The Federal Public Service Foreign Affairs, Foreign Trade and Development Cooperation is at the heart of Belgium's international policy. The main lines of Belgian foreign policy are set out here and the positions of our country, both nationally and internationally, are defended. Through active diplomacy, our organization promotes the interests of Belgium and our compatriots all over the world. In this way, we contribute to a safe, just, and sustainable world, based on shared values, human rights, and international rules.

The staff of the FPS work not only from the headquarters in Brussels, but also from about 120 posts (embassies and consulates). This makes our organization unique and allows staff to take on many different and exciting challenges.

In this context, the Directorate-General for Information and Communication Technology (ICT) is responsible for everything related to the IT and telecommunications support needed to carry out the missions of the FPS Foreign Affairs, Foreign Trade and Development Cooperation, particularly regarding infrastructure, software, and IT security. It is a dynamic and innovative environment that tackles the challenges of providing modern and secure applications and support to our internal services and fellow citizens.

Job Description

A Senior Program Manager Cloud Excellence is a leadership position responsible for overseeing and guiding complex IT programs, particularly those related to infrastructures and cloud services, in order to achieve the organization’s objectives and ensure operational excellence.

This hybrid role combines the responsibilities of a program manager, a project manager, and a head of the Cloud Center of Excellence (CCoE), with a major focus on infrastructure modernization, cloud strategy, and interdisciplinary leadership. He/she is responsible for managing high-priority projects and leading a multidisciplinary team in the cloud. His/her work directly supports management, citizen engagement, and the modernization of the digital services of the FPS Foreign Affairs.

Tasks and Responsibilities

Program and Project Management

• Lead and coordinate infrastructure and digital transformations.
• Manage impactful projects, including:
• Hosting solutions,
• M365 and Azure backups,
• Upgrade to Windows 11,
• Application logging.
• Ensure alignment with strategic objectives, timely delivery, and stakeholder satisfaction.
• Act as the person responsible for infrastructure programs, combining technical and management expertise.

Cloud Excellence Center (CEC)

• Oversee multi-tenant Azure environments.
• Lead a team consisting of a cloud architect, DevOps engineers, and a FinOps specialist.
• Define priorities, manage cloud migrations, and provide support in Azure budgeting and reporting.
• Promote best practices in cloud governance, cost optimization, and innovation.

Coordination of Infrastructure and Datacenter

• Guide the day-to-day operations of on-site servers and datacenter technologies.
• Facilitate collaboration between infrastructure architects, engineers, and other teams.
• Lead troubleshooting, change management, and strategic planning.

Stakeholder Engagement and Governance

• Collaborate with business owners, directors, and stakeholders at all levels.
• Represent the FPS Foreign Affairs in the BEGOV Azure community and the federal cloud working group.
• Serve as the single point of contact for assessment of federal cloud maturity.
• Maintain strong relationships with Microsoft and coordinate training and workshops.

Strategic and Operational Leadership

• Lead procurement, budget planning, and contract management.
• Maintain partnerships with external technology and service providers.
• Ensure quality of delivery and continuous improvement of IT services.

Profile

• Leadership
• Team spirit with the ability to connect, inspire, and motivate people to achieve the best results together
• Reliability and respect for ethics
• Goal- and results-oriented
• Customer-focused
• Sense of responsibility
• Strong learning, planning, and organizational skills
• Fluent communication, both oral and written
• Ability to adapt communication style and interaction