Head of Platforms - Technology, Infrastructure and Operations
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Head of Platform
Location: Global (Hybrid)
Reports to: SVP, Technology Infrastructure & Operations (TIO)
Function: Technology
Purpose of the Role
The Head of Platform leads the delivery and evolution of Elsevier's internal developer platform as a core driver of engineering transformation.
This role is accountable for shifting Elsevier from fragmented infrastructure services to a unified internal developer platform (IDP) that accelerates modernization, reuse, and AI-enabled engineering.
This leader combines strong technical depth with enterprise influence, driving large-scale cultural and operational change across engineering.
They will shape the platform as a product while embedding new ways of working focused on self-service, automation, and developer experience.
Key Responsibilities
Platform Strategy & Vision
• Define and drive the platform strategy aligned with Elsevier standards and enterprise priorities.
• Translate strategic objectives (DevEx, reuse, AI-enabled SDLC) into clear platform roadmaps.
• Establish and evolve a platform-as-a-product operating model.
Leadership & Organization Design
• Build and lead a global platform organization (95-125 engineers) across key domains.
• Partner with TIO leadership, architecture, and change teams to align operating models.
• Drive an engineering-led, automation-first culture across the organization.
Developer Experience & Enablement
• Deliver internal developer portal capabilities (e.g., Backstage) and golden paths.
• Embed DORA and SPACE metrics to improve developer productivity.
• Champion reuse and inner sourcing across engineering teams.
AI & Automation Integration
• Integrate AI across the SDLC including code generation, testing, and automation.
• Drive adoption of AI-enabled engineering practices.
• Ensure secure and efficient-by-default platform services through automation.
Operational Excellence
• Ensure reliability, observability, and cost efficiency of platform services.
• Define resilience, incident management, and operational models.
• Track and report on platform maturity and performance.
Collaboration & Influence
• Partner with Business Unit CTOs, product leaders, and engineering teams.
• Drive alignment between platform capabilities and business outcomes.
• Communicate effectively across executive and technical audiences.
Experience & Skills
• 15+ years in platform, software, or infrastructure engineering.
• Proven experience leading large-scale cultural and operational transformations.
• Strong background in platform-as-a-product and developer experience.
• Demonstrated stakeholder influence across complex organizations.
• Experience leading distributed engineering teams.
• Familiarity with AI-enabled engineering practices.
• Strong grounding in SRE, observability, and secure-by-design.
• Excellent communication and leadership skills.
Success Measures
• Increased developer productivity and satisfaction.
• Adoption of platform capabilities across engineering teams.
• Reduction in toil and time-to-market.
• Increased reuse through standardized patterns and golden paths.
• Improved operational reliability and cost efficiency.
• Demonstrated shift in engineering culture toward ownership and automation.
Additional location(s): Oxford
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