Head of Technology Infrastructure & Colleague Experience

This is a new role which sits within the ICT and Digital team in the Corporate Services Directorate. This is a newly structured team responsible for supporting and enabling the Council to deliver modern services, through resilient technology infrastructure and a wide range of digital applications which are constantly being developed and improved as digital innovations emerge. The team works collaboratively across council services, providing digital services to residents and service users whilst ensuring colleagues have the devices and access to systems to keep services running and continually improving. As Head of Technology Infrastructure & Colleague Experience, you will play a central role in delivering the council's strategic objectives by leading the management and operations of the Technology Infrastructure and ensuring colleagues across the council are able to perform well in their roles through the use and adoption of technology. About the Role As a Head of Technology Infrastructure & Colleague Experience, you will be responsible for: Leading, planning, developing and delivering an expert professional Technology and Colleague Experience service that ensures the Council's core technology operations are highly available, functional, and evolving so that high-standard services can be delivered on budget to colleagues, service users, and residents. The role works closely with internal customers, stakeholders, and corporate governance as well as suppliers. The role is responsible for the development and delivery of the Technology Roadmap and for overall digital colleague experience. The scope of the role includes:

• Core technology and infrastructure including cloud and on-premise services. We are currently migrating our infrastructure to the Cloud.
• The Council's communications, network, connectivity, and remote working technology
• Technology Supply Chain Management including procurement and contracts
• Digital Colleague Experience team, which incorporates service desk, change management, procurement, asset and device management and budget management with collective responsibility for delivery of excellent services to customers, and digital adoption throughout the organisation.
• Accountability for self-service and telephone support model
• Ensuring the security of core technology and identity management
• Accountable for technology business resilience and continuity
• Design, plan, and deliver technology changes, and oversight of change advisory board.
• The use of performance metrics and dashboards to deliver continuous improvement.
• Budgetary and spend responsibility for Technology and Colleague Experience operations including staff and suppliers.
• Develop, motivate and retain a high performing team and encourage succession planning.
• Work directly with Business Systems and Development to develop the Digital and Customer Strategy and the Enterprise Architecture and resourcing to deliver it.

• Successful track record of running ICT operational functions responsible for core and critical technology platforms for a large and complex organisation
• Demonstrated experience of successfully leading, managing, and developing an ICT service team, with a focus on customer/colleague experience and high performance.
• Experience of developing and delivery of an effective and secure technology infrastructure to support wider business objectives, including cloud provisioning.
• Detailed knowledge of the cyber security requirements in a large and complex organisation.
• A strong technical understanding across IT infrastructure, cloud provisioning, and technology in a public sector setting.
• The ability to develop and then translate strategy and objectives into roadmaps for real actions and outcomes.

Essential qualifications: Achieved or working towards ITIL qualifications and wider architectural standards.

At Thurrock Council, we value our employees and offer a comprehensive benefits package, including:

• Generous annual leave entitlement
• Local Government Pension Scheme
• Flexible and hybrid working opportunities (where applicable)
• Ongoing training and professional development
• Employee assistance programme and wellbeing support
• Staff discounts and local offers
• A supportive and inclusive working environment

Why Thurrock? Working at Thurrock Council gives you the opportunity to join an organisation that is changing at pace, one where you can make a real difference to the lives of the people we serve. Thurrock Council is moving towards a new community leadership approach which involves linking with local partners and communities as we shape our improvement for the years ahead. This is an exciting time to join us, to shape the future success of our changing organisation and to have a positive influence on our borough. Our location Thurrock is located on the north bank of the river Thames. Our urban centres are a vibrant mix of established towns and new young communities, with a diverse and growing population of around 160,000 residents. We are an emerging cultural and arts centre, home to the production centre for the Royal Opera House and the National Skills Academy for Creative and Cultural Skills. We have excellent retail and leisure opportunities, including Lakeside Shopping Centre, country parks, forests, and marshes. Thurrock is just half an hour journey away from the centre of London by train and well connected by road. Staff benefits We offer lots of staff benefits, including a generous annual leave entitlement and hybrid working. We champion flexible working and job share applications are welcome. Further information can be found here Equality, Diversity & Inclusion Thurrock Council is committed to equal opportunities. As a Disability Confident Employer, disabled people will be offered an interview where they meet all essential criteria on the person specification. We serve a diverse community where people are different yet equal. Diversity underpins everything we do. For further information about Thurrock Council please visit our website: About us Why Thurrock? Working at Thurrock Council gives you the opportunity to join an organisation that is changing at pace, one where you can make a real difference to the lives of the people we serve. Thurrock Council is moving towards a new community leadership approach which involves linking with local partners and communities as we shape our improvement for the years ahead. This is an exciting time to join us, to shape the future success of our changing organisation and to have a positive influence on our borough. Our location Thurrock is located on the north bank of the river Thames. Our urban centres are a vibrant mix of established towns and new young communities, with a diverse and growing population of around 160,000 residents. We are an emerging cultural and arts centre, home to the production centre for the Royal Opera House and the National Skills Academy for Creative and Cultural Skills. We have excellent retail and leisure opportunities, including Lakeside Shopping Centre, country parks, forests, and marshes. Thurrock is just half an hour journey away from the centre of London by train and well connected by road. Staff benefits We offer lots of staff benefits, including a generous annual leave entitlement and hybrid working. We champion flexible working and job share applications are welcome. Further information can be found here Equality, Diversity & Inclusion Thurrock Council is committed to equal opportunities. As a Disability Confident Employer, disabled people will be offered an interview where they meet all essential criteria on the person specification. We serve a diverse community where people are different yet equal. Diversity underpins everything we do. For further information about Thurrock Council please visit our website