Lead Engineer (Professional Services)

Location: Stoke-on-Trent, Staffordshire

Salary: £45,000 - £55,000 DOE

Reports To: Head of Professional Services

Employment Type: Full Time, On-Site

About Fifteen Group

We're a Stoke-on-Trent based IT Managed Service Provider celebrating our 20th anniversary in 2026. We support around 60 SMB clients across the UK with both reactive technical support and proactive project delivery, split between our Technical Services and Professional Services teams.

As we look to the next 20 years, we're strengthening our Professional Services team with a Lead Engineer who can drive our most complex projects, act as our top technical escalation point, and help us stay ahead of the evolving cybersecurity landscape.

The Role

We're looking for a Lead Engineer to join our Professional Services team. This is a senior, hands-on technical role for someone who genuinely enjoys solving the toughest problems and leading complex projects from design through to delivery.

You'll be the engineer the team turns to when something has everyone else stumped, leading the design and delivery of our most technical projects across infrastructure, networking, cloud, and security. You'll also play a key role in raising our security posture both internally and across our client estate.

Time Allocation

• 60% Project Delivery & Design – leading our most complex projects
• 20% Senior Escalations – final technical escalation point for both teams
• 20% Security & Standards Work – reviews, audits, and raising security baselines

Key Responsibilities

Technical Leadership

• Act as the senior technical escalation point for both Professional Services and Technical Services teams
• Lead the design and delivery of complex client projects across infrastructure, networking, cloud, and security
• Mentor engineers across both teams, sharing knowledge and helping develop the next generation of senior talent
• Maintain high-quality technical documentation and contribute to our internal knowledge base
• Support pre-sales conversations with technical scoping and solution design

Infrastructure & On-Premises

• Design, deploy, and troubleshoot on-premise server infrastructure including RAID configurations, Windows Server, Active Directory, and Group Policy
• Lead virtualisation projects across Hyper-V and VMware environments
• Design and implement backup and disaster recovery solutions
• Design and implement storage solutions including SAN, NAS, and local storage

Networking

• Design and implement secure, resilient network solutions across our client base
• Configure and troubleshoot WatchGuard firewalls, DrayTek routers, Ubiquiti wireless, and Cisco equipment
• Design VLANs, routing, VPNs (site-to-site and remote access), and network segmentation
• Perform network performance and capacity planning

Cloud

• Design and deliver Microsoft 365 and Azure projects, including tenant migrations, Intune deployments, Conditional Access, and Entra ID configuration
• Design hybrid identity and infrastructure solutions where appropriate

Security

• Lead quarterly security reviews for key clients, identifying risks and presenting findings clearly
• Drive standardised security baselines across our client estate, including MFA, LAPS, Conditional Access, legacy protocol elimination, and network segmentation
• Act as the subject matter expert for our Huntress MDR offering
• Support incident response activities, including post-incident reviews and remediation planning
• Contribute to the development of productised security service offerings

Essential Skills & Experience

• Minimum 5–7 years working within an MSP or similar multi-client technical environment
• Proven experience leading complex projects from design through to delivery
• Strong on-premise infrastructure fundamentals including RAID, Windows Server, Active Directory, Group Policy, and file/print services
• Hands-on experience with Hyper-V and VMware virtualisation platforms
• Strong networking experience including firewall configuration, VLANs, routing, and VPNs (ideally WatchGuard, DrayTek, Ubiquiti, or Cisco)
• Experience designing and managing backup and disaster recovery solutions
• Strong Microsoft 365 experience including Entra ID, Conditional Access, Intune, and Microsoft Defender
• Practical understanding of cyber attack vectors such as phishing, pass-the-hash, and lateral movement, and how to defend against them
• Excellent troubleshooting skills with a methodical, evidence-led approach
• Strong written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to explain technical concepts to both technical and non-technical audiences
• Full UK driving licence
• Right to work in the UK

Desirable Skills & Experience

• Microsoft Azure experience (IaaS, PaaS, Azure Stack HCI)
• Relevant certifications such as:
• Microsoft AZ-104
• Microsoft AZ-500
• Microsoft SC-200
• Microsoft SC-300
• CompTIA Security+
• Equivalent industry certifications
• Experience with additional backup solutions
• PowerShell scripting for automation and auditing
• Experience presenting to senior client stakeholders
• Previous experience as a Senior Engineer or Lead Engineer within an MSP

What You'll Get From Us

• Competitive salary of £45,000 - £55,000, depending on experience
• Hybrid working opportunities where appropriate
• 25 days annual leave plus bank holidays
• Pension scheme
• Dedicated training and certification budget
• Clear technical career progression within a 20-year established business
• Modern office in Stoke-on-Trent with free parking
• Supportive, friendly team culture
• Exposure to a wide variety of technologies and projects across approximately 60 SMB clients

What Success Looks Like

Within your first 90 Days

• Become fully embedded within the Professional Services team
• Build strong working relationships with Technical Services
• Review and contribute to the current project pipeline
• Identify opportunities to improve security and technical standards across our client base

Within your first 12 Months

• Become the trusted senior escalation point across both teams
• Lead the design and delivery of multiple complex projects
• Run quarterly security reviews for key clients
• Contribute to mentoring and developing engineers across the business

Additional Information

Salary: £45,000 - £55,000 DOE

Location: Stoke-on-Trent, Staffordshire

Work Location: On-site

Industry: Managed Services / IT Services

Driving Licence Required: Yes

Right to Work in UK Required: Yes

Fifteen Group is an equal opportunities employer and welcomes applications from candidates of all backgrounds and experiences.

This role offers an excellent opportunity for an experienced infrastructure, networking, and security professional looking to take ownership of complex projects and become a key technical leader within a growing MSP.