Overview
Report To: Assistant Director of ICT
The Head of Service is responsible for developing and leading all aspects of the ICT Network & Infrastructure service, including providing vital services to Education Authority (EA) and to over 1000 schools where required. The service designs, develops and maintains the infrastructure required to deliver a reliable, quality IT service to EA's existing users and business areas, and supports and implements cost-efficient, high-quality technical solutions to support changes in business practice, technology advances and the Authority’s strategic direction. The Head of Service manages and leads all employees within the service across EA offices.
Job Purpose
The role leads, manages and develops the portfolio of services outlined below. The Head of Service is accountable for delivering these services efficiently and effectively, providing leadership to staff, and implementing transformational changes, structures, strategies, policies and processes to meet high standards of the Authority and future challenges.
Leadership and management responsibilities
The Head of Service has the following leadership responsibilities for this portfolio of services:
* Setting Vision and Strategy
* Work with the Assistant Director to establish, maintain and communicate a clear, compelling strategic direction for the service.
* Contribute to the development of a strategic plan for the Assistant Directorate and lead on the service-specific business plan.
* Translate the Corporate vision into service-specific direction.
* Lead regionalisation and transformation of the service and related processes and procedures.
* Contribute to the development and implementation of new policies in line with strategic direction.
* Contribute to the management of the Assistant Directorate, attending Executive Team and Board meetings as required.
* Challenge conventional approaches, harness new approaches and technology, and maximise efficiencies.
Managing the Organisation to Deliver
* Manage service delivery to achieve high standards of performance and focus on the needs of internal and external customers.
* Agree service performance targets with the Assistant Director and provide regular progress reports.
* Develop, agree and implement a robust annual operational plan for the service.
* Delegate responsibilities and deploy staff according to their skills and abilities to meet service needs.
* Regularly monitor and adjust plans as required.
* Manage and continuously improve the service to deliver against targets and ensure best value for money.
* Ensure the service contributes to Directorate and Corporate performance and provide updates as required.
* Provide high-quality, service-specific advice to the Assistant Director.
* Allocate resources effectively to maximise front-line service delivery.
* Consider financial implications of delivery models and contribute to the Savings Delivery Plan.
* Ensure compliance with legal, regulatory and statutory performance requirements.
* Manage the service budget in line with financial policies and procedures; monitor the financial position and report regularly to the Assistant Director.
* Follow agreed measures to deliver within budget and take corrective action as required.
* Contribute to quality and performance management systems and ensure the service is managed accordingly.
* Ensure employees have clear structure, roles and responsibilities and are supported to work in an integrated way.
* Address workforce issues including recruitment, engagement, retention and training/development.
* Investigate complaints and adverse incidents where outcomes fall below expected standards.
* Establish robust quality assurance systems to maintain high standards.
Leadership
* Provide leadership and direction to ensure performance standards are achieved.
* Promote the ethos and values of the Authority and focus on customer needs.
* Foster a culture aligned with the Authority’s Strategic Plan and leadership behaviours.
* Lead, manage and communicate change and improvement initiatives.
* Lead, manage and develop staff within the service.
* Encourage staff involvement in strategic development and operational delivery; promote teamwork and staff development; maximise potential and encourage innovation.
Building Relationships and Working with Others
* Build and maintain effective stakeholder relationships and internal communication within the service.
* Collaborate with partner organisations, the Assistant Director/Director and colleagues to benchmark services and manage change.
* Maintain relationships with Heads of Service across Directorates and develop external stakeholder partnerships.
* Lead engagement with staff, schools and the public on major changes; work with external agencies to identify joint-working opportunities.
Service-specific Responsibilities
* Core Infrastructure & Network Operations: design, configure and maintain LAN/WAN/Wi-Fi networks and supporting infrastructure; manage Active Directory, remote access, file shares; oversee monitoring, performance reporting, SLAs and procedures; support migration of legacy systems with continuity and data integrity.
* Technical Leadership: lead digital transformation initiatives, cloud migration, edge computing and hybrid infrastructure; anticipate technology impacts; promote modular, scalable architecture.
* Cloud & Hybrid Infrastructure: design and manage hybrid cloud environments; implement cloud-native tools; ensure cloud governance and compliance across multi-cloud platforms.
* Security Resilience & Compliance: embed security by design; work with ICT Assurance on zero-trust, threat detection; manage vulnerabilities, patching and risk; implement security controls, filtering and network accreditation; ensure disaster recovery readiness; maintain secure policies; monitor network performance with real-time analytics.
* Connectivity & Edge Readiness: prepare infrastructure for IoT and edge computing with low latency and high bandwidth.
People and Development
* Stay current with industry standards and certifications; foster experimentation and learning; engage with external communities and vendors to evaluate new tools and practices.
Collaborative working
In addition, the Head of Service ICT Network & Infrastructure will collaborate with other ICT Heads of Service to meet Directorate objectives. Travel to EA sites may be required to attend meetings, participate in projects and fulfil duties. The job description is subject to review and may be adjusted to meet changing circumstances.
Notes
* The Education Authority is an Equal Opportunities Employer.
* Disclosure of Criminal Background may be required for regulated activity; Enhanced Disclosure may be needed at pre-employment, with costs to be met by the applicant.
* Applicant guidance notes and benefits information available; view terms and conditions summary for this post.
Applicant Guidance
Required Experience: Director; Key Skills: Marketing & Promotions, Attorney At Law, JNI, Airlines, Art. Employment Type: Full Time; Vacancy: 1
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