Head of IT Operations

As the UK’s leading Social Enterprise, we move lives forward every day by building, managing and supporting thriving Communities. From new homes, social housing and student accommodation to leisure, education and Community initiatives, our work makes a positive difference to millions of People across the UK. And that takes People who care about doing the right thing. People who are ambitious, ready to grow and motivated to make a difference through the work they do.

We’re looking for Colleagues who bring energy, curiosity and ownership. People who enjoy being challenged, support those around them and want to keep raising the bar. Because when we perform at our best, we create more opportunities to invest in our Customers, our Communities and each other.

Experience matters, but it’s only part of the story. If you share our values and want to build a career where your work has real impact, we’d love to hear from you.

More about your role

As Head of IT Operations, you will lead the Technology Support Team and oversee the organisation’s IT infrastructure, systems and day-to-day technology operations. You will make sure technical issues are resolved efficiently, incidents are managed through to closure and root causes are identified and reported. You will oversee servers, cloud platforms, hardware and corporate and public networks, while maintaining robust security, PCI-DSS compliance and data protection standards. Working closely with the IT Director, wider IT teams and external suppliers, you will help shape technology strategy, deliver projects and continuously improve support services for Colleagues and Customers.

This role is at The Gurney Office, Building Three, Watchmoor Park, Camberley, Surrey, GU15 3YL 3 days a week.

At Places for People we are committed to a safe working environment so a basic DBS check is mandatory., Please note that we may bring the closing date forward, if we receive a large number of quality applications. If you are interested in this role we would advise applying immediately to avoid disappointment.

If you are using a mobile device such as an iPad then ensure your CV is stored in the cloud, we currently support Google Drive, OneDrive and Dropbox.

We understand the importance of a supportive and inclusive work culture so please talk to us at interview about flexibility you may need. We can’t promise to give you exactly what you want, but we promise not to judge you for asking. For this role we are open to discussing the possibility of reduced hours, flexible start and finish times or compressed hours.

If you are a recruitment agency please note we operate a PSL and do not take cold calls

Safeguarding

At Places for People, safeguarding is everyone’s responsibility. We are committed to creating safe communities for our customers and colleagues by protecting children, young people, and adults at risk from harm, abuse, and neglect.

We follow robust safeguarding policies and procedures, ensuring all employees, volunteers, and contractors uphold the highest standards of safeguarding and accountability. Our recruitment process includes pre-employment checks, including Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) checks where applicable, to promote a safe and secure working environment.

By joining Places for People, you are expected to contribute to our safeguarding culture, following our policies and reporting concerns to protect those in our communities

Armed Forces - We are proud to support the Armed Forces Covenant. Places for People will guarantee an interview for any candidate who is serving or has formerly served in the Armed Forces, as a reservist, armed forces veteran (including the wounded, injured and sick), cadet instructor and military spouse/partner and who meets the essential criteria for the vacancy.

Disability Confident - We are proud to be a member of the Disability Confident scheme certified as Level 2 Disability Confident Employer. This helps us to successfully employ and retain people with disabilities and health conditions. Disabled applicants who meet the essential criteria for a vacancy will be guaranteed an interview. The Equality Act 2010 (Disability Discrimination Act 1995 for NI) defines a disabled person as someone who has a physical or mental impairment that has sa substantial and long-term negative effect on their ability to do daily activities.

• Experience in a Senior IT Operations, infrastructure or technology support leadership role, including direct management and development of a technical support team,
• Experience overseeing IT infrastructure across areas such as servers, cloud platforms, hardware, corporate networks, public networks and remote locations,
• Demonstrable experience of incident management, root cause analysis, problem resolution and delivering services against agreed service levels,
• Experience implementing or maintaining IT security and compliance controls, including firewalls, network security, data protection, GDPR or PCI-DSS requirements,
• Evidence of leading technology improvement initiatives or projects, working with senior stakeholders and managing third-party technology suppliers.

More about you

You will be an analytical and practical leader who can see the bigger picture while maintaining close attention to detail. You can explain complex technical matters clearly to different audiences, prioritise competing demands and know when to involve others. You will take ownership, welcome change and create an environment where People collaborate, develop and provide a professional service. Experience of leisure operations, leisure management systems or CRM platforms would be beneficial but is not essential.

We know rewarding work deserves rewarding benefits. That’s why, alongside a competitive salary, you’ll have access to a package designed to support you at work and beyond.

You’ll receive:

• Pension with matched contributions up to 7%
• Bonus scheme for colleagues at 2%
• 35 days holiday (including bank holidays) with the option to buy or sell days
• Healthcare cashback plan for everyday medical costs, with private GP and health support services available
• Comprehensive wellbeing support including counselling, flu jabs, our Employee Assistance Programme (EAP) and access to our Wellbeing Hub, supporting your mental, physical and financial wellbeing
• Access to Our Place Rewards, offering discounts and savings on groceries, travel, shopping, home products and other lifestyle purchases
• Ongoing training, professional qualifications, internal development programmes and career progression opportunities
• Recognition programmes including Star Awards and Colleague Awards, celebrating achievements and recognising great work
• Strong focus on inclusion, wellbeing and colleague engagement
• Free membership to Places Gyms
• Life Assurance to provide financial security for your loved ones, alongside access to will writing services to help you plan for the future with confidence