Cloud Service Delivery Director (Graduate Trainee Programme)

The Cloud Services Delivery Director is a strategic leadership role focused on building the next generation of cloud engineering talent. You will be responsible for spearheading a high-impact Graduate Trainee Program, taking on fresh graduates and transforming them into production-ready Cloud Consultants. This role combines technical architecture oversight with intensive mentorship, operational excellence, and talent development. Key Responsibilities: • Program Leadership: Design and execute a 12-to-18-month roadmap for the Graduate Trainee cohort, balancing theoretical learning with practical application. • Technical Mentorship: Lead the "Training & Certification" track, ensuring all trainees achieve professional-level certifications (e.g., AWS Solutions Architect, Azure Solutions Architect, or Google Professional Cloud Architect). • Sandbox & Lab Management: Oversee the architectural setup and governance of cloud sandbox environments. You will ensure trainees have a safe, cost-controlled space to practice deployments, IaC (Terraform/Bicep), and security protocols. • OJT (On-the-Job Training) Integration: Act as the bridge between the training lab and live client projects. You will identify "shadowing" opportunities and gradually transition trainees into billable delivery roles. • Performance Management: Set KPIs for the cohort, conduct regular technical assessments, and provide hands-on coaching to ensure 100% program graduation and readiness. • Stakeholder Management: Report to executive leadership on the ROI of the trainee program, resource utilization, and the readiness of the talent pipeline for upcoming cloud migration projects. Required Qualifications & Experience • 10+ years in IT Service Delivery, with at least 5 years specifically in Cloud Services (Public/Hybrid). • Proven track record of managing technical teams; prior experience in leading "Academy" or Graduate programs is a significant plus. • Deep technical expertise in AWS, Azure, or GCP • Must be able to "speak the language" of developers and architects. • Valid Professional-level Cloud Architect certifications. PMP or Prince2 is preferred for delivery methodology. • Exceptional patience, pedagogical skills, and the ability to simplify complex architectural concepts for entry-level talent. • Architectural Vision: Ability to design "dummy" projects for the sandbox that mimic real-world enterprise challenges (auto-scaling, disaster recovery, CI/CD pipelines). • Financial Governance: Managing the cloud consumption spend within the trainee sandbox environments (FinOps). • Strategic Delivery: Understanding how to shift from a "training" mindset to a "delivery" mindset without compromising project quality. Note: The success of this role is measured not just by project delivery, but by the technical maturity and retention of the trainees under your guidance.