Head of IT Operations | Independent School in Tower Hamlets

Reporting directly to the Director of Business & Operations, you will hold end-to-end operational responsibility for the school’s IT ecosystem, server infrastructure, cybersecurity posture, and AV/classroom technology. Leading a team of dedicated IT Technicians, you will balance strategic planning-such as cloud migration, hardware lifecycle management, and vendor procurement-with responsive, high-tier technical escalation. Your leadership will ensure zero-downtime reliability across administrative offices, specialist computing labs, and interactive teaching spaces.

• Environment: A modern, technology-rich Inner London campus featuring hybrid cloud architecture (Microsoft 365 / Google Workspace), enterprise Wi-Fi networks, interactive classroom displays, and specialized STEM/media suites
• Culture: An innovative, collaborative, and high-integrity school community committed to digital transformation, online safety, operational excellence, and continuous improvement, * Formulate and execute the school’s IT operational roadmap, overseeing infrastructure upgrades, annual hardware replacement cycles, and capital IT budget allocation to ensure value for money.
• Manage and mentor the technical support team, overseeing helpdesk SLAs, daily ticket triage, preventative maintenance schedules, and professional development for junior technicians.
• Maintain robust network security, data integrity, and business continuity, enforcing strict cybersecurity controls, firewall configurations, backup protocols, and GDPR compliance.
• Oversee school-wide safeguarding and online safety filtering/monitoring systems in strict alignment with Keeping Children Safe in Education (KCSIE) and DfE digital standards.
• Act as the primary technical lead for school Management Information Systems (e.g., SIMS, Arbor, Bromcom), single sign-on integrations, and third-party vendor/MSP contract management.

• Proven experience managing IT operations, network infrastructure, and technical support teams (prior leadership experience within a secondary school, academy trust, or public-sector setting is strongly preferred).
• Comprehensive technical command of Windows Server environments, Active Directory/Entra ID, Microsoft 365 / Google Workspace administration, networking (VLANs, DNS, DHCP, enterprise Wi-Fi), and virtualization.
• Strong working knowledge of cybersecurity best practices, backup/disaster recovery frameworks, GDPR data security, and statutory educational web-filtering requirements (KCSIE).
• Relevant IT degree or industry certifications (e.g., Microsoft Certified, CompTIA Network+/Security+, Cisco CCNA, ITIL) OR equivalent senior technical leadership experience.
• Exceptional leadership, vendor negotiation, and communication skills, with the ability to translate complex technical risks into clear operational solutions for non-technical senior leaders.

• Pay Scale: Inner London Support Staff Leadership / Senior Officer Scale (commensurate with technical expertise and management experience).
• Local Government Pension Scheme (LGPS), generous annual leave allowance (26+ days plus bank holidays), funded technical certifications and leadership CPD, and staff wellness benefits.