DevOps & Platform Engineering
Head of DevOps Jobs & Careers
Looking for your next Head of DevOps opportunity?
HOK Consulting connects experienced Heads of DevOps with organisations leading cloud automation, software delivery, platform engineering and operational transformation across permanent, contract and interim opportunities.
Whether your experience covers Kubernetes, Terraform, AWS, Azure, CI/CD, platform engineering or enterprise DevOps strategy, explore current opportunities or upload your CV to join HOK’s technology talent network.
Current Head of DevOps Jobs
Explore current Head of DevOps opportunities available through HOK Consulting.
Can’t see the right Head of DevOps role?
If there are currently no suitable Head of DevOps vacancies listed, upload your CV and tell us what you’re looking for. Our team can contact you when a relevant permanent, contract or interim leadership opportunity becomes available.
What Does a Head of DevOps Do?
A Head of DevOps leads an organisation’s DevOps capability, setting the technical and operational direction for automation, software delivery, cloud infrastructure and platform engineering.
The role typically combines engineering leadership with responsibility for CI/CD strategy, infrastructure as code, platform reliability, DevOps maturity and the teams responsible for delivering and operating modern technology platforms.
Heads of DevOps often work closely with DevOps Engineers, Platform Engineers, Site Reliability Engineers, Software Engineers, Cloud teams and senior technology stakeholders to improve delivery performance while maintaining reliability, security and operational control.
Head of DevOps Skills & Experience
Head of DevOps roles require significant engineering leadership experience alongside broad knowledge of cloud, automation and modern software delivery. Relevant technologies and areas commonly include:
- DevOps Strategy
- Platform Engineering
- Technical Leadership
- Kubernetes
- Docker
- Terraform
- Ansible
- Infrastructure as Code
- CI/CD
- Amazon Web Services (AWS)
- Microsoft Azure
- Google Cloud Platform
- Jenkins
- GitHub Actions
- GitLab CI/CD
- Azure DevOps
- Helm
- Argo CD
- Prometheus
- Grafana
- Datadog
- Monitoring and Observability
- Stakeholder Management
- Team Leadership
Heads of DevOps may come from DevOps, platform engineering, site reliability or cloud infrastructure backgrounds, but at leadership level the role increasingly focuses on technical direction, operating models, people development and organisational outcomes.
Strong communication, commercial awareness and decision-making skills are particularly important when balancing engineering investment, delivery speed, reliability, security and wider business priorities.
Typical Head of DevOps Responsibilities
- Defining and delivering organisation-wide DevOps strategy
- Leading DevOps, platform and automation engineering teams
- Setting standards for CI/CD and software delivery
- Providing oversight of infrastructure as code and cloud automation
- Developing Kubernetes and cloud platform capability
- Improving platform reliability, resilience and observability
- Driving automation and continuous improvement across technology delivery
- Supporting secure engineering and DevSecOps practices
- Developing technical roadmaps and prioritising platform investment
- Building and developing high-performing engineering teams
- Managing senior technology, business and supplier relationships
- Aligning DevOps capability with wider technology and organisational strategy
Responsibilities vary depending on the organisation, maturity of the DevOps function and whether the role also covers platform engineering, site reliability, cloud infrastructure, service management or wider technology operations.
Head of DevOps Salary Expectations
Head of DevOps salaries vary according to experience, location, sector, team responsibility and the scale and complexity of the organisation’s technology environment.
Permanent Head of DevOps
Around £100,000 per year
UK median advertised salary
Contract Head of DevOps
Around £613 per day
Related UK DevOps Manager contract benchmark
Heads of DevOps working within financial services, large enterprises, cloud-native businesses or major technology transformation programmes may command higher salaries or contract rates.
Salary information is provided as a general UK market guide. Current exact-title permanent Head of DevOps data is based on a relatively small sample, while current exact-title contract data is unavailable, so the contractor figure uses the closely related DevOps Manager market as a benchmark.
Head of DevOps Career Progression
Head of DevOps is a senior technology leadership position that can lead into broader engineering, platform, infrastructure and executive technology roles.
Typical Head of DevOps Career Path
Alternative Career Paths
Experienced Heads of DevOps may also progress into roles such as:
- Director of Platform Engineering
- Director of Engineering
- Head of Cloud
- Enterprise Architect
- Technology Director
- Chief Technology Officer
The right progression depends on whether you want to lead a larger engineering organisation, broaden into architecture and infrastructure strategy or move towards executive responsibility for technology delivery.
Your Next Move
Looking for Your Next Head of DevOps Opportunity?
If you’re considering your next permanent appointment, contract assignment or interim leadership opportunity, send HOK Consulting your CV.
Tell us about the engineering teams you’ve led, the platforms and transformations you’ve delivered and the type of leadership opportunity you’re looking for.
Specialist Recruitment
DevOps & Platform Engineering Recruitment
DevOps Leadership forms part of HOK Consulting’s wider DevOps & Platform Engineering recruitment expertise, connecting organisations with specialists and leaders across automation, cloud infrastructure, platform engineering, site reliability, continuous delivery and technical leadership.
Hiring?
Recruiting a Head of DevOps?
HOK Consulting supports organisations looking for experienced DevOps leaders across permanent, contract and interim requirements.
Whether you’re building a DevOps function, modernising software delivery, scaling platform engineering, improving cloud automation or delivering a wider technology transformation, speak to HOK about your requirements.