McKesson

Director of Cloud & Kubernetes Platform

McKesson$126K — $169K *
Information Technology
11 - 15 years of experience
Job Overview by Ladders

Qualifications

  • Bachelor's or Master's degree in Computer Science, Software Engineering, or equivalent experience.
  • 15+ years in engineering, including 6+ years in cloud platform or infrastructure engineering leadership roles.
  • Demonstrated experience leading large-scale cloud platform engineering programs and Kubernetes-based transformations.
  • Deep expertise across AWS, Azure, and GCP platforms, including key services like EKS, AKS, and GKE.
  • Expert-level knowledge of Kubernetes and its ecosystem, including Helm and CRDs.
  • Proficiency in Infrastructure-as-Code (Terraform, Pulumi) and CI/CD principles.
  • Strong understanding of Site Reliability Engineering (SRE) principles applied at the platform layer.

Responsibilities

  • Define and execute a cloud and Kubernetes platform engineering strategy aligned with enterprise goals.
  • Manage P&L responsibility and technology budget for platform investments across Azure, GCP, and AWS.
  • Develop platform engineering roadmaps linking business goals with technical execution.
  • Translate long-term platform vision into prioritized engineering workstreams.
  • Lead the development of cloud-native platforms to enhance scalability and portability across multiple clouds.
  • Design developer platforms to facilitate self-service cloud provisioning and improve deployment times.
  • Drive platform reliability and governance through well-defined standards and frameworks.

Benefits

  • Flexible work environment with a hybrid schedule of 2 days in office per week.
  • Access to professional development and training opportunities.
  • Comprehensive health, wellness, and retirement benefits as part of Total Rewards.
  • Employee recognition programs to promote a culture of excellence.
Full Job Description
Job Title: Director, Cloud & Kubernetes Platform Engineering

Position Summary:

We seek a visionary and technically accomplished Director of Cloud & Kubernetes Platform Engineering to lead the design, development, and evolution of our cloud-native platform capabilities. This strategic engineering leadership role is pivotal in building scalable, secure, and resilient cloud and container platforms while driving innovation in platform development across the organization.

The ideal candidate will bring deep expertise in cloud platform engineering across Azure, GCP, and AWS and Kubernetes ecosystem development, and multi-cloud architectures, along with a proven track record of building and leading high-performing platform engineering teams. Your engineering leadership will be instrumental in designing foundational platform capabilities, developer experiences, and self-service infrastructure that accelerate the entire engineering organization.

Job Responsibilities:

Platform Engineering Strategy

  • Define and execute a forward-looking cloud and Kubernetes platform engineering strategy aligned with enterprise goals and digital transformation initiatives.


  • Own P&L responsibility, technology budget management, and ROI optimization for enterprise platform investments across Azure, GCP, and AWS.


  • Develop and implement platform engineering roadmaps that align business goals with technical execution plans.


  • Translate long-term platform vision into prioritized, actionable engineering workstreams.


  • Lead the development of strategic platform roadmaps to drive engineering velocity, scalability, and resilience.


Multi-Cloud Platform Development & Architecture

  • Develop our next-generation cloud-native platforms spanning Azure, GCP, and AWS enabling scalable, portable workloads across a unified multi-cloud estate.


  • Design and implement cloud-specific platform capabilities: AWS landing zones using Control Tower and Organizations; Azure platform engineering with Management Groups, Policy, and Blueprints; GCP platform design leveraging Organization Policies, Shared VPC, and Resource Hierarchy.


  • Build and govern a consistent cloud abstraction layer that normalizes networking, IAM, secrets management, and compute across all three hyperscalers.


  • Lead the engineering of cloud-native managed Kubernetes services Amazon EKS, Azure AKS, and Google GKE into a cohesive, centrally governed multi-cluster platform.


  • Design and build internal developer platforms (IDPs) that deliver self-service cloud provisioning, improving developer productivity and time-to-deploy across all cloud environments.


  • Lead the engineering of Infrastructure-as-Code (IaC) frameworks, CI/CD platform toolchains, and automation pipelines to support rapid, repeatable delivery across clouds.


  • Drive platform reliability engineering through proactive design, SLO-based engineering, error budgets, and scalable capacity planning.


  • Establish and govern cloud platform standards, blueprints, and golden paths for engineering teams to build upon.


Kubernetes & Container Platform Engineering

  • Lead the design, development, and lifecycle management of enterprise Kubernetes platforms across EKS, AKS, and GKE, including cluster architecture, networking, storage, and multi-tenancy patterns.


  • Engineer a unified multi-cluster management plane enabling consistent deployment, policy enforcement, and observability across cloud providers.


  • Build and mature container platform capabilities including image management, runtime security, policy enforcement, and workload scheduling.


  • Drive adoption of service mesh, advanced networking, and observability tooling within the Kubernetes ecosystem.


  • Partner with security teams to embed platform-level security controls, pod security standards, and supply chain security practices.


Cloud Networking & Connectivity Engineering

  • Partner with the networking team on the design and engineering cloud networking foundations including AWS Transit Gateway and VPC architecture, Azure Virtual WAN and Hub-Spoke topologies, and GCP Shared VPC and Cloud Interconnect patterns.


  • Support the networking team on the build and maintain private connectivity frameworks such as AWS Direct Connect, Azure ExpressRoute, and GCP Dedicated Interconnect, ensuring high-availability hybrid and multi-cloud network paths.


  • Partner with the networking team on engineering of DNS, traffic management, and load balancing platforms across cloud providers to support global application delivery.


Cloud Identity, Security & Compliance Engineering

  • Engineer cloud identity and access management platforms across AWS IAM and SCPs, Azure Entra ID (Active Directory) and Conditional Access, and GCP IAM with Workload Identity Federation.


  • Engineer cloud governance frameworks and embed compliance controls (e.g., HIPAA, SOC 2) natively into the platform using AWS Config, Azure Policy, and GCP Organization Policies.


  • Champion platform-level security engineering practices across all cloud environments, including secrets management (AWS Secrets Manager, Azure Key Vault, GCP Secret Manager), identity federation, and zero-trust networking.


  • Leverage cloud security posture management (CSPM) tooling and integrate findings into engineering workflows.


Team Leadership

  • Inspire, mentor, and manage a global team of cloud platform engineers, Kubernetes specialists, and DevOps practitioners.


  • Cultivate a culture of engineering excellence, collaboration, accountability, and continuous learning.


  • Recruit, develop, and retain top platform engineering talent.


Cost & FinOps Engineering

  • In partnership with the Cloud FinOps team Design cost-aware platform architectures and implement FinOps practices to optimize cloud expenditure across AWS, Azure, and GCP without compromising performance or security.


  • Build tooling and dashboards leveraging AWS Cost Explorer, Azure Cost Management, and GCP Cloud Billing to give engineering teams visibility into resource utilization and cost attribution.


  • Architect tagging strategies, resource hierarchies, and chargeback models to drive engineering accountability for cloud spend.


Innovation & Platform Evolution

  • Stay ahead of emerging cloud-native technologies, Kubernetes ecosystem developments, and hyperscaler service releases, proactively integrating capabilities that enhance platform value.


  • Drive adoption of emerging patterns including GitOps, eBPF-based networking, WASM workloads, and AI/ML platform infrastructure across AWS SageMaker, Azure ML, and GCP Vertex AI.


Qualifications & Critical Skills

  • Bachelor's or Master's degree in Computer Science, Software Engineering, or equivalent experience.


  • 15+ years in engineering, including 6+ years in cloud platform or infrastructure engineering leadership roles.


  • Demonstrated experience leading large-scale cloud platform engineering programs and Kubernetes-based transformations.


  • Deep, hands-on expertise across all three major hyperscalers: AWS (EKS, EC2, VPC, IAM, Control Tower), Azure (AKS, Entra ID, Virtual WAN, Azure Policy), and GCP (GKE, Shared VPC, Organization Policy, Vertex AI).


  • Expert-level knowledge of Kubernetes - including cluster design, operators, custom resource definitions (CRDs), Helm, and the broader CNCF ecosystem.


  • Proven experience engineering and operating managed Kubernetes platforms: Amazon EKS, Azure AKS, and Google GKE at enterprise scale.


  • Strong command of platform engineering principles: internal developer platforms, golden paths, self-service infrastructure, and developer experience (DevEx).


  • Proficiency in Infrastructure-as-Code (Terraform, Pulumi), GitOps (Flux, ArgoCD), and CI/CD platform tooling.


  • Strong understanding of Site Reliability Engineering (SRE) principles - SLOs, SLIs, error budgets - applied at the platform layer.


  • Experience with cloud-native security engineering including RBAC, policy-as-code (OPA/Gatekeeper), CSPM tooling, and supply chain security.


  • Relevant cloud certifications preferred: AWS Solutions Architect Professional, Azure Solutions Architect Expert, Google Professional Cloud Architect.


  • Proven ability to drive cross-functional collaboration and deliver exceptional platform outcomes for internal engineering customers.


  • Excellent communication skills with the ability to engage effectively with both technical teams and senior executives.


Office requirement: We are Flex and Connect with 2 days a week in office.

Relocation is not budgeted for this role

We are proud to offer a competitive compensation package at McKesson as part of our Total Rewards. This is determined by several factors, including performance, experience and skills, equity, regular job market evaluations, and geographical markets. The pay range shown below is aligned with McKesson's pay philosophy, and pay will always be compliant with any applicable regulations. In addition to base pay, other compensation, such as an annual bonus or long-term incentive opportunities may be offered. For more information regarding benefits at McKesson, please click here.

Our Base Pay Range for this position

$126,900 - $169,200

McKesson has become aware of online recruiting-related scams in which individuals who are not affiliated with or authorized by McKesson are using McKesson's (or affiliated entities, like CoverMyMeds or RxCrossroads) name in fraudulent emails, job postings or social media messages. In light of these scams, please bear the following in mind:

McKesson Talent Advisors will never solicit money or credit card information in connection with a McKesson job application.

McKesson Talent Advisors do not communicate with candidates via online chatrooms or using email accounts such as Gmail or Hotmail. Note that McKesson does rely on a virtual assistant (Gia) for certain recruiting-related communications with candidates.

McKesson job postings are posted on our career site: careers.mckesson.com.

About McKesson

McKesson Corporation provides medicines, pharmaceutical supplies, information and care management products and services across the healthcare industry. The Company operates in two segments. The McKesson Distribution Solutions segment delivers ethical drugs, medical-surgical supplies and equipment and health and beauty care products throughout North America. This segment also provides specialty pharmaceutical solutions for biotech and pharmaceutical manufacturers, sells financial, operational and clinical solutions for pharmacies (retail, hospital, long-term care) and provides consulting, outsourcing and other services. The McKesson Technology Solutions segment delivers enterprise-wide clinical, patient care, financial, supply chain, strategic management and software solutions. In July 2011, the Company acquired Portico Systems from Safeguard Scientifics, Inc. On March 25, 2012, it acquired the independent banner and franchise businesses of Katz Group Canada Inc. McKesson Distribution Solutions delivers pharmaceuticals to retail pharmacies and institutional providers like hospitals and health systems. They operate pharmaceutical distribution centers across the country, serving customers in all 50 states. They also deliver a comprehensive offering of health care products, technology, equipment and related services to the alternate site market, including physician offices, surgery centers, long-term care facilities and home care businesses across the country. McKesson is currently the largest pharmaceutical distributor in North America. McKesson also operates McKesson Canada and has an equity holding in Nadro, a leading distributor in Mexico.

McKesson Careers

Join McKesson, a leading global healthcare company, and be part of a team that is redefining the future of healthcare. With a variety of job opportunities available, McKesson is the perfect place to advance your career, whether you're a seasoned professional or just starting out. Work You’ll Do At McKesson, we are committed to improving care in every setting—one product, one partner, one patient at a time. We’re seeking talented professionals to join our team and contribute to a culture of innovation, diversity, and leadership. Our employees are driven by a deep sense of purpose and a desire for continuous growth and improvement. Empower Your Future in Healthcare With positions ranging from internships to leadership roles, McKesson offers unparalleled employment opportunities to develop your skills and advance your career. Our commitment to diversity training ensures that all team members have the opportunity to thrive. Join a team where your skills will be honed, your professional growth will be supported, and where you can genuinely see the difference you make in the lives of patients around the world. Innovative Work Environment McKesson is at the forefront of healthcare innovation. Our team is constantly exploring new ways to improve patient outcomes and streamline care processes. This commitment to innovation is what sets us apart and what makes McKesson an exciting place to work. Career Development and Benefits McKesson believes in nurturing the potential of its employees through robust career development programs and comprehensive benefits designed to support your life and well-being. From leadership training to health and wellness benefits, we ensure our team members are equipped to meet their professional and personal goals. Explore Job Opportunities Whether you’re looking for an internship to kickstart your career, or a senior position to utilize your extensive experience, McKesson offers a range of opportunities. Explore our open positions and find where you can make a difference at McKesson. Stay Connected Join Our Team Search for open positions that match your skills and interests. We are looking for passionate, curious, and solution-driven team players who are ready to take the next step in their careers. Keep Up to Date Stay ahead with career tips, insider perspectives, and industry-leading insights you can put to use today—all from the people who work here. Networking and Professional Growth At McKesson, networking and professional growth are part of our everyday environment. We encourage our employees to connect, share, and learn from each other to foster personal and professional development. Job Alert Emails Personalize your subscription to receive job alerts, latest news, and insider tips tailored to your preferences. Discover the exciting and rewarding career opportunities that await you at McKesson. Join McKesson today and be part of a team that is dedicated to shaping the future of healthcare.
Learn more about McKesson
Size
58,000 employees
Market Cap
$53.7 billion
Industry
Net Income
-$4.1 billion
Founded
1833
5 Year Trend
+5.9%
Revenue
$237.6 billion
NASDAQ

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