Director of Technology Operations

Rainforest Alliance
London
6 days ago
Create job alert

About the Rainforest Alliance:

The Rainforest Alliance's mission is to protect forests, improve the livelihoods of farmers and forest communities, promote human rights, and help mitigate climate change by transforming business practices, land use, and consumer behavior. It partners with farmers, businesses, and governments to implement sustainable solutions for environmental and social challenges. The organization offers a positive work environment, emphasizing collaboration, purposeful impact, and opportunities for professional growth. Employees value its commitment to sustainability and ethical standards. Working there allows individuals to contribute to meaningful global change.

Overview:

We are seeking a highly skilled and hands-on Director of Technology Operations to lead and optimise IT Operations, Platform Operations, and Data Platforms. This role requires a leader who combines strategic vision with hands-on execution, and ensures the reliability, scalability, and security of mission-critical systems.

The ideal candidate will have deep expertise in IT infrastructure, cloud platforms, data management, and operational excellence.

Key Responsibilities:

Operational Leadership & Strategy:

  • Supervise and enhance IT Operations, Platform Operations, and Data Platforms, ensuring high availability, reliability, and security.
  • Develop and implement strategies to optimise system performance, automate processes, and reduce operational risks.
  • Actively engage in incident management, root cause analysis, and continuous service improvement to minimise downtime.
  • Establish and implement operational best practices, frameworks (e.g., ITIL, DevOps, SRE), and governance policies.

IT & Infrastructure Operations:

  • Ensure IT infrastructure (networks, servers, cloud, on-premise, and hybrid environments) is secure, scalable, and cost-effective.
  • Supervise enterprise IT services, cybersecurity, compliance, and disaster recovery strategies.
  • Partner with security teams to implement data protection policies and mitigate risks.

Platform Operations & Reliability:

  • Lead platform operations teams to maintain uptime, system health, and performance across cloud and on-prem platforms.
  • Implement observability, monitoring, and alerting solutions for proactive issue detection.
  • Drive automation and CI/CD best practices to improve platform efficiency.
  • Collaborate with engineering and DevOps teams to enhance scalability, deployment processes, and service resilience.

Data Platform Management:

  • Supervise data platforms, data lakes, and data pipelines, ensuring scalability and reliability for data processing.
  • Ensure data governance, security, and compliance with regulatory requirements.
  • Partner with data engineering teams to optimise performance, storage, and analytics capabilities.
  • Implement strategies for data availability, disaster recovery, and integrity.

Incident Management & Service Excellence:

  • Be responsible for the incident response process, ensuring swift resolution, clear communication, and post-mortem analysis.
  • Develop SLA (Service Level Agreement) and SLO (Service Level Objective) metrics to measure and enhance service reliability.
  • Foster a continuous improvement culture, ensuring lessons learned from incidents drive operational enhancements.

Team Leadership & Cross-Functional Collaboration:

  • Build and mentor high-performing IT, Platform Operations, and Data Platform teams.
  • Foster a collaborative DevOps/SRE culture, ensuring alignment between engineering, IT, and business stakeholders.
  • Establish good relationships with vendors, cloud providers, and third-party service providers to optimise operational performance.

Financial & Performance Management:

  • Handle budgets, cost optimisation, and vendor contracts for IT infrastructure, platforms, and data operations.
  • Track key KPIs (uptime, MTTR, MTBF, incident resolution times, platform efficiency) and drive data-driven decision-making.
  • Ensure compliance with industry standards, governance policies, and security regulations.


Limited Travel:
There is an expectation that the successful candidate will need to travel to different sites based on the business needs.

Key Skills & Experience:

  • 10+ years of experience in IT operations, platform engineering, or data platform management, with at least 5 years in a leadership role.
  • Expertise in cloud computing (AWS, GCP, Azure), networking, security, and enterprise IT management.
  • Strong knowledge of DevOps, SRE principles, ITIL, and incident management best practices.
  • Hands-on experience with monitoring tools (Datadog, Splunk, Prometheus, etc.), automation, and CI/CD pipelines.
  • Experience managing large-scale data platforms, data lakes, and data governance frameworks.
  • Strong leadership, stakeholder management, and cross-functional collaboration skills.
  • Proven ability to balance strategy with hands-on execution, thriving in a dynamic, high-impact role.
  • Desired experience leading Architecture or Solution Delivery teams.


Qualifications:

  • Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Operations Management, Information Technology, Computer Science, or a related field.
  • Relevant certifications (preferred but not required based on focus area):
  • IT Operations & Infrastructure: ITIL, TOGAF, PMP
  • Cloud & Platform Operations: AWS, Azure, or Google Cloud certifications (Solutions Architect, DevOps Engineer)
  • Data Platforms & Governance: CDMP (Certified Data Management Professional), DAMA, Snowflake, or Big Data-related certifications
  • Project & Change Management: PMP (Project Management Professional), Agile/Scrum Master, Lean Six Sigma


Why Join Us?

  • Opportunity to own and transform IT, platform, and data operations in a fast-growing environment.
  • Work with cutting-edge technology and drive innovation in reliability, automation, and scalability.


Level:
1A

Deadline:28 March 2025

Salary:For USA based candidates only:

  • National Salary range (Excluding NY and DC) -$95,746 - $136,780
  • New York Salary Range -$104,278 - $148,969
  • Washington DC Salary Range -$102,448 - $146,355


Notes:
Only candidates legally authorized to work in the UK or the US will be considered.


If you have any questions about the job vacancy, please contact the HR department:

The Rainforest Alliance encourages diversity and inclusion across the global organization. With this commitment to diversity, we are proud to be an equal opportunity employer and do not discriminate on the basis of gender, race, color, ethnicity, religion, sexual orientation, gender identity, ages, disability and any other protected group.

#J-18808-Ljbffr

Related Jobs

View all jobs

security architecture & engineering director

Senior Sales Director - Financial Services

Attack Surface Management Engineer

Principal Legal Counsel, Employment EMEA

Associate Director - US Technology

Network Security, Senior Technical Product Manager

Get the latest insights and jobs direct. Sign up for our newsletter.

By subscribing you agree to our privacy policy and terms of service.

Industry Insights

Discover insightful articles, industry insights, expert tips, and curated resources.

Tips for Staying Inspired: How Cyber Security Pros Fuel Creativity and Innovation

Cyber security professionals face a rapidly changing digital landscape, where new threats emerge almost daily and the stakes—protecting critical data, safeguarding personal privacy, and defending entire infrastructures—could not be higher. It’s easy to be consumed by vulnerability scans, incident response workflows, and endless compliance checks. Yet, thriving in this high-pressure environment demands more than just technical know-how. It also requires creativity and innovation, which enable you to stay one step ahead of potential attackers. So how do cyber security experts remain inspired and agile, even when the challenges can feel relentless? Below, we’ll explore ten actionable strategies to help security analysts, threat hunters, penetration testers, and security engineers maintain fresh perspectives and keep innovating. If you’re looking to sharpen your problem-solving skills and rediscover the spark that drew you to cyber security in the first place, these tips can guide you toward a more fulfilling and impactful career.

Top 10 Cyber Security Career Myths Debunked: Key Facts for Aspiring Professionals

In a hyper-connected world, cyber security is no longer an afterthought—it’s a core component of modern business, government, and everyday life. From stopping ransomware attacks to safeguarding personal data, cyber security professionals shoulder a vital responsibility: keeping digital systems, networks, and data safe. Unsurprisingly, the demand for skilled cyber security talent continues to surge, offering robust and often lucrative career paths. Yet, despite the industry’s prominence, myths and misconceptions about cyber security careers abound. Is it really just about hacking? Do you need to be a superhuman coder with years of experience? Or is cyber security just a niche field, reserved for tech giants? At CyberSecurityJobs.tech, we see firsthand how these myths deter capable individuals from entering or advancing in one of the most dynamic fields in tech. This article aims to bust the top 10 cyber security career myths—providing clear, evidence-based insights into what it really takes to thrive in this ever-evolving domain. Whether you’re a recent graduate exploring the field, a mid-career professional seeking a pivot, or simply curious about the prospects, read on to discover the true breadth and promise of cyber security careers.

Global vs. Local: Comparing the UK Cyber Security Job Market to International Landscapes

Understanding opportunities, salaries, and work culture in cyber security across the UK, the US, Europe, and Asia Cyber security has rapidly ascended from a back-office concern to a strategic priority for every industry. As data breaches, ransomware, and nation-state attacks increase in frequency and sophistication, organisations worldwide are racing to fortify their digital defences. This ongoing surge in cyber threats fuels an unprecedented demand for skilled security professionals—ranging from penetration testers and threat intelligence analysts to cloud security architects and CISOs. In this article, we’ll explore how the UK cyber security job market compares to major international hubs in the United States, Europe, and Asia. We’ll discuss job opportunities, salary bands, work culture, and provide guidance for those who might be contemplating remote or overseas positions. By understanding the nuances of each region’s cyber security ecosystem, you can make a more informed decision about where and how to advance your career in this high-impact, fast-evolving sector. Whether you’re a seasoned expert with years of experience or a career-changer eager to break into cyber security, this overview will help you navigate the global landscape. By the end, you’ll have a clearer perspective on each region’s advantages and challenges—along with practical insights for seizing the best opportunities in a field that has become mission-critical for every modern organisation.