Purpose of role: The Head of IT is responsible to the Bursar for the day-to-day IT service delivery. They provide visionary leadership, aligning IT solutions with academic and business needs, and ensuring excellence in customer service, governance, and compliance. The role includes ownership of IT policies, regular reporting, and representing IT at the Steering Committee, with a focus on strategic planning and innovation.
The Head of IT is responsible for the IT Team and their responsibilities:
· Digital Support Technician
Key Duties
· Lead IT service delivery, ensuring excellence in uptime, customer service, security and compliance.
· Line-manage the IT team, providing mentorship, support, and escalation expertise.
· Translate academic and operational requests into technical solutions and IT strategies.
· Own IT policies, documentation, standard operating procedures, and ensure regular governance and risk analysis.
· Prepare and present monthly management reports to senior leadership.
· Represent IT at the IT Strategy Group and disseminate the IT strategy to the team.
Key Technologies
It is desirable that this member of staff has a working knowledge of the following technologies:
· Fortinet (FortiGate, FortiSwitch, FortiWiFi)
· Sophos (Endpoint Protection, XDR & MDR)
· Microsoft Suite across O365 and Office Applications
· Microsoft Intune
· Windows 11
· Apple Hardware and Services across iPad, Apple TV and Apple Classroom
· Hardware (Endpoint, Servers & Storage)
· Jamf
· Extreme Networks WiFi, HPE Aruba (Wireless & Switching)
· Salamander
· Veeam Backup or similar solutions.
· Email Protection (Barracuda, Microsoft Defender, etc)
· Web-filtering solutions such as FastVue, Smoothwall or Securly
· Helpdesk Platform using ITIL framework
· Microsoft PowerBI
· Microsoft PowerAutomate
· Microsoft Dynamics
· iSAMS MIS
· Microsoft SQL
· Windows Server
General Responsibilities & Accountabilities
· Network & Infrastructure Management: Oversee, configure, and manage the core IT network, including servers, cloud solutions, and internet connectivity to ensure maximum uptime, resilience, and speed.
· Cybersecurity: Develop and enforce a robust cybersecurity framework. Ensure the schools' systems are maintain and managed to NCSC best practices. Monitor for and mitigate threats, ensuring compliance with data protection standards and best practices.
· System Architecture: Working with the schools trusted partners, design and implement IT architecture and roadmaps that align with both current and future needs of the School.
· Backup & Disaster Recovery: Develop and maintain a robust backup best practice and disaster recovery plans, ensuring that all critical systems and data are backed up and recovery processes are tested and validated regularly.
· Server & Cloud Management: Manage on-premises and cloud environments, ensuring optimal performance, security, and scalability.
· Hardware & Software Oversight: Direct the team in hardware and software deployment, updates, and lifecycle management, including PCs, network equipment, and telephony systems. Oversight of annual upgrades and a rolling replacement program.
· MIS & Data Management: Support and optimise the School's MIS and associated systems, ensuring data integrity, security, and accessibility across departments, including finance and payroll systems.
· Asset & Licensing Management: Maintain a central database of hardware and software assets, track license renewals, and ensure compliance with software licensing requirements.
Technical Strategy
· IT Strategy Development: Collaborate with senior leadership to build and implement a strategic IT plan that leverages the latest technology to meet the School's operational and educational needs.
· Emerging Technologies: Keep abreast of developments in IT to identify and recommend suitable new technologies, systems, or processes that enhance the School's technical capabilities.
· Change Management: Design and implement structured change management processes for IT systems, ensuring that updates, upgrades, and migrations are meticulously planned and documented.
· IT Strategy Group: Represent the IT Dept at IT Strategy Group meetings.
Team Management & Support
· Technical Oversight of IT Team: Lead the department to ensure effective and efficient support across all School IT systems and infrastructure. Maintain high service standards by establishing and monitoring Service Level Agreements (SLAs) to ensure prompt issue resolution and optimal responsiveness in meeting user needs.
· Customer Service & Service Excellence: Develop and implement a helpdesk service excellence framework that prioritises customer service stratification and responsiveness ensuring that the IT team provides timely support in line with SLAs. Regularly evaluate service metrics and gather feedback to continuously improve the IT department's performance and responsiveness to both routine and critical incidents.
· Performance Management: Conduct regular performance appraisals for IT team members, set technical and service-oriented goals, and assess skills to ensure alignment with the School's IT strategy and service delivery standards. Identify areas for improvement and provide resources to support professional growth and alignment with service goals.
· Staff training: In collaboration with the SLT and the IT team, identify and assess staff training needs. Develop, coordinate, and implement an IT training plan for staff.
Compliance & Safeguarding
· Policies and documentation: Ensure departmental documentation is accurate, current, and well-maintained across all systems. Develop, update, and distribute relevant policies to uphold excellent IT governance standards including legal/regulatory requirements such as acceptable use, data protection and security and copyright.
· Data Protection Compliance: Implement and monitor compliance with data protection legislation, coordinating with the Bursar and other stakeholders to ensure data is securely managed and appropriately accessed. Supporting with other GDPR related enquires (including Subject Access Requests and Data Protection Impact Assessments).
· Safeguarding: Collaborate with the Designated Safeguarding Lead (DSL) to monitor and report on internet and network usage, ensuring alignment with KCSIE guidance and the schools' safeguarding policies.
Data Protection Officer (DPO
The DPO is responsible for advising school leaders and staff about their data obligations. monitoring compliance. conducting regular data audits
· Advise the school and its employees about their obligations under current data protection law, including the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR)
· Develop an in-depth understanding of the school's processing operations, information systems, data security processes and needs, and administrative rules and procedures
o Monitor the school's compliance with data protection law, by:
o Collecting information to identify data processing activities
o Analysing and checking the compliance of data processing activities
o Informing, advising and issuing recommendations to the school, ensuring you remain an expert in data protection issues and changes to the law, attending relevant training as appropriate
· Ensure the school's policies are followed, through:
o Assigning responsibilities to individuals
o Awareness-raising activities
o Co-ordinating staff training
o Conducting internal data protection audits
· Advise on and assist the school with carrying out data protection impact assessments, if necessary
· Act as a contact point for the Information Commissioner's Office (ICO), assisting and consulting it where necessary, including:
o Helping the ICO to access documents and information
o Seeking advice on data protection issues
· Act as a contact point for individuals whose data is processed (for example, staff, pupils and parents), including:
o Responding to subject access requests
o Responding to other requests regarding individuals' rights over their data and how it is used
· Take a risk-based approach to data protection, including:
o Prioritising the higher-risk areas of data protection and focusing mostly on these
o Advising the school if/when it should conduct an audit, which areas staff need training in, and what the DPO role should involve
· Report to the governing body on the school's data protection compliance and associated risks
· Respect and uphold confidentiality, as appropriate and in line with data protection law, in carrying out all duties of the role
· Undertake any additional tasks necessary to keep the school compliant with data protection law and be successful in the role
Additional DPO responsibilities
· Maintain a record of the school's data processing activities
· Work with external stakeholders, such as suppliers or members of the community, on data protection issues
· Take responsibility for fostering a culture of data protection throughout the school
· Work closely with other departments and services to ensure GDPR compliance, such as HR, legal, IT and security
This job description contains an outline of the typical functions of the job and is not an exhaustive or comprehensive list of all responsibilities tasks and duties. The jobholder's actual responsibilities, tasks and duties might differ from those outlined in the job description and other duties commensurate with this level of responsibility may be either permanently or temporarily assigned as part of the job.
This job description is subject to review in line with the developing needs of the school.Moon Hall School is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children. All applicants will be required to undergo an enhanced DBS check.Moon Hall School recognises and is committed to ensuring applicants and employees from all sections of the community are treated equally regardless of race, gender, disability, age, sexual orientation, religion or belief, gender reassignment, marital and civil partnership status, or pregnancy and maternity. We welcome applications from all sections of the community.Applications will be reviewed upon receipt therefore early applications are encouraged. Candidates will be contacted by telephone or email for an interview if required. The School reserves the right to interview and appoint prior to the closing date.This role is also exempt from the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 and the School is therefore permitted to ask shortlisted applicants to declare all convictions and cautions (including those which are "spent" unless they are "protected" under the DBS filtering rules) in order to assess their suitability to work with children.
Job Types: Full-time, Permanent
Benefits:
* Discounted or free food
* Free parking
* On-site parking
* Sick pay
Work Location: In person