IT Service Manager - Transform Technology in Higher Education
St Albans (On Site) | Full Time | £60,000
Shape the future of digital education.
At Higher Ed Partners (HEP), we power online learning for leading universities helping thousands of students access high-quality, career-focused education. Were looking for an exceptional IT Service Manager to lead and elevate our IT service delivery at the heart of this mission.
This is a rare opportunity to influence technology that directly supports student success, academic delivery, and organisational growth in a fast-moving higher education environment.
The Opportunity
You will lead HEPs internal IT service management strategy, ensuring outstanding technical support and seamless service delivery across the organisation. Partnering closely with senior leadership, youll drive operational excellence, continuous improvement, and a customer-first culture within IT.
What Youll Do
* Lead ITSM strategy including incident, problem, change, and service management
* Build and develop a high-performing IT service team
* Drive process improvement aligned with ITIL best practices
* Manage vendors and ensure SLA performance
* Oversee high-severity incident resolution and root cause analysis
* Champion a customer-centric approach to IT services
* Ensure governance, security, and compliance (e.g, GDPR,SOC/SIEM)
* Implement tools and automation to enhance service delivery
* Report on KPIs and service performance to leadership
What Were Looking For
* Education: Bachelors degree in Computer Science, IT, Business Administration, or related field (Masters preferred).
* Experience: Extensive demonstrable experience in IT service management, IT operations, or IT leadership, with proven expertise in service delivery and process improvement.
* Certifications: ITIL (Foundation, Intermediate, or higher) or equivalent ITSM framework knowledge.
* Technical Skills: Experience with ITSM tools (e.g., Jira Service Desk) and familiarity with IT systems such as O365, Salesforce, Windows/MacOS.
* Project Management: Strong skills with Agile or other project management methodologies.
* Technical Knowledge: Solid understanding of IT infrastructure, software development, and cybersecurity principles.
Were looking for a strategic IT leader who can combine technical expertise with strong team leadership, operational excellence, and a customer-focused mindset.
Why This Role Is Different
Unlike traditional corporate IT roles, your work will directly support students, universities, and the future of online education. Youll operate in a collaborative, mission-driven environment where technology has real human impact.
What We Offer
* Competitive salary: £60,000
* Leave: 28 days (rising with tenure)
* Wellbeing support: EAP, flu jabs, wellbeing resources
* Career growth: Training, development, mentorship
* Financial security: 6% employer pension contribution
* Perks & discounts: Retail and lifestyle savings
* Free gym membership
* Subsidised parking
* Close to transport network
* Referral rewards: Generous Refer-a-friend scheme
Who You Are
A strategic IT service leader with a passion for customer experience, operational excellence, and continuous improvement ready to make a meaningful impact in higher education.
HEP is a Disability Confident and equal opportunity employer. HEP evaluates qualified applicants without regard to race, colour, religion, gender, national origin, age, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, protected veteran status, disability status or any other legally protected characteristic.