Senior Cloud Engineer

Senior Cloud Engineer

Employment Type

Full-time (Permanent)

Location

Johannesburg Head Office
(Client Sites as Required)

Why This Role Matters

At Zinia, we believe the future of managed services is built on secure, cloud-first technologies that enable businesses to operate confidently, securely, and efficiently. As our clients continue to adopt Microsoft Cloud, Modern Workplace, and Cybersecurity solutions, technical leadership becomes increasingly critical to delivering exceptional service and protecting business operations.

The Cloud & Cybersecurity Technical Lead plays a pivotal role in ensuring our clients' cloud environments remain secure, resilient, compliant, and aligned with industry best practices. This role provides technical leadership across Microsoft Azure, Microsoft 365, Identity Management, Cybersecurity, and Managed Services while supporting the continual improvement of Zinia's technical capability, operational maturity, and service delivery standards.

Success in this role means stronger client relationships, reduced operational risk, improved technical governance, and the continued growth of Zinia as a trusted cloud-first Managed Services Provider.

Role Overview

The Cloud & Cybersecurity Technical Lead serves as Zinia's senior technical authority across Microsoft Cloud, Cybersecurity, and Managed Services technologies.

Working closely with the Head of Operations, Technical Solutions Architect, Project teams, and Support Engineers, this role provides technical leadership, governs cloud standards, mentors engineering teams, manages complex technical escalations, and drives continual service improvement across our managed client environments.

Core Responsibility Areas

• Microsoft Cloud Leadership
• Cybersecurity & Identity Management
• Modern Workplace Technologies
• Technical Governance & Compliance
• Technical Escalation Management
• Client Technical Leadership
• Team Development & Mentoring
• Operational Improvement & Automation

Key Responsibilities

Microsoft Cloud Leadership

Own the technical direction, administration, optimisation, and governance of Microsoft Azure and Microsoft 365 environments across Zinia's managed client base. Drive cloud adoption, platform optimisation, and best practice implementation while ensuring environments remain scalable, secure, and resilient.

Cybersecurity & Identity Management

Provide technical leadership across cybersecurity technologies, identity management, and modern security frameworks. Ensure client environments are protected through proactive security improvements, secure identity controls, vulnerability management, and compliance with recognised security standards.

Modern Workplace & Endpoint Management

Lead the implementation and continual improvement of Microsoft's Modern Workplace technologies, including endpoint management, device compliance, collaboration platforms, and workplace productivity solutions. Promote standardisation and automation across supported environments.

Technical Governance & Compliance

Establish and maintain technical standards, documentation, operational governance, and support readiness across managed services. Ensure client environments remain compliant, supportable, properly documented, and aligned with Zinia's technical standards.

Technical Escalation Leadership

Act as the senior technical escalation point for complex cloud, cybersecurity, infrastructure, and managed services incidents. Provide technical direction, root cause analysis, and structured problem management to minimise recurring issues and improve service quality.

Client Technical Leadership

Develop trusted relationships with enterprise clients, technology partners, and vendors. Lead technical discussions, contribute to strategic technology planning, and provide expert guidance on cloud transformation, cybersecurity, and infrastructure improvements.

Team Development & Technical Leadership

Mentor engineers across the business, develop technical capability, support certification pathways, and promote a culture of knowledge sharing, accountability, and technical excellence.

Operational Improvement & Automation

Identify opportunities to improve operational efficiency through automation, process improvement, standardisation, and continual service enhancement. Support the evolution of Zinia's cloud-first managed services offering.

Key Stakeholders

Internal

• Head of Operations
• Technical Solutions Architect
• Project Delivery Team
• Support Engineers
• Lead Support Engineers
• Service Desk
• Procurement & Logistics
• Sales Team
• Leadership Team

External

• Managed Services Clients
• Microsoft
• Technology Vendors
• Internet Service Providers
• Cybersecurity Partners
• Third-party Solution Providers

Success Measures

Success in this role will be measured by the ability to:

• Maintain secure, resilient, and highly available Microsoft Cloud environments.
• Improve the cybersecurity maturity of managed client environments.
• Deliver high-quality technical leadership across complex escalations.
• Increase cloud adoption and Microsoft Modern Workplace capabilities.
• Improve technical governance, documentation, and operational standards.
• Reduce recurring technical incidents through effective problem management.
• Improve engineering capability through mentoring and technical development.
• Increase automation and operational efficiency across managed services.
• Build trusted technical relationships with enterprise clients and strategic partners.
• Support the continual evolution of Zinia's cloud-first Managed Services practice.

Requirements

Essential

Qualifications

• Matric (National Senior Certificate) or equivalent.
• Relevant Degree or Diploma in Information Technology, Computer Science, Information Systems, Cybersecurity, or a related field.

Experience

• Minimum 7 years' experience within a Managed Services Provider (MSP) environment.
• Proven experience supporting Microsoft Azure and Microsoft 365 environments.
• Strong experience in technical leadership or Tier 3 technical escalation roles.
• Experience managing enterprise cloud and hybrid infrastructure environments.
• Experience implementing cybersecurity best practices across Microsoft platforms.

Technical Skills

• Microsoft Azure
• Microsoft 365
• Microsoft Entra ID
• Exchange Online
• SharePoint Online
• Microsoft Teams
• Microsoft Intune
• Windows Autopilot
• Microsoft Defender Suite
• Conditional Access
• Identity Protection
• Azure Backup
• Windows Server
• Active Directory
• VMware / Hyper-V
• Backup & Disaster Recovery
• PowerShell
• Fortinet or equivalent firewall platforms
• Networking fundamentals (TCP/IP, VLANs, VPNs, DNS, DHCP)

Advantageous

• Microsoft Certified: Azure Administrator (AZ-104)
• Microsoft Certified: Azure Solutions Architect (AZ-305)
• Microsoft 365 Administrator (MS-102)
• Microsoft Identity & Access Administrator (SC-300)
• Microsoft Security Operations Analyst (SC-200)
• Microsoft Cybersecurity Architect (SC-100)
• CompTIA Security+
• Fortinet NSE / FCP
• Sophos Certifications
• ITIL Foundation v4

Development

Within the first six months, the successful candidate will be expected to:

• Complete Zinia's internal technical governance and managed services onboarding.
• Become familiar with Zinia's Microsoft Cloud standards and cybersecurity frameworks.
• Develop cloud governance and technical improvement roadmaps for managed clients.
• Support the enhancement of documentation, automation, and operational standards.
• Progress agreed Microsoft Cloud and Cybersecurity certification pathways.

Additional Information

• Equivalent qualifications and relevant industry experience will be considered.
• A valid driver's licence is advantageous, as occasional travel to client sites may be required.
• Background verification and reference checks form part of Zinia's recruitment process.

Personal Attributes

The successful candidate will demonstr