Pen Test Partners works with clients globally providing cyber security consultancy and testing services. We work with the most cutting-edge industries, including Automotive, Aerospace, and Maritime.
With over 130 employees across penetration testing, consultancy, digital forensics, sales, and support functions, we pride ourselves on attracting talented individuals and giving them the environment to develop and perform at their best. From real-world incident response to cutting-edge research, we deliver meaningful, high-impact work for our clients.
We are looking for an experienced Senior IT Operations Engineer to help run, improve and secure our internal IT environment across infrastructure, networking, Microsoft 365, security tooling, cloud services, monitoring, patching, documentation, automation and service reliability.
They will balance reliable day-to-day operations with improvement projects that reduce recurring issues, strengthen security controls, support compliance obligations and keep IT services aligned with business needs.
The role can be based remotely with monthly travel to our office in Buckingham, and data centre in the South of the country when required. Candidates are required to hold or able to hold SC clearance.
Key Responsibilities
- Act as a senior escalation point for complex issues across infrastructure, networking, security, Microsoft 365, on-premises systems and cloud services
- Own and improve day-to-day IT operations, keeping systems reliable, secure, monitored and aligned with business priorities
- Administer and improve Windows Server, Linux, Microsoft 365, identity, endpoint management and security tooling
- Support on-premises VMware virtualisation and services hosted across Azure, AWS and DigitalOcean
- Maintain networking across on-premises, data centre and cloud environments
- Improve resilience through monitoring, patching, vulnerability management, backups, recovery testing, disaster recovery and secure configuration
- Lead infrastructure and operational improvements, ensuring changes are planned, tested, documented, communicated and delivered safely
- Support incident response, problem management and root cause analysis to reduce repeat issues
- Manage vendors, suppliers and support partners to resolve issues and improve services
- Support security governance and audits, including access reviews, evidence collection, device compliance and policy enforcement
- Maintain clear documentation, runbooks and support processes, and provide technical guidance to colleagues
Essential Skills and Experience
- Significant experience in IT operations, infrastructure, networking or systems administration
- Strong Windows Server, Linux, Microsoft 365 and cloud administration experience
- Strong networking knowledge, including TCP/IP, VLANs, VPNs, routing, zero trust and firewalls
- Experience administering and securing Microsoft 365, including Entra ID, Conditional Access, Intune, Exchange Online, SharePoint, OneDrive and Microsoft Defender
- Good understanding of operational security, including patching, vulnerability management, backups, recovery testing, access controls and disaster recovery
- Strong troubleshooting, prioritisation and communication skills
- Experience with incident response, problem management, root cause analysis and reducing repeat issues
- Experience delivering safe, controlled technical change in a live environment
- Experience supporting security governance, audit evidence, access reviews or compliance processes
- Practical automation or scripting experience to reduce manual work and improve consistency
- Ability to own technical work, guide colleagues and improve operational standards with minimal supervision
- Eligibility and willingness to undergo security clearance, such as SC; existing clearance would be beneficial but is not essential
- Ability to travel to offices, data centres or other sites when required
Desirable Skills and Experience
- Infrastructure as Code experience, such as Terraform, Ansible, Salt, PowerShell, Bash or Python
- Experience with Microsoft Defender, Purview, cloud security, compliance tooling or secure configuration frameworks
- Experience with containerisation technologies such as Docker or Kubernetes
- Experience mentoring colleagues or providing informal technical leadership
- Experience managing technical vendors, suppliers or support partners
- Experience with asset, licence or infrastructure lifecycle management
- Experience in a security-conscious or cybersecurity consultancy environment
Certifications
Relevant certifications are beneficial but not essential. Examples include Microsoft Azure Administrator Associate, Microsoft 365 Administrator, Microsoft Security Operations Analyst, Microsoft Identity and Access Administrator, AWS Solutions Architect Associate or security-related certifications.
Current benefits include:
- Competitive salary based on experience
- 25 days holiday + 8 bank holidays with the ability to purchase more
- Private Medical Insurance and Healthcare Benefit
- Life insurance at 4 x salary
- Group personal pension with enhanced contributions matched
- Working abroad options
- Financing available for training and conference attendance
- EV lease salary sacrifice scheme on completion
- An environment where you can flourish, learn, and grow, as a person not just as an employee