📍 Job Overview

Job Title: Director Cloud Engineering and Operations
Company: NiSource
Location: Columbus, OH
Job Type: Hybrid
Category: Cloud Engineering & Operations
Date Posted: 2025-03-20
Experience Level: 10+ years
Remote Status: On-site with relocation assistance provided

🚀 Role Summary

Lead the planning, execution, and management of NiSource's cloud migration to maximize business benefits for improved efficiency and scalability.
Oversee cloud and premise hosting, network services, and end-user collaboration services.
Manage external vendors, enforce security policies, and align infrastructure solutions with the organization's overall business objectives.

💻 Primary Responsibilities

Assessment and Planning:
- Conduct comprehensive analysis of current infrastructure and applications to identify suitable candidates for cloud use.
- Develop detailed cloud migration plans, including timelines, cost estimations, and risk mitigation strategies.
- Designate target cloud (Azure, AWS, Private-Cloud) for application workloads and select appropriate cloud services based on business needs.
Migration Execution:
- Lead application migration process, including data migration, application re-architecture, and infrastructure configuration.
- Monitor migration progress and address any technical challenges that arise.
- Manage the transition of workloads to the cloud with minimal disruption to business operations.
Optimization and Transformation:
- Optimize cloud infrastructure to ensure cost-efficiency and performance improvements.
- Implement cloud-native architectures where appropriate and leverage advanced cloud services to enhance application functionality and assist with migrations.
- Identify opportunities to leverage cloud capabilities for business innovation and digital transformation.
Stakeholder Management:
- Manage third-party staff augmentation firms, leveraging staff and contractors appropriately with regards to budget, timelines, and skillsets.
- Collaborate with cross-functional teams, including other teams in IT, business stakeholders, and security teams, to prioritize resources, including budget and technical debt remediation.
- Communicate migration plans and progress to key decision-makers and address concerns and manage expectations throughout the cloud transformation journey.

🎓 Skills & Qualifications

Education: Bachelor's Degree or equivalent work experience

Experience: 10+ years of experience in cloud architecture design, including networking, storage, compute, and security best practices. 10+ years of experience working with a variety of cloud computing platforms (AWS, Azure, Private-Cloud Architecture) and their services. 10+ years of experience utilizing cloud migration strategies like "lift and shift", re-platforming, and re-factoring. 7+ years of experience managing teams.

Required Skills:

Proven experience in cloud architecture design and cloud computing platforms.
Strong leadership and team management skills.
Excellent communication and stakeholder management skills.
Strong analytical and problem-solving skills.
Ability to work in a dynamic and fast-paced environment.

Preferred Qualifications:

Master's Degree.
Basic knowledge of the PMI process groups and current Project Management methodologies.
Solid understanding of multi-cloud environments.
Azure or AWS certifications.
Working knowledge of the gas utility industry.
Knowledge of industry best practices in modeling, simulation, and testing.

📊 Web Portfolio & Project Requirements (N/A for this role)

💵 Compensation & Benefits

Salary Range: $155,400 - $233,100 per year, plus equity and 25% annual bonus

Benefits:

Equity
Annual Bonus

Working Hours: 40 hours per week

🎯 Team & Company Context

Company Culture:

NiSource values inclusion within day-to-day responsibilities by respecting others' perspectives, engaging others' opinions, and creating a safe environment where people, ideas, and opinions are valued.
NiSource respects and takes into consideration diversity within teams and external work partners by valuing different world views, challenges, and cultures that represent all walks of life and all backgrounds.
NiSource treats others with respect and consideration and actively participates in creating and contributing to a positive work environment.

Team Structure:

The Cloud Transformation and Operations team supports cloud capabilities as well as general data center infrastructure for the NiSource ecosystem.
The Director of Cloud Engineering and Operations leads the team responsible for overseeing cloud and premise hosting, network services, and end-user collaboration services.

Development Methodology:

NiSource follows Agile methodologies for cloud migration and infrastructure management.
The Director of Cloud Engineering and Operations will work within and across Agile teams to design, develop, test, implement, and support technical solutions across the full stack, with a particular focus on front-end and middleware platforms and technologies.

Company Website: https://www.nisource.com/

📝 Enhancement Note: NiSource is a gas and electric utility holding company that operates in seven states across the United States. The company's focus on cloud migration and digital transformation presents an excellent opportunity for a cloud engineering professional to make a significant impact on the organization's infrastructure and business operations.

📈 Career & Growth Analysis

Web Technology Career Level: Director-level role responsible for leading cloud engineering and operations teams, driving cloud migration strategies, and optimizing cloud infrastructure for improved efficiency and scalability.

Reporting Structure: The Director of Cloud Engineering and Operations reports directly to the Vice President of IT Infrastructure and Cloud Services.

Technical Impact: This role has a significant impact on NiSource's cloud infrastructure, business operations, and digital transformation initiatives. The Director of Cloud Engineering and Operations is responsible for ensuring that cloud services are secure, reliable, and optimized for performance and cost-efficiency.

Growth Opportunities:

Opportunities for career progression within NiSource's IT organization, including roles such as Vice President of IT Infrastructure and Cloud Services or Chief Information Officer.
Opportunities for professional development and skill enhancement through NiSource's training and development programs, including certifications, conferences, and mentorship opportunities.

🌐 Work Environment

Office Type: Hybrid work environment with on-site and remote work options available.

Office Location(s): Columbus, OH - Arena District, with additional offices in Chester, VA, Washington, D.C., and Lexington, KY.

Workspace Context:

NiSource's offices provide collaborative workspaces with access to multiple monitors, testing devices, and development tools.
The Cloud Transformation and Operations team works closely with other teams in IT, business stakeholders, and external partners to ensure that cloud services meet the organization's business needs and objectives.

Work Schedule: 40 hours per week, with flexible deployment windows, maintenance, and project deadlines as needed.

📝 Enhancement Note: NiSource's hybrid work environment and flexible work schedule allow for a healthy work-life balance while still providing the opportunity to collaborate and learn from colleagues in a dynamic and fast-paced environment.

📄 Application & Technical Interview Process

Interview Process:

Phone Screen: A brief phone call to discuss the candidate's qualifications, experience, and career goals.
On-site Interview: A full-day on-site interview consisting of technical assessments, stakeholder management scenarios, and cultural fit assessments.
Final Evaluation: A final evaluation of the candidate's technical skills, leadership potential, and cultural fit.

Portfolio Review Tips: (N/A for this role)

Technical Challenge Preparation:

Brush up on cloud architecture design, cloud migration strategies, and cloud computing platforms (AWS, Azure, Private-Cloud Architecture).
Familiarize yourself with NiSource's business objectives and cloud migration goals.
Prepare for technical assessments and stakeholder management scenarios related to cloud migration and infrastructure management.

ATS Keywords: (See AI-generated keywords in the "ai_key_skills" field)

📝 Enhancement Note: NiSource's interview process is designed to evaluate the candidate's technical skills, leadership potential, and cultural fit. The process is comprehensive and may include multiple rounds of interviews, technical assessments, and stakeholder management scenarios.

🛠 Technology Stack & Web Infrastructure

Cloud Platforms:

AWS
Azure
Private-Cloud Architecture

Cloud Services:

IaaS (Infrastructure as a Service)
PaaS (Platform as a Service)
SaaS (Software as a Service)

Cloud Migration Tools:

AWS CloudFormation
Azure Resource Manager
Terraform

Infrastructure as Code (IaC) Tools:

Ansible
Puppet
Chef

Configuration Management Tools:

Jenkins
GitLab CI/CD
Azure DevOps

Monitoring and Logging Tools:

Prometheus
Grafana
ELK Stack (Elasticsearch, Logstash, Kibana)

Security Tools:

Cloudflare
Palo Alto Networks
CrowdStrike

📝 Enhancement Note: NiSource's technology stack includes a variety of cloud computing platforms, cloud services, cloud migration tools, IaC tools, configuration management tools, monitoring and logging tools, and security tools. The Director of Cloud Engineering and Operations will be responsible for selecting appropriate tools and services based on business needs and ensuring that cloud infrastructure is secure, reliable, and optimized for performance and cost-efficiency.

👥 Team Culture & Values

NiSource's Core Values:

Safety: Promote a safe work environment by actively participating in all aspects of the employee safety program.
Integrity: Uphold the highest ethical standards in all actions and decisions.
Respect: Treat others with dignity and courtesy, valuing diversity and inclusion.
Responsibility: Take personal responsibility for one's actions and decisions, and hold others accountable for theirs.
Collaboration: Work together to achieve common goals, sharing knowledge, resources, and expertise.

NiSource's Approach to Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion:

NiSource values diversity and inclusion within its day-to-day responsibilities, engaging others' opinions, and creating a safe environment where people, ideas, and opinions are valued.
NiSource respects and takes into consideration diversity within teams and external work partners, valuing different world views, challenges, and cultures that represent all walks of life and all backgrounds.
NiSource treats others with respect and consideration and actively participates in creating and contributing to a positive work environment.

⚡ Challenges & Growth Opportunities

Technical Challenges:

Managing the transition of workloads to the cloud with minimal disruption to business operations.
Optimizing cloud infrastructure to ensure cost-efficiency and performance improvements.
Implementing cloud-native architectures where appropriate and leveraging advanced cloud services to enhance application functionality and assist with migrations.
Identifying opportunities to leverage cloud capabilities for business innovation and digital transformation.

Learning & Development Opportunities:

NiSource offers training and development programs, including certifications, conferences, and mentorship opportunities, to help employees enhance their skills and advance their careers.
The Director of Cloud Engineering and Operations will have the opportunity to work with a variety of cloud computing platforms, cloud services, cloud migration tools, IaC tools, configuration management tools, monitoring and logging tools, and security tools, providing ample opportunities for professional growth and development.

📝 Enhancement Note: NiSource's technical challenges and learning & development opportunities provide a dynamic and fast-paced environment for a cloud engineering professional to grow and make a significant impact on the organization's infrastructure and business operations.

💡 Interview Preparation

Technical Questions:

Cloud Architecture Design: Describe your experience with cloud architecture design, including networking, storage, compute, and security best practices. Provide examples of cloud migration strategies you have implemented in previous roles.
Cloud Migration Strategies: Explain your understanding of cloud migration strategies, such as "lift and shift", re-platforming, and re-factoring. Describe your experience with cloud migration tools and cloud computing platforms (AWS, Azure, Private-Cloud Architecture).
Cloud Security: Discuss your approach to cloud security, including identity and access management, network security, and data protection. Provide examples of security tools and best practices you have implemented in previous roles.

Company & Culture Questions:

NiSource's Cloud Migration Goals: Research NiSource's business objectives and cloud migration goals. Describe how you would approach driving cloud migration strategies and optimizing cloud infrastructure for improved efficiency and scalability.
Stakeholder Management: Discuss your experience with managing external vendors, enforcing security policies, and aligning infrastructure solutions with business objectives. Provide examples of how you have successfully managed stakeholder relationships in previous roles.
Team Leadership: Describe your approach to team leadership, including team development, training, and mentoring. Provide examples of how you have successfully led teams in previous roles and how you would apply those skills in the Director of Cloud Engineering and Operations role.

Portfolio Presentation Strategy: (N/A for this role)

📝 Enhancement Note: NiSource's interview process is designed to evaluate the candidate's technical skills, leadership potential, and cultural fit. The process is comprehensive and may include multiple rounds of interviews, technical assessments, and stakeholder management scenarios. Preparation for the interview process should focus on understanding NiSource's business objectives, cloud migration goals, and company culture, as well as brushing up on cloud architecture design, cloud migration strategies, and cloud security best practices.

📌 Application Steps

To apply for the Director Cloud Engineering and Operations position at NiSource:

Submit your application through the application link: https://nisource.wd1.myworkdayjobs.com/NiSource/job/Columbus-OH---Arena-District/Director-Cloud-Engineering-and-Operations_R00939326
Research NiSource's business objectives and cloud migration goals: Familiarize yourself with NiSource's business objectives and cloud migration goals to ensure that your application and interview responses align with the company's needs and expectations.
Prepare for technical assessments and stakeholder management scenarios: Brush up on your cloud architecture design, cloud migration strategies, and cloud security skills to ensure that you are well-prepared for the technical assessments and stakeholder management scenarios that may be included in the interview process.
Practice your interview responses: Rehearse your responses to common interview questions and tailor your responses to NiSource's business objectives, cloud migration goals, and company culture.
Follow up: After submitting your application, follow up with NiSource's HR department to confirm receipt of your application and inquire about the status of your application.

⚠️ Important Notice: This enhanced job description includes AI-generated insights and web technology industry-standard assumptions. All details should be verified directly with NiSource's HR department before making application decisions.

Director Cloud Engineering and Operations