Head of IT Infrastructure

About the role

Lead the technology services that keep care homes connected, secure and supported every day.

Joining us means becoming part of a forward-looking care organisation with a strong, long-term commitment to the success of every home. Supported by substantial, planned investment, we provide the resources and stability needed to deliver reliable, secure and resilient technology services across a growing national care home portfolio. This is a full-time role working 40 hours per week. The position is primarily office-based during office hours with hybrid flexibility and regular travel to care homes and regional offices.

As Head of IT Infrastructure, you'll lead the delivery and governance of our IT infrastructure and support services, overseeing a hybrid in-house and outsourced operating model. Working closely with internal stakeholders and strategic technology partners, you'll ensure high-quality service delivery, strengthen cyber resilience and provide the leadership needed to support colleagues across our homes and central functions.

About the role

This is a senior leadership role responsible for the strategic oversight of IT infrastructure, support services and managed service provider (MSP) governance across a large, multi-site organisation.

You'll lead the internal IT Support team while acting as the service owner for outsourced infrastructure, network, cloud, cyber security and technical support services. Working closely with key suppliers, you'll monitor service performance, manage contractual governance and ensure service levels, quality standards and operational outcomes are consistently achieved.

You'll oversee identity and access governance, disaster recovery, business continuity planning and major incident management, ensuring robust controls are in place to support business resilience and regulatory compliance. You'll also work collaboratively with Procurement, Finance and senior business leaders to drive service improvements, manage supplier relationships and contribute to the organisation's long-term technology strategy.

Alongside leading the internal service desk, you'll provide strategic oversight of technical governance, ensuring infrastructure decisions, cyber security services and major projects align with organisational priorities while supporting safe, effective care delivery across the estate.

About you

You'll be an experienced IT infrastructure or service delivery leader with a strong background in managing technology services within a complex, multi-site environment.

You'll have extensive experience governing managed service providers, holding suppliers accountable for service performance while building collaborative relationships that deliver continuous improvement. Comfortable balancing strategic oversight with operational leadership, you'll be confident leading internal teams, managing major incidents and making informed decisions in a fast-paced environment.

You'll combine strong technical knowledge with excellent stakeholder management skills, communicating effectively with colleagues at all levels and translating complex technical issues into clear, practical solutions. Organised, analytical and solutions-focused, you'll be passionate about delivering resilient, secure and high-performing technology services that support the wider organisation.

What you'll bring

Essential

• Significant senior IT infrastructure or IT service delivery leadership experience within a large, multi-site organisation.
• Proven experience managing and governing managed service providers, including SLA and KPI management, service improvement and commercial oversight.
• Experience leading internal IT support teams and delivering ITIL-aligned service management.
• Strong knowledge of Active Directory, Microsoft Entra ID, identity lifecycle management, access governance and privileged access controls.
• Experience overseeing externally managed cyber security services while retaining internal governance and accountability.
• Knowledge of disaster recovery, business continuity planning and major incident management.
• Strong understanding of Cyber Essentials, DSPT, GDPR and digital governance requirements.
• Excellent leadership, communication and stakeholder management skills.

Desirable

• Experience of SOX IT General Controls or equivalent audit and internal control frameworks.
• ITIL v4 Foundation or higher.
• Relevant infrastructure or cyber security certifications.
• Experience within healthcare, social care or another highly regulated multi-site environment.

Additional information

This role includes line management responsibility for a team of IT Support Analysts and a Network/Infrastructure Administrator.

An Enhanced DBS check and DVLA licence check are required for this position.

As with all colleagues, you'll be expected to comply with our policies relating to health and safety, infection prevention and control, safeguarding and all relevant regulatory requirements. From time to time, you may be asked to undertake other duties appropriate to the role, and the responsibilities outlined above may be reasonably reviewed and updated following consultation to reflect business needs.

About You