ICT is part of the Council’s Customer and Digital Services Directorate. Its primary functions are:
• to provide high quality IT systems, support and maintenance across the organisation
•to provide strategic advice and guidance to the service areas and their directorates
•to contribute to the delivery of the Council’s Digital First approach
The ICT Service consists of several functions including:
•the Service Desk
•Enterprise Systems and Data teams responsible for the development, support and maintenance of both in-house developed and 3rd party applications
•ICT Services teams delivering network, server and end user computing services
•Security and Compliance
•Enterprise Architecture
The technologies supported are predominantly based around Microsoft Windows desktop, laptop and server platforms with applications delivered through a range of physical, virtual and cloud infrastructures. Within the school environment there is a strong adoption of Chromebooks and iPads along with both Google and Microsoft cloud-based service offerings.
You would be joining an enthusiastic and ambitious team with opportunities to work with a range of cutting edge technologies.
You will have access to a diverse range of learning opportunities to enable you to develop your career path as well as access to regular performance and development reviews.
About the job
Main Duties and Responsibilities
* Lead, manage and develop teams responsible for the Council’s core network infrastructure, including internal and external networks, Wi-Fi and all aspects of network security and operations.
* Define, guide and govern the high-level design of the council’s network infrastructure so it aligns with business strategy, performance goals, security requirements and future needs.
* Address the inherent challenges of managing and supporting a diverse landscape of network requirements and associated hardware, configuration, tools and services.
Leadership & Management
* Manage and develop the Network Communications team and provide coaching and mentoring ensuring effective workforce planning, skills development and high performance.
* Coordinate workloads and priorities setting clear objectives and conduct regular performance reviews.
Network Infrastructure Management
* Oversee the day-to-day operation, monitoring and optimisation of the council’s LAN, WAN and Wi-Fi, systems including on premises and cloud based networks.
* Ensure the network infrastructure supports current and future business applications, cloud services, security requirements and digital transformation initiatives.
* Manage network capacity planning, performance monitoring and fault resolution.
* Ensure high availability and resilience of critical network services.
* Manage the physical and virtual networking requirements of the authority.
* Assess emerging technologies (e.g. software-defined networking, AI-driven network management, IoT communications) and determine how/if they fit the within the council’s enterprise roadmap.
* Plan for capacity, performance and resilience for three to five years ahead.
Security & Compliance
* Implement and maintain network security measures, including firewalls, VPNs, intrusion detection/prevention systems and access controls.
* Ensure compliance with Public Services Network (PSN) and wider Local Government Cyber Security standards.
* Conduct regular network security audits, penetration testing coordination and vulnerability management.
Business Continuity & Disaster Recovery
* Maintain and test network resilience.
* Support the council’s emergency response arrangements for ICT services.
Project Delivery & Continuous Improvement
* Lead network-related projects, including upgrades, migrations and integration with cloud services (Microsoft 365, Azure, etc.).
* Support smart city initiatives, IoT deployments and other digital innovation projects.
* Drive automation, standardisation and adoption of best-practice processes.
* Manage relationships with external vendors, ISPs and framework suppliers in line with procurement regulations.
* Oversee maintenance contracts and ensure SLAs are met.
Budget & Procurement
* Manage budgets for network communications infrastructure ensuring value for money.
* Lead procurement activities in line with procurement rules.
What We Are Looking For From You
* Experience of designing networks to meet business requirements, ensuring scalability, reliability, security and alignment with strategic objectives.
* Experience of providing maintenance and support services for communications networks.
* Experience of installing and testing, or decommissioning and removing, systems or system components.
* Experience of coordinating responses to a diverse range of incidents to minimise negative impacts and quickly restore services.
* Evidence of relevant continued professional development
* Commitment to the Council’s Equal Opportunities Policy
* Ability to work outside normal office hours to support upgrades, incident response or emergency situations.
Additional information
You should apply for this post using our online application form by clicking the “Apply now” button on this page.
The Supporting Information section of your application is the most important part. Please pay particular attention to it. It is where you tell us what makes you suitable for the job and will be assessed against the essential and desirable competencies in our Recruitment Pack for this vacancy.
You should refer to and address each competency listed in the Recruitment Pack in turn, providing evidence of the skills, experience and knowledge you have in each area by providing practical examples. Failure to complete this section in this way will considerably reduce the likelihood of you being shortlisted.
All the information you need to apply for this post is contained within this Recruitment Pack and the Application Guidance.
This vacancy is suitable for post share.
We welcome applications in both English and Welsh. Applications received in Welsh will not be treated less favourably than English applications.
We understand you might use AI and other resources for your application; however, please ensure all information you provide is factually accurate, truthful, original and does not include ideas or work that is not your own.
If you have been shortlisted, you will be invited to undertake an interview for this role which will be held on a virtual basis using an appropriate online platform. If you have any concerns around your ability to participate in a virtual interview process please contact Huw David (h.david@cardiff.gov.uk) for a discussion.
Please note the Council does not accept CV’s. When completing the supporting information section of your application, please ensure you refer to the below located on our website :
Job Category ICT
Department Resources
Working Pattern/Contract Type Full Time Permanent
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