Head of Information Technology Operations

At Grandir UK, we are seeking a Head of IT to lead and manage our technology systems across our organisation ensuring a secure, robust and efficient infrastructure.

As our lead technology specialist, you will play a crucial role in ensuring the smooth and efficient operation of our business, overseeing both our internal team and external IT partners to drive success.

Role Purpose

To manage the efficient operation of IT across the organisation, ensuring that Grandir UK’s IT infrastructure is robust, efficient and secure; as our primary technology specialist, we depend on you to keep our business operating our business effectively by managing our internal team and our IT partners well.

The role demands collaboration with internal stakeholders, many of whom will not grasp technical nuances. Responsiveness, discerning individual and business needs, and effective communication with various stakeholders are as vital in this role as your ability to demonstrate deep technical expertise when liaising with technology specialists.

What you will be doing

• Collaborate with senior stakeholders, ensuring there is a clear IT strategy which links into budget planning; ensuring the our IT infrastructure and services is fit for future growth.

• Set technology standards and principles and assure the quality of IT project delivery, using technical knowledge, to ensure that vendor proposals and responses are appropriate.

• Manage IT support contracts and service, to ensure quality, best value for money, and that any IT failures cause minimum impact.

• Define, implement and monitor effective IT service level agreements with all IT suppliers.

• Recruit, develop and manage our internal team of Service Desk and End User Computing specialists to provide a suitable level of IT services which meet our business needs.

• Provide monthly IT performance reporting to executive team.

• Act as the first point of escalation for IT issues with internal teams and IT providers, providing communication to all stakeholders and managing the relevant provider(s) to ensure a timely resolution.

• Act as IT business partner, interfacing with business leaders and IT service providers to ensure that business needs are articulated clearly and agreed changes to systems carried out as intended.

• Work with the Grandir UK business and supply-chain to develop and maintain a pipeline of projects that aligns IT to continuously support business needs.

• Ensure that IT projects and changes are successfully transitioned into “BAU” service delivery.

• Ensure that the business effectively manages technology risk including cyber security risk, both through user education and using effective technical solutions, including regular monitoring.

• Obtain and maintain Cyber Essentials Plus certification, with annual testing.

• To stay up to date with the latest IT trends, best practices, and emerging technologies relevant to the Childcare Sector and to undertake appropriate continuous professional development.

What we are looking for

You will have come from a hands-on technical background, with broad working knowledge across all technology domains and possess expert-level knowledge of at least one of end-user compute, server, storage, LAN/ WAN/ WiFi or cyber security technologies. You will also have expertise in industry recognised best practices for IT service delivery, resulting in an ability to drive all-round improvement and an increase in user satisfaction through continuous service improvement. You will have a good understanding of cyber security, its risks to the business and how to mitigate those risks effectively.

Essential Qualifications

• You are our digital specialist. We depend on you to keep our business operating effectively by managing our internal IT resources, our IT suppliers and technology landscape well.

• You have a keen eye for detail and can communicate with a wide range of stakeholders effectively.

• You have excellent practical knowledge of IT Project and Service Management disciplines and recognised industry best practices such as PRINCE2 and ITIL.

• You utilise your technical knowledge and expertise to work effectively with our IT partners, however you are also able to keep it simple when communicating with non-technical stakeholders.

• You can ask the right questions and challenge positively to negotiate conflicting demands and requirements, and to help lead the resolution of complex technical issues.

• You will be confident in leading internal IT teams, IT partners and our wider business in implementing new technologies.

• You will have significant supplier contract and performance management experience.

• You will demonstrate excellent leadership and team management abilities.

• You will be customer focused, with excellent analytical and problem-solving capability.

• You will be proficient in IT infrastructure planning, implementation, and optimization.

• You will come from a hands-on technology background, with broad working knowledge across all technology domains and possess expert-level knowledge of at least one of end-user compute, server, storage, LAN/ WAN/ WiFi, cloud-based business applications or cyber security technologies.

• You will have at least 2-year’s referenceable experience as either an IT Operations Manager or IT Service Manager, or similar.

Essential Skills

Over 1 years’ experience of working in a management position.

Fluent in written and spoken English at GCSE grade C or equivalent.

Desirable Qualification

• Degree in a relevant subject

• Service Management certification (e.g. ITIL Foundation)

• Project Management certification (e.g. APM or PRINCE2)

• Membership of relevant professional body

• Experience in IT Service Desk role, or IT Service Desk Management

• Implementation experience of ITSM Tools

Join us and enjoy a host of attractive benefits including:

• Holiday 28 days plus bank holidays (3 days must be reserved for Christmas shut down)
• ‘Wellbeing Day’ – an extra day off just for you
• Private Medical Insurance: Bupa or equivalent
• 24/7 remote GP appointments
• Pension: 8% ER contribution
• Healthcare cash plan - Claim cash back on medical procedures such as dental care and physiotherapy
• Life Insurance
• EAP
• Recommend friends and family to work for us and be rewarded with a cash bonus
• Generous discount on childcare
• Access to an employee benefits portal, which includes discounts at 100’s of online high street stores, turning points into cash
• 'May I say thank you' for the month of May to appreciate the hard work and dedication of staff teams
• Working for a business that has received 'Great Place To Work' certification, putting people at the core of what we do.

We are delighted to announce our official certification as a Great Place To Work, reflecting our commitment to creating a positive and thriving environment for our employees. This accreditation aligns with our overarching mission to deliver high-quality childcare and education, fostering the growth of children into happy, smart, and healthy individuals. Placing children and families at the core of our efforts, we acknowledge that our dedicated teams play a pivotal role in delivering exceptional education and care.

Grandir UK is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people and an enhanced DBS check will be required for this role.

We are an equal opportunity employer and select staff on merit, irrespective of age, disability, gender reassignment, marriage & civil partnership, race, sex, sexual orientation, religion or belief.

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