Head of IT Operations

Job Description

Location: Head Office - West DidsburyContract: Permanent, Full timeSalary: c£70,000Closing date: 04-12-2023The role

• To provide a clear strategic direction for Great Places infrastructure, Cyber Security and Support services.
• To adopt new technologies to support the infrastructure for business-critical applications and ensure security, for Great Places’ operations.
• To drive out efficiencies in operations through consolidation, standardisation, automation and adoption of cloud computing, where feasible.
• To ensure that Great Places has appropriate, robust and secure technical infrastructure, digital systems, telephony, mobile working and other core IT services and equipment.

What you’ll be doing

• Ensure there are adequate technical and organizational safeguards to protect the continuity of IT infrastructure services by implementing IT security principles, methods, practices, policies and tools, including information and operations security, physicalsecurity, business continuity/disaster recovery planning, methods to deal with security breaches and security assessment in a technical environment.
• To provide technical oversight and governance to the design of applications or services within the Technology Services group and to the selection/procurement of solutions across the Company.
• Have a true understanding and modelling of what a customer first IT support service looks like.
• To perform research, analyse, design, propose and deliver IT architecture solutions that are appropriate for the business and IT strategy
• Provide reporting, based on IT Service Management system statistics for SLAs.

To lead and embed a high support/high challenge culture by:

• showing inspirational leadership;
• timely and effective performance management;
• coaching;
• communication and feedback
• To be responsible for planning, co-ordinating and redeploying resources and workload appropriately across the team to meet service and business demands.
• role-modelling attitudes, behaviours and expectations
• capturing the learning from mistakes and set-backs
• showing effective and positive leadership through change
• in order to support and develop your team to realise individual and team potential and ensure effective service delivery.

What you’ll need

• Experience of in all relevant fields of computing and senior management experience.
• A balanced mix of business and technical skills across the following:
• Systems / Cyber Security
• Disaster Recovery solutions
• User support
• Systems Testing
• Desktop technologies
• Microsoft software packages / technology
• Cloud Computing
• Technical solutions design
• Supplier management
• Networking, wireless and remote access technologies
• Proven management skills – strategic and operational and including colleagues, contractors and projects.
• Experience of delivering a high standard of customer service.
• Ability to set and manage complex budgets.
• Proven track record of successful partnership working with both internal and external stakeholders.
• Proven relationship builder and influencer with stakeholders.
• Experience of contributing to the development and achievement of operating plans.
• Great people skills and a track record in change management
• Good commercial awareness and insight
• Great people skills with an ability to work effectively with stakeholders and colleagues.
• Acute customer-focus.
• Effective problem solver.
• Willingness to share learning with peers, guide, train and to coach others and participate in cross departmental work streams where required.
• Have resilience and emotional intelligence to be able to cope with and manage difficult situations, whilst showing understanding and empathy.

What we give you in return for your hard work and commitment

• Pension | DC scheme (up to 10% contribution from both colleagues and Great Places)
• WPA | Healthcare auto enrolled at no contribution level with £1250 of savings available - option to increase & add family members
• Annual leave |Start at 26 days annual leave, increasing up to 30 days + Bank Holidays
• Flexi Time | Allows colleagues to achieve a healthy work life balance whilst carrying out requirement of the role. A maximum of 13 days flexi can be taken in a year
• Greater Working | We offer Hybrid and flexible working to fit the schedule of you, so you can work to your greatest ability
• Reward & Recognition | You Count Rewards are individual reward’s for going ‘above & beyond’ | Compliance based training bonuses paid annually
• Professional Fees | The business pays the cost of one professional membership fee for each colleague
• The Market Place |High street, restaurant & supermarket discounts, gym memberships, cycle to work, smart tech loans and much mor
• Health and Wellbeing Initiatives | Our colleagues enjoy wellbeing campaigns throughout the year, with activities designed around our four pillars of wellbeing, these include career wellbeing, mental wellbeing, physical wellbeing and financial wellbeing

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