Head of IT Operations - North West Based

With our extended flexible working options, you can choose to work your 35 hours per week on a 9-day fortnight or a 4.5-day week basis, supporting our employees with their work life balance.

· Solid technology knowledge of cloud platforms (M365, Azure, identity-led architecture)

· Strong cyber security knowledge, including accredited industry frameworks (ISO27001, SOC2, Cyber Essentials, or equivalent)

· Practical understanding of operational cyber controls (identity, endpoint, patching, vulnerability management, monitoring)

· Understanding of ITIL or equivalent service management frameworks

· Proven ability to establish and maintain control of live services, ensuring stability, resilience, and performance

· Strong financial and commercial acumen, including budget control, forecasting, and value for money

· Strong understanding of supplier management, including SLA management, performance enforcement, and commercial challenge

· Ability to provide clear, assurance-led reporting on service performance, financial position, and operational risk

· Ability to lead and coordinate major incident response in a structured and controlled manner

· Strong stakeholder management skills, including influencing at senior and executive level

· Ability to translate organisational priorities into operational demand control and prioritisation decisions

Values & Attitudes

· Demonstrates accountability, ownership, and professional integrity

· Operates with a strong focus on service quality, risk management, and continuous improvement

· Builds trust and confidence through clear, transparent communication and delivery

· Committed to supporting high-quality care through reliable and effective IT services

· Aligns with AFG’s values and demonstrates commitment to delivering positive outcomes for people supported

Qualifications and training

· Degree-level education, or demonstrable equivalent professional experience, with evidence of operating at a senior IT operations leadership level

· Strong technical grounding across infrastructure, end-user computing, cyber security, and IT operations

· ITIL Certification (or equivalent experience)

Other

· Willingness to travel across operational sites as required

· Participation in on-call / major incident escalation rota where required

Pulled from the full job description Flexitime Free or subsidised travel Company pension Health & wellbeing programme

We’re Alternative Futures Group, a health and social care charity providing specialist support for people with a learning disability or mental health condition. We’re proud to have been positively changing lives and enabling people to achieve amazing outcomes for over 30 years.

We have a vision to create a world where amazing people do amazing things every day. Our skilled and experienced teams work with every person we support to create a personalised, outcome-focused plans to achieve their aspirations.

As a ‘values based’ employer, the people that work for us genuinely care about the people they support, and we are seeking likeminded people to join our team. If you are passionate about working in Health and Social Care and have a real desire to make a positive difference to the lives of the people we support then we would love to hear from you.

At AFG we also recognise the contribution and value that our staff make. We would not be able to provide the life changing support that we do without people like you!In return for your contribution we will support you throughout your career and we provide a wide range of employee benefits, career development and lifestyle support services to ensure that you too feel supported, fulfilled and valued from day one of your employment with us.