Director of IT


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St Helen's School

Listed on

2nd July 2021

Location

Northwood

Salary/Rate

£65000 - £70000

Type

Permanent

Start Date

asap

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St Helen's School is seeking to appoint a proven leader to the new role of Director of IT to develop and deliver the School's ICT strategy.  This is an exciting time to be joining the school as it forges ahead with its digital learning programme and network infrastructure upgrades.  The position is aimed at someone with a strong strategic mindset who can project ideas and opportunities and deliver these at the operational level through a dedicated and experienced team.    Applicants will need to demonstrate how they will move the school to a position where its reputation for digital learning and technical infrastructure is the envy of its competitors, together also with a proven technical and operational background, combined with experience in the education sector. The Director of IT will drive the development, implementation and evaluation of a school-wide information, communication and technology strategy, in line with and supporting the school's broader strategic aims.  The role will strengthen the school's position in a competitive market by supporting the Director of Digital Learning in the introduction of new learning technologies so that the school is recognised as a leader in the digital learning field The role will work with an established IT team to identify opportunities for innovation and improvement through proactive engagement and collaboration with all stakeholders, identifying new initiatives and progressing them through to implementation, readjusting strategic and operational plans and priorities as appropriate to reflect emerging opportunities or issues. The postholder will provide leadership across all operational activities together with direct line management of the Head of IT Systems and technical support team and the management of all infrastructure, hardware and software solutions, ensuring that the school's IT systems operate efficiently and effectively to serve the needs of the school as a whole.  The postholder will provide leadership across all operational activities together with direct line management of the Head of IT Systems and technical support team and the management of all infrastructure, hardware and software solutions, ensuring that the school's IT systems operate efficiently and effectively to serve the needs of the school as a whole.  REPORTING
The postholder reports to the Business Director and manages the following staff: Head of IT Systems, who manages: Systems Administrator IT/AV Technicians x2 Integrated Systems Administrator Teams Implementation and Support Assistant   KEY RESPONSIBILITIES Strategy and Planning Provide guidance and direction to the IT Strategy Group (chaired by the Director of Digital Learning) in the development and implementation of an IT strategy that supports the school's strategic plan. Pro-actively engage with senior leadership, teaching and support staff to identify IT development opportunities within their areas of responsibility and devise and implement plans and key performance indicators to ensure the school's IT capabilities remain at the cutting-edge within the sector. Develop long-term investment plans for acquiring and enabling efficient and cost-effective information systems and communication technologies. Maintain up to date knowledge of industry developments and best practice in the application of ICT in an educational environment and produce regular updates to the Business Director and IT Strategy Group. Lead departmental operations and strategic IT projects including the preparation of business cases, resource negotiation, planning, delivery, training and implementation. Prepare comprehensive and effective IT disaster recovery and business continuity plans and test their effectiveness on an annual basis. Develop and implement an in-service training programme to support both current and future systems and applications. Support teaching, learning and administration with an efficient, current digital strategy: With the Head of IT Systems, continually review and oversee the operation, management, implementation and review of the School's main learning platforms. Leadership and Management Lead, direct, support and engage the Head of IT Systems in strategic planning, the identification of opportunities for innovation, new initiatives and improvements. Provide line management support to the Head of IT Systems in the setting and review of annual objectives and development of the IT team. Oversee the continuing professional development of departmental staff. IT Operations Ensure the day-to-day delivery of IT services across the school in accordance with key performance indicators. Ensure that full and up-to-date documentation is maintained for the school's hardware, software and infrastructure systems and reviewed annually. Oversee the design of network upgrades, extensions and improvements, incorporating existing and future technologies as they become available. Assess and report to the executive/senior leadership teams, as necessary on network performance, efficiency of staff processes and systems and monitoring of project progress. Ensure all systems are protected against cyber-attacks and/or hacking and in accordance with the requirements of the school's insurers. Budget Management Accountable for the Department budget. In conjunction with the Head of IT Systems, develop and implement day-to-day budgetary management and monitoring procedures for in-year expenditure, reporting to the Business Director as necessary. Maintain appropriate records of all IT supply and maintenance contracts including software licences, warranties, contract duration/value/terms and support arrangements. Compliance and Policies Act as the school's Data Controller taking responsibility for the Data Protection Policy and all advice and issues in respect of GDPR to ensure legal compliance and the maintenance of the school's data protection registration. Ensure key staff are trained and advised regarding GDPR compliance. Regularly review and update the school's Acceptable Use and related IT Policies with the Executive Team and familiarise all users with their content. Ensure the monitoring of all user accounts, network traffic and internet activities as appropriate and in accordance with school policy to ensure compliance with IT and Safeguarding principles and that appropriate security protocols are maintained across all levels of the school network. Ensure all IT equipment is installed, maintained and operated in compliance with Health and Safety legislation and the school's H&S Policy. To create and maintain an IT Business Continuity and Disaster Recovery Plan and ensure it is up-to-date and robust. Review audit data flows across the School and, with the Business Director and Head of IT Systems, devise strategies and policies for data storage and retention. Review and advise the Business Director on the IT section of the Risk Register, identifying current and/or potential risks. General Promote and safeguard the welfare of children and young people, by adhering to and ensuring compliance with the school's child protection policy. Implement responsibilities as set out in the school's Health & Safety Policy. Assume other duties which may be reasonably required or delegated by the Headmistress and the Business Director from time to time. THE PERSON It is essential that the right candidate has the following knowledge, qualifications, experience, skills and personal attributes: University degree or HND in Management, Engineering, Maths or similar field. Good working knowledge of contemporary technical issues including networking, wireless technology, major Microsoft and Adobe software applications, security issues, VPN/thin client technology, systems architecture planning. Knowledge of Data Protection legislation and requirements Experience of : Strategic planning Infrastructure review, development and expansion Professional IT management Extensive experience of leading and managing teams at a senior level Complex project management involving multiple stakeholders Budgetary authority, controls and IT procurement Development of IT strategy, policies and procedures Network protocols and monitoring Management of desktop and server systems including intranet and remote access services Experience of Mobile Device Management (MDM) Management of a range of Microsoft Products IT security issues, products and their development Deployment of cloud-based applications and services Exceptional people management skills Excellent communication skills, written and verbal Ability to explain technical issues clearly in plain English A team player with strong interpersonal skills who can build and maintain strong working relationships with staff and suppliers Ability to prioritise. delegate and work to tight deadlines when under pressure Numerate and confident in handling financial data Innovative but practical approach to problem solving Highly proactive and positive Professionally credible, with a calm, persuasive and effective approach Sympathetic to the school's aims and ethos as well as girls' independent education in general Ability to adapt to the culture and environment of an independent school Approachable and able deal with user "complaints" with tact, diplomacy and empathy. Flexible and able to respond to system issues outside of core hours Able to support occasional weekend and evening events Resilient in the face of challenges It is desirable that the right candidate has the following knowledge, qualifications, experience, skills and personal attributes: Post-graduate qualification in IT or management discipline PRINCE 2 and/or ITIL project management methodology qualification Enterprise-level implementation of O365 Training / Instructional skills Prepared to be involved in the wider life of the School

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