Head of IT Operations

Summary:

The Head of IT & Operations is responsible for the strategic and operational management of IT platforms and services, with a focus on stability, scalability, security, and modernisation across a hybrid technology ecosystem (cloud, on-prem, legacy systems).  As an integral member of the Technology Management Team (TMT) reporting to the Head of Technology for Outsourcing UK, Germany and Ireland, the Head of IT Operations will be expected to line manage 5 sub functions and collaborate across regional and global functions to deliver enterprise-grade platforms and services.

The role also includes driving the adoption of enterprise technologies, policies, and best practices. The Head of IT & Operations will also be responsible for vendor evaluations, managing internal and external audits, and representing Technology in key enterprise forums. Additionally, the role will contribute to global initiatives such as the Cyber Acceleration Programme and ensure alignment with global KPI assessments.

Note: Out-of-hours cover may be expected occasionally, with consultation among colleagues as required. 

The Role:

Key Responsibilities include: 

• Lead and oversee Platform Engineering, Platform Support, Evergreening (keeping systems current), Release Management, Data Support Services, DevOps and lifecycle support, End-to-end infrastructure 
• Drive a platform-first strategy enabling scalable, secure, and high-performing digital products. 
• Champion operational excellence and technology transformation across hybrid environments. 
• Ensure alignment of foundational services with business platform needs. 

 Infrastructure & DevOps Enablement 

• Manage cloud enablement and optimisation across environments (e.g. Azure, AWS, Oracle) for cost-effectiveness and scalability. Inform investment and prioritisation decisions for platform initiatives, ensuring alignment with business cases and strategic objectives. 
• Oversee CI/CD pipeline development and tooling to support agile platform delivery and operations. 
• Maintain strategic relationships with Managed Service providers to ensure resilient infrastructure and service delivery. 

Platform Support & Operations 

• Define and manage platform service tiers, SLAs, and support models to ensure consistent, high-performing operations. 
• Champion platform observability, analytics, and change management for performance monitoring and continuous improvement. 
• Coordinate enterprise-wide technology practices including audit readiness, vendor evaluations, global KPIs, and cyber programmes. 
• Implement and maintain security standards and access controls aligned with policies and industry best practices. 
• Ensure high availability, performance, and security through proactive monitoring, incident response, and capacity planning. 
• Collaborate with Solution Delivery teams to align platform capabilities with evolving business and technical needs. 

Platform Engineering 

• Lead the design, deployment, and optimisation of platforms across cloud, on-premises, and legacy systems. 
• Drive modernisation efforts to maintain platform currency and supportability. 

 Evergreening & Technology Lifecycle Management 

• Develop strategies to modernise legacy systems and manage lifecycle upgrades, patching, and refreshes. 
• Balance innovation with operational stability in hybrid environments. 

 Release Management 

• Oversee planning, coordination, and execution of software and infrastructure releases across hosting models and environments. 
• Implement robust release governance frameworks with quality assurance, rollback procedures, and minimal disruption. 
• Promote automation and CI/CD practices to streamline deployments. 

 Data Support Services 

• Lead data operations teams responsible for integration, transformation, and delivery across platforms. 
• Ensure data availability, quality, and compliance with governance and privacy regulations. 
• Support analytics, reporting, and business intelligence initiatives with scalable data services. 

The Requirements:

Mindset, Values & Capabilities 

•    Leads cross-functional transformation initiatives with executive and stakeholder alignment.  

•    Applies deep expertise across infrastructure, application, cloud, and data architecture domains.  

•    Uses strategic KPIs and emerging technologies to guide platform evolution and inform decisions.  

•    Facilitates collaboration across business, technology, and cultural contexts.  

•    Combines emotional intelligence with technical leadership to guide diverse, distributed teams.  

•    Evaluates industry trends to identify opportunities for innovation and continuous improvement. 

Technical Competencies 

•    Comfortable with cloud-native platforms (Azure, AWS) and infrastructure-as-code tools like Terraform. 

•    Familiar with CI/CD systems, GitOps workflows/ applying DevSecOps principles across environments. 

•    Proven ability to design and implement robust observability frameworks (monitoring, logging, tracing). 

•    Experienced in defining reusable architecture patterns, API strategies, and service mesh designs. 

•    Evaluates and integrates platform tooling ecosystems (e.g., Kubernetes, Vault, GitHub Enterprise). 

•    Applies deep subject matter expertise to resolve complex issues and implement lasting solutions. 

•    Translates technical complexity into clear, actionable communication across business and IT audiences. 

•    Experience with hybrid cloud governance and policy enforcement. 

•    Familiar with container lifecycle management and Helm. 

•    Applied Site Reliability Engineering (SRE) principles to improve platform reliability and incident response. 

•    Implemented IAM and secrets management across cloud environments. 

•    Used automation tools like Ansible or GitHub Actions for configuration and deployment. 

•    Experience with FinOps or cloud cost optimisation tools.  

•    Familiarity with compliance tooling and audit automation.  

•    Exposure to hybrid cloud orchestration and policy enforcement. 

Leadership & Strategy 

•    Collaborates across senior leadership to shape high-impact platform strategies and systems thinking. 

•    Drives enterprise-wide transformation across infrastructure, DevOps, and architecture domains. 

•    Leads the adoption of platform-first principles across engineering and product delivery. 

•    Presents effectively to board-level audiences, executive committees, and governance forums. 

•    Demonstrates passion and commitment to the organisation's future through visible leadership. 

Team Development & Performance 

•    Builds high-performance platform teams through mentoring, technical upskilling, and strategic support. 

•    Guides teams to achieve measurable outcomes in high-pressure, delivery-focused environments. 

•    Flexes leadership style across varied audiences and cultural contexts for maximum impact. 

Governance & Business Alignment 

•    Embeds governance, compliance, and audit readiness across platform lifecycle activities. 

•    Translates business objectives into actionable, measurable platform enablement goals. 

•    Maintains accountability for consistent delivery, continuous improvement, and enterprise enablement. 

Stakeholder & Vendor Engagement 

•    Influences and engages internal and external stakeholders through tailored, strategic messaging. 

•    Communicates platform vision with clarity to rally teams around strategic outcomes. 

•    Manages vendor partnerships and complex third-party contract negotiations with confidence. 

•    Coordinates multi-team engagement and resource management across multiple disciplines. 

Establish unified platform architecture 

•    Deliver a fully aligned and documented platform architecture framework within 12 months, incorporating cloud, security, integration, and DevOps principles. 

Accelerate delivery velocity 

•    Improve delivery throughput by 25% within 12 months through reusable design patterns, CI/CD automation, and streamlined environment provisioning. 
Enhance platform resilience and support 

•    Reduce critical incident response time by 25% through strengthened platform observability, service tiering, and support models. 

Lead strategic transformation initiatives 

•    Successfully deliver at least 2 strategic transformation initiatives (e.g., cloud migration/optimisation, cyber programme integration, architecture modernisation) aligned to KPIs within 18 months. 

Equal opportunity employer 

•    Champions inclusive leadership and cultivates diverse, high-trust teams. 

•    Creates spaces for authentic dialogue and ensures all voices are heard in technical forums. 

At WTW, we believe difference makes us stronger. We want our workforce to reflect the different and varied markets we operate in and to build a culture of inclusivity that makes colleagues feel welcome, valued, and empowered to bring their whole selves to work every day. We are an equal opportunity employer committed to fostering an inclusive work environment throughout our organisation. We embrace all types of diversity.

We're committed to equal employment opportunity and provide application, interview and workplace adjustments and accommodations to all applicants. If you foresee any barriers, from the application process through to joining WTW, please email

Benefits - GB
Enjoy a benefits package designed to help you thrive, both professionally and personally. You'll receive 25 days of annual leave plus an extra WTW day to relax and recharge. Our comprehensive health and wellbeing offering includes private healthcare, life insurance, group income protection, and regular health assessments, all giving you peace of mind. Secure your future with our defined contribution pension scheme, featuring matched contributions up to 10% from the company.

We support your growth and balance with hybrid working options, access to an employee assistance programme, and a fully paid volunteer day to make a difference in your community. On top of these, you can opt into a variety of additional perks including an electric vehicle car scheme, share scheme, cycle-to-work programme, dental and optical cover, critical illness protection, and much more. Start making the most of your career and wellbeing with a range of benefits tailored for you.