Job Description

Our IT infrastructure plays a critical role in ensuring smooth operations across both physical stores and online sales channels at Pavers. As we continue to grow, we have a new opportunity for an experienced

Lead Infrastructure Engineer

to take a key role in driving our infrastructure strategy, ensuring reliability, security, and scalability of our systems. This is position as a full-time permanent role, based at our Head Office in York. Some flexible/hybrid working options can be discussed, but you should be expected to be onsite at least 3 days per week.

This opportunity comes with a Competitive salary dependant on experience.

As the IT Lead Infrastructure Engineer, you will be responsible for overseeing the design, implementation, and management of the company's IT infrastructure across retail stores, corporate offices, and our ecommerce platform. You will lead infrastructure projects, ensure system reliability, optimise network performance, and enhance security, whilst leading/developing a team of engineers. In addition to technical expertise, you will provide strategic direction, collaborating with cross-functional teams and mentoring junior engineers.


Core areas of responsibility will be; Infrastructure Leadership & Strategy, Network & Systems Administration, Team Leadership, Cloud & Virtualisation Management, Security & Compliance, Performance Monitoring & Optimisation and Documentation & Knowledge sharing.

Let's see what else is in it for you:

Generous Colleague Discount Discretionary Annual Bonus scheme Free onsite parking at York Head Office Death In Service Benefit Holiday Entitlement (Increases with service) Company Contribution Pension Access to RetailTRUST (Wellbeing & Financial Support) Access to the Pavers Foundation: employee-led grant application and charitable giving scheme Access to wider training and development opportunities through Pavers Academy

Snap Shot of your duties as our IT Lead Infrastructure Engineer :

Lead the overall design, implementation, and maintenance of the company's IT infrastructure, including networks, servers, storage, and cloud platforms. Develop and execute strategies to ensure scalable, reliable, and secure infrastructure solutions to support retail stores and the ecommerce platform. Lead infrastructure architecture reviews, ensuring alignment with business goals and emerging technologies. Oversee the management of company-wide networks, including LAN/WAN, VPN, and wireless networks. Lead the administration of on-premise and cloud-based server environments (e.g., Azure, AWS), ensuring uptime and performance Ensure the availability, performance, and security of key systems, including point-of-sale (POS) systems, store network connectivity, and ecommerce backend systems. Lead and mentor a team of infrastructure engineers, providing guidance, training, and technical expertise to ensure a high level of service delivery Manage cloud infrastructure (e.g., Azure, AWS), ensuring efficient use of cloud resources, cost optimisation, and robust security. Lead the implementation and optimisation of virtualisation technologies (e.g., VMware, Hyper-V) to enhance system efficiency and scalability. Design and implement disaster recovery and backup strategies to ensure business continuity in case of failures. Ensure infrastructure security by implementing best practices and managing security systems (e.g., firewalls, endpoint protection, encryption). Maintain compliance with industry standards and regulations, including GDPR, PCI DSS, and internal security policies. Conduct regular security audits, vulnerability assessments, and incident response exercises to strengthen the organisation's security posture. Lead and manage large-scale infrastructure projects Collaborate with stakeholders to define project objectives, timelines, and deliverables, ensuring successful execution within budget and time constraints Coordinate with third-party vendors and service providers to deliver technical solutions and support. Proactively monitor the performance of IT systems, identifying areas for improvement and implementing solutions to optimise performance. Manage network and system capacity, planning for future growth and scaling infrastructure to meet business demands. Maintain comprehensive technical documentation for all infrastructure components, systems, and processes, including developing training materials to support

What you'll need to be our IT Lead Infrastructure Engineer:

Extensive experience with cloud platforms (Azure, AWS) and virtualisation technologies (VMware, Hyper-V). Proven experience as a Senior IT Infrastructure Engineer, Infrastructure Lead, or similar role, ideally within a retail or ecommerce environment Leadership/Management experience Strong expertise in managing complex network infrastructures, including LAN/WAN, VPN, firewalls, and wireless technologies. Deep understanding of server and storage management, including both Windows and Linux environments. Solid knowledge of IT security best practices, including experience with firewalls, intrusion detection systems, and data protection (PCI DSS, GDPR). Strong leadership and team management skills, with the ability to mentor and develop junior engineers. Excellent project management skills, with a proven track record of delivering large-scale infrastructure projects. Familiarity with ITIL processes and service management tools (e.g., ServiceNow, Jira). Ideally you'll hold certifications such as CCNP, MCSE, AWS Certified Solutions Architect, or Azure Solutions Architect & ITIL Foundation or higher certification. Knowledge of scripting and automation (e.g., PowerShell, Bash) to automate infrastructure tasks. Experience using Terraform or Infrastructure as code would be beneficial

The Pavers story began in York in 1971 when Catherine Paver took out a 200 bank loan (for a sofa she told them) to fund her new business. She had big dreams of changing the world of footwear and a passion to provide comfortable and stylish shoes for all.


Starting small, she sold shoes at village halls and homeware parties before opening the first Pavers shop in Scarborough in 1981, when Catherine's three sons joined the business. One of her sons, Stuart, ran the business as Managing Director for over 40 years, joined by his son Jason in 2016. As of September 2023, Jason Paver is now the Managing Director of Pavers Ltd, with Stuart Paver moving to Chairman, taking the company into the 3rd generation of family run leadership.


From these modest beginnings, Pavers Shoes has grown to be a UK leader in today's footwear industry, with over 180 stores nationwide encompassing our more recently acquired brands including Jones Bootmaker, Herring Shoes, Padders & Van Dal.


We remain acquisitive, highly profitable, and are an ever-growing, independent family-run business, employing over 1,900 people.


We were delighted to receive recognition as a 3Employer with

'World Class'

levels of workplace engagement and the

'2nd Best Retailer to Work For'

by Best Companies in November 2024. At Pavers, we attribute the talents, passion, and dedication of our colleagues as the reasons for our success.

Contact Us:

recruitment@pavers.co.uk