Head of Cloud

Head of Cloud International retailer - Amsterdam area Our client Our client is an international retailer with its headquarters in the Amsterdam area and a presence in multiple countries (mostly Europe). The company is growing quickly, not only organically but also through acquisitions. Every new business that joins brings its own systems, teams and ways of working which will be streamlined over time. The organisation is entrepreneurial, fast-moving and ambitious, with short lines to senior leadership. The role As IT Manager / Head of Cloud you lead the cloud and IT and are responsible for a scalable, secure and cost-efficient AWS environment. You play a central role in integrating acquired companies into the group IT landscape. You lead a small team of experts as well as external partners and act as a trusted advisor to leadership on all things cloud and infrastructure. This is a strategic role with real impact: You build the foundation the business grows on. Tasks & Responsibilities - Own the cloud strategy and roadmap with AWS as the core platform; - Lead and develop the Cloud team and manage external partners and vendors; - Drive IT integration of acquired companies: assess their landscape, plan migrations and harmonise systems, processes and security; - Ensure availability, scalability and security of the cloud infrastructure across all countries; - Manage cloud costs and budgets actively (FinOps), and make smart build-versus-buy decisions; - Set and enforce standards for governance, security, compliance and disaster recovery; - Act as a sparring partner for management and business stakeholders on technology choices; - Stay ahead of developments in cloud, automation and AI, and translate them into practical value for the business. - Your profile - At least eight years of experience in cloud/infrastructure, of which several years in a leadership role; - Strong hands-on knowledge of AWS; AWS certifications are a strong plus; - Experience with IT integrations following mergers or acquisitions is a strong plus; - Experience in an international multi-site environment, ideally in retail or e-commerce; - Solid understanding of security, governance and cost management in the cloud; - A natural leader who combines strategic thinking with a pragmatic, hands-on mindset; - Strong stakeholder management skills, from the board room to the engineering team; - Currently based in the Netherlands (relocation is not offered); - Fluent English is required; Dutch is a plus.