Policy, embedding ED&I into all projects, policies and practices.

• To be a pro-active team-member, contributing positively to meetings and projects in support of WJEC aims and objectives.

• To engage in personal and professional development activities relevant to the role.

• To undertake other duties, as required, which are commensurate with the grade of the post.

Person Specification
Job Title:	IT Cloud Engineer
Department:	Digital and Transformation

Highly desirable criteria are the optimum skills and experience the applicant will ideally have. Desirable criteria are those which would add value to the job if present and also include potential for growth and development into the role.

Skills and Abilities

Highly desirable

• Excellent interpersonal skills, with the ability to engage with, negotiate, influence and motivate a range of stakeholders.

• Self-driven and able to independently manage conflicting deadlines and respond to changing demands effectively.

• The ability to design, build and operate secure, resilient cloud platforms at scale

The ability to implement least‑privilege IAM and identity‑first security models

Strong analytical and problem‑solving skills, able to find balance risk and efficiency when identifying solutions to bespoke or novel problems.

Desirable

Excellent communication skills, able to produce high-quality written technical documentation and explain complex material to a variety of audiences across a range of medium.

Knowledge

Highly desirable

• Strong understanding of AWS architecture, networking, security and operational best practice

Advanced knowledge of AWS core services such as:

o EC2, Auto Scaling and Elastic Load Balancing

o VPC, subnets, security groups, routing and connectivity

o RDS and managed database services

o Lambda and event‑driven architectures

o IAM, KMS, Secrets Manager and Parameter Store

o CloudWatch, CloudTrail and AWS Config

o AWS native security services including GuardDuty, Inspector, WAF and Security Hub

o AWS Organizations

o Understanding of Zero Trust security principles, and their application in a cloud context

Good working knowledge of Azure & Microsoft, including:

o Azure virtual networks, networking security and virtual machines

o Azure Site Recovery and Azure Monitor

o Microsoft Entra ID, Conditional Access, MFA

o Integration between AWS and Azure / Entra ID

Desirable

Working knowledge of Microsoft 365 services (Exchange Online, SharePoint Online, OneDrive, Teams) with a focus on identity, security and governance

Knowledge of IBM Cloud and IBM i platforms

Microsoft Entra ID, Conditional Access, SAML, Oauth2/OIDC

Experience

Highly desirable

Previous experience in a similar role, including:

Hands‑on AWS engineering, ideally in a commercial or enterprise environment

Acting as a cloud subject matter expert and technical authority; supporting and advising multiple technical teams and stakeholders

Designing and operating secure cloud platforms in collaboration with cyber security teams

Experience automating infrastructure and operational processes

Desirable

Experience working within a multi‑cloud or hybrid cloud environment

Experience supporting large‑scale digital transformation programmes

Training / Qualifications

Highly desirable

AWS Certification (Solutions Architect Associate/Professional or equivalent)

Evidence of continuous professional development and self‑directed learning

Desirable

Azure certification

• Microsoft 365 certification

• General IT or networking certifications (A+, Network+, CCNA)

Cyber security certifications (Security+, AWS Security Specialty or equivalent)

Telerau ac Amodau Gwasanaeth / Terms and Conditions of Service
Teitl y Swydd /Job Title:	Peiriannydd Systemau Cwmwl TG/ IT Cloud Systems Engineer
Cyflog /Salary:	£46,938 - £50,961 y flwyddyn (pro-rata lle y bo'n gymwys /£46,938 - £50,961 per annum (pro-rata where relevant)		Gradd /Grade:	10
Gwyliau Blynyddol /Annual Leave:	25 diwrnod (182.5 awr) y flwyddyn. Mae CBAC hefyd yn darparu 16 diwrnod (116.8 awr) igyfrif am Wyliau Cyhoeddus a chyfnodau Cau CBAC (gwyliau ychwanegol). Mae'r lwfansau hyn yn cael eu haddasu ar gyfer staff sy'n gweithio'n rhan-amser neu batrymaugweithio cywasgedig.25 days (182.5 hours) per annum. WJEC also provides 16 days (116.8 hours) to account forBank Holidays and WJEC Closure periods (Additional leave). These allowances are adjusted for staff who work part-time or compressed working patterns.
Pensiwn /Pension:	Mae gofynion y Cynllun Pensiwn Llywodraeth Leol yn berthnasol.The provision of the Local Government Pension Scheme (LGPS) applies.
Math o Gytundeb / Contract Type:
Oriau Gwaith / Working Hours:		Hyd y Contract/Length of Contract:
Llawn-amser / Full-time		ćParhaol / Permanent
Rhan-amser / Part-timeNifer yr oriau yr wythnos / 36.5No. of hrs per week:		□ Tymor penodol / Fixed-termDyddiad gorffen arfaethedig /Planned end date:Rheswm dros y cyfnod penodol /Reason for fixed-term:
Arall / Other:Cyfnodau prysur llwyth gwaith /Amh/Workload Peaks: N/A
Dull Ymgeisio / Method of Application:
Dylid anfon furflenni wedi'u llenwi ar e-bost at AD@cbac.co.uk erbyn 09:00, dydd Mercher 17 Mehefin 2026. Disgwylir cynnal cyfweliadau yn ystod ar dydd lau, 09 Gorffennaf.Completed forms should be sent by email to hr@wjec.co.uk by 09:00, Wednesday 17 June 2026. Interviews are anticipated to be held in person on Thursday, 09 July 2026