Infrastructure Lead

We’re First Central Insurance & Technology Group (First Central for short), an innovative, market-leading insurance company. We protect the things customers love so they can get on with what matters to them in life.

Data drives us. It fuels our outstanding distribution, finance, technology and legal services. Our underwriting skills built on data expertise; it creates the insights we need to give the right cover to the right customers at the right price. But, it’s the people inside and outside our business that power us. They make us stand out, help us succeed. We’re ambitious. We’re growing. We’ve won awards.

We’re **First Central Insurance & Technology Group**. Bit of a mouthful we know - just call us First Central. We’re experts in motor insurance, underwriting, distribution, finance, technology, and legal services.

Our technology and data teams in Haywards Heath, West Sussex, Salford Quays, Manchester, and Guernsey, need a conscientious, focused **Infrastructure Lead**. Could you fit the bill? Working flexibly, you'll spend most of your time working from home, with occasional trips to the office (so living close to Haywards Heath / Salford Quays, West Sussex / Manchester or Guernsey would be perfect). But of course, it’s your choice - if you prefer to be in the office more - that's good with us too.

**We’d love to have you on the team if**:

- Have a strong technical infrastructure background including but not limited to; administration of Windows domains and Windows Server technologies, Azure Cloud and data centre infrastructure, network and firewall knowledge and IT security / Cyber controls.
- You enjoy leading teams and have worked within an Operations team in a busy and complex environment.
- Have experience with Agile ways of working.
- Have Insurance or Financial services industry knowledge.

**Making it happen Together.**

**Job responsibilities**:

- Provide leadership to the infrastructure team, including monitoring of internal KPI's and SLA's, carrying out 121’s and providing input to staff performance reviews, development plans and training requirements.
- Ensure the team provide Infrastructure services in all areas needed: storage, networking, load balancing, Operating System, system security, network security, directory services, server virtualization using system backup and restore, system and network monitoring via SNMP (and others as appropriate).
- Standard system administration duties including server install, System/Application install and patch management, Windows problem determination and resolution, log analysis, etc.
- Manage out of hours upgrades / implementations and testing in conjunction with Business Change, Technology teams and other stakeholders.
- Ensure vulnerabilities, Pen Test / audit findings are managed and resolved within agreed SLA’s.
- Manage the team including providing coaching and support, supporting performance review with the infrastructure manager, objective setting etc.
- Promote a team culture and resolving any issues with the support of HR when required.
- Help to create and maintain documentation as it relates to server and network topology, equipment, and configuration(s).
- Participate in the creation, maintenance, testing, and execution of the Disaster Recovery plan.
- Participate in & manage after-hours upgrades, troubleshooting, and/or on-call availability as needed.
- Provide capacity monitoring & management planning across the Group Application Infrastructure and help the Infrastructure Manager in planning changes to in terms of infrastructure performance & capacity.
- Suggest continuous improvements both to the service delivery processes and the group infrastructure as they become apparent and support the Service Delivery Manager in the execution of their duties.
- Build peer relationships with other key departments.
- Provide management reporting and any other reasonable duties as required.

**Job-specific competencies**

**Experience & knowledge**
- Excellent understanding and experience of Infrastructure Administration, including Windows, web, database servers, Office 365, and Azure.
- Excellent communication - interpersonal, verbal and written.
- Leadership ability to engage employees in a high pressurised environment.
- Analytical & problem-solving skills, identifying root causes and offering solutions.
- Good line management and organisation skills.
- Strong written communication, including the ability to document complex issues and processes in a way that can be understood by a wide audience.
- Knowledge of service level and operational level agreements & service delivery.

**Skills & Qualifications**
- Strong technical infrastructure background including but not limited to; administration of Windows domains and Windows Server technologies, Azure Cloud and data centre infrastructure, network and firewall knowledge and IT security / Cyber controls.
- Experience in leading an Operations team in a busy and complex en