S3 Operating Model Architect

S3 Operating Model Architect

Location: London, UK

Experience Level: Senior / Principal (Operating Model & Data Platforms)

We are looking for an S3 Operating Model Architect to define and formalise how enterprise‑scale object storage platforms should be operated across teams and environments.

This role focuses on operating model design, process definition, governance, and documentation
—not on building or engineering the storage platform itself. You will work closely with platform, security, finance, and data teams to ensure S3 is secure, scalable, cost‑efficient, and operationally sustainable
.

• Design and document the end‑to‑end operating model for S3‑based storage platforms.
• Define roles, responsibilities, and ownership models across platform, operations, and consumer teams.
• Establish clear interfaces between engineering, operations, governance, and finance functions.

• Define standards for:
  • Access control and entitlement management
  • Encryption and data protection
  • Auditability and compliance readiness
• Partner with security and risk stakeholders to ensure policies are practical and enforceable.

• Design chargeback / showback models for S3 consumption.
• Define cost governance processes including:
  • Budget thresholds and alerts
  • Usage transparency
  • Optimisation and lifecycle practices

• Define how S3 resources are:
  • Requested and approved
  • Provisioned and governed
  • Tagged, retained, and decommissioned
• Establish guardrails and automation principles to reduce manual overhead.

• Define disaster recovery and resilience standards, including:
  • Replication and recovery expectations
  • Testing cadence and responsibilities
• Align resilience patterns with application criticality and service expectations.

• Define standards for:
  • Data read/write patterns
  • Metadata and tagging
  • Lifecycle and retention policies
• Produce clear, consumable artefacts such as:
  • Process flows
  • Operating standards
  • Playbooks and onboarding guides

• Facilitate workshops to align stakeholders on operating standards.
• Support adoption through documentation, enablement materials, and governance forums.
• Manage change through structured decision‑making and exception handling.

• Experience designing operating models or Data Ops frameworks for large‑scale data or storage platforms.
• Strong understanding of object storage concepts (S3‑style) and operational considerations.
• Experience creating processes, RACIs, standards, and governance artefacts
  .
• Ability to translate complex technical concepts into clear, structured documentation
  .
• Strong stakeholder engagement and facilitation skills.

• Experience working in regulated or compliance‑heavy environments.
• Exposure to cost governance and platform financial management.
• Experience supporting global or multi‑region platforms.

• Influence how data platforms run at scale
  , not just how they’re built.
• Work at the intersection of technology, operations, governance, and cost
  .
• Design foundations that enable long‑term platform sustainability.

If you enjoy designing how platforms operate, scale, and stay under control
, we’d love to hear from you.