Head of IT (Care Homes)
Harbour Healthcare
(Hybrid role, with national travel involved, driving License required)
-k pa, depending on experience, plus £5, car allowance and paid mileage.
Harbour Healthcare is recruiting for a Head of IT to lead and develop our IT Services across our Care Homes. This is a national role and regular travel is required.
Role Purpose
The Head of IT & Technology is responsible for providing, securing, and governing Harbour Healthcare’s technology environment, ensuring it is reliable, resilient, compliant, and capable of supporting the organisation’s growth.
The role combines hands‑on leadership of IT operations with senior accountability for security, infrastructure, resilience, and technology risk, acting as the bridge between day‑to‑day delivery and long‑term assurance.
Key Responsibilities
Initial Review & Improvement Phase
Conduct a comprehensive review of the organisation’s existing IT infrastructure, security controls, and operational practices.
Assess current arrangements covering: Networks, connectivity, and remote access; Identity and access management; Devices and mobile technology; Backup, disaster recovery, and business continuity; Third‑party suppliers and outsourced IT services.
Identify key risks, gaps, and dependencies, with clear prioritisation based on business and regulatory risk.
Produce a costed, phased improvement plan, aligned to organisational growth and operational priorities.
Provide regular, clear updates to the Executive Team on findings, risks, and progress.
Secure IT Operations & Service Delivery
Lead day‑to‑day IT operations across care homes and central teams.
Ensure availability, performance, and security of the core IT environment.
Act as the escalation point for major incidents and service disruptions.
Ensure consistent standards for end‑user computing, connectivity, and support.
Cyber Security & Technology Risk
Own the organisation’s cyber security arrangements, ensuring appropriate controls are in place for: Secure remote access; Multi‑factor authentication; Device and mobile management; Data lss prevention and monitoring.
Identify, manage, and report on technology risks, translating technical issues into clear business impact.
Work closely with the Data Protection Officer to ensure IT controls support data protection and regulatory requirements.
Infrastructure, Resilience & Business Continuity
Define and maintain standards for infrastructure, networks, hosting, and connectivity.
Ensure disaster recovery, backup, and business continuity arrangements are appropriate, documented, and tested.
Own decisions relating to critical supplier dependencies, escrow arrangements, and resilience planning.
Ensure the IT environment can scale securely as the organisation grows.
Governance, Standards & Controls
Establish and enforce governance for: User access and permissions; Jiners, movers, and leavers; Privileged access; Use of third‑party and non‑approved tools.
Ensure IT policies and controls are embedded and consistently applied across the organisation.
Maintain a clear IT roadmap that covers security, resilience, and operational improvements.
Financial & Vendor Management
Own IT budgets and expenditure, ensuring transparency and value for money.
Lead vendor relationships, contract negotiations, and performance management.
Identify opportunities for cost efficiency, licence rationalisation, and improved asset utilisation.
Benchmark IT spend and service maturity against comparable organisations where appropriate.
Leadership & Stakeholder Engagement
Lead and develop the IT team and external partners.
Set clear expectations, priorities, and standards.
Act as the primary technology advisor to the Executive Team.
Communicate complex technical issues clearly and non‑technically.
Skills & Experience
Significant experience leading IT operations in a multi‑site or regulated environment.
Strong background in infrastructure, cybersecurity, and operational risk management.
Experience owning both hands‑on delivery and strategic accountability.
Comfortable operating with executive visibility and accountability.
Please note that all our positions require an Enhanced DBS check in relation to Children and Adults.
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