Head of IT

Head of IT

Application Deadline: 21 October 2024

Department: IT

Employment Type: Full Time

Location: London

Reporting To: Director of Operations and Infrastructure

Compensation: From £65,000

Description

We are looking for people to join our fantastic team at Somerset House Trust. As the home of cultural innovators, the Trust connects creativity and the arts with the broader society.

Somerset House is seeking a Head of IT to lead the IT strategy and operational management of the IT function within the organisation. The post holder will have a deep understanding of the rapidly evolving digital landscape and the opportunities this can provide to the Trust. The role will be responsible for shaping and executing the IT strategy to support the overall business objectives and strategic plans, while at the same time taking an active lead on the operational aspects of IT. Reporting to the Director of Operations and Infrastructure, the Head of IT will work closely with all Trust departments and Senior Management Team peers to ensure the organisation’s current and future technology needs are met.

The Trust is currently running an organisation-wide digital transformation project, with the aim of becoming a more connected, efficient, and data-driven organisation. The Head of IT will be pivotal in ensuring delivery of technology-driven aspects of the programme and the projects within it, while horizon scanning for new technologies and ways of working that can continue to improve the Trust’s operations.

The role requires commercial insight, as apart from managing and maintaining the Trust’s own IT requirements and budgets, the IT department provides costed services to creative residents, commercial event hires, and restaurants.

All of the Trust’s IT services are supported via a busy service desk. The Head of IT is responsible for ensuring that daily operations run smoothly, and any issues identified are resolved swiftly and effectively. Leading a small team, it is expected that the Head of IT will also need to be involved in day-to-day operations, demonstrating a hands-on approach where required to guide the team and maintain high standards.

Please note that while the role has capacity for hybrid working, it is anticipated that the first few months in post would be primarily onsite, to facilitate a smooth onboarding process and to allow the post holder to learn our complex site layout.

What we are looking for:

Key responsibilities

• Digital transformation – Input into and deliver technology-driven aspects of the Trust’s digital transformation programme. Horizon scan for new technologies, processes, and ways of working that can continue to improve the Trust’s operation, collaboration, and efficiency. Champion process improvement and challenge ways of working across the Trust.
• IT strategy and implementation – Develop and maintain a high-level programme and budget to deliver new IT requirements, ensuring changes (e.g. new projects) are in line with strategy and approved by key stakeholders. Ensure alignment to broader organisational strategy. Be future looking, considering and articulating the impact and applications of new technologies and concepts, for example AI, robotic automations, and data-led decision making, and the applicability and relevance of these to the Trust.
• Programme and project management – Project manage any IT and technology-enabled process projects, ensuring objectives and scope are clearly defined and successfully delivered, reporting regularly on progress. Work with other departments to identify current and potential requirements for IT systems, infrastructure, services, and training, and plan how to fulfil them.
• Security – Own the cyber-security posture of the Trust across all aspects of technology. Ensure the 24/7 effectiveness, security, and legal compliance of all IT systems, hardware, software, and data. Assure data protection and systems security through appropriate monitoring and remediation in accordance with clear IT security policies.
• Data governance and compliance – Lead on a range of related governance and compliance aspects, for example PCI-DSS, UK GDPR, and Cyber Essentials. Co-lead Somerset House Trust’s Data Protection & Privacy Committee. Have overall responsibility for your team’s compliance with all Somerset House Trust data protection and privacy policies and all applicable legal and regulatory requirements.
• Internal service provision – Ensure seamless connectivity and digital services for all Trust staff and partners. Ensure core applications and data are available to users and support their use of these systems. Lead on the provision of additional technology services as required by the Trust. Ensure the monitoring of the day-to-day technical performance of all systems and address issues that arise, within expected timescales as agreed with key stakeholders. Ensure systems are fit for purpose and reviewed and optimised as required. Ensure all systems are kept up to date, undertaking both routine maintenance and major upgrades as required. Ensure long term plans and funding are in place for replacement of expiring hardware and software.
• External service provision - Ensure seamless connectivity and telephony services and support for 2,600 resident creatives, major public and private events, exhibitions, restaurants, bars, and other spaces. Address issues that arise within agreed timescales, ensuring excellent customer service.
• People management and leadership of IT department staff – Manage all people aspects of the IT team, comprising the service desk staff, technical and project leads, and business systems analysts. This includes performance and objective setting, personal and career development, leave scheduling, expenses, etc. Leading a small team, it is expected that the Head of IT will also need to be involved in day-to-day operations, demonstrating a hands-on approach where required to guide the team and maintain high standards.
• Budgeting – Manage and set the departmental budget and 3-5 year plan for expenditure and income within tight organisational constraints. Derive maximum value for the Trust’s technology spend.
• Vendor management – Act as key contact with vendors delivering IT projects and services at Somerset House, ensure effective contracts are in place at all times, and manage performance and issues as they arise. Manage and monitor outsourced service contracts ensuring suppliers are delivering to key requirements. Scope future requirements and run tender processes to procure services as required.
• Documentation - Ensure thorough and up to date documentation of IT resources, configurations, passwords, licences, usage policies, etc. to facilitate operational needs, to meet legal requirements, and to share knowledge. Provide accurate, data-led reporting on key departmental metrics, KPIs, SLAs, and project progress.
• Resilience - Ensure major incident response plans are in place, tested, and robust. Ensure backup and recovery plans continue to be fit for purpose, upgrading and improving as required. Manage major incidents and their technical resolution, and ensure impacted parties are kept informed.

Skills, knowledge & expertise required for the role:

Experience:

• Proven leadership experience of IT Service Management and working in an IT service delivery role across a complex organisation.
• Proven experience in initiating and managing IT projects, systems implementations, and digital transformation, with a track record of delivering measurable benefits to end users.
• Management of both support and infrastructure functions, including managing, motivating, and developing staff.
• Experience and awareness of the technology development cycle with ideas of how to use the latest technical tools to drive the organisation forward.
• Strong experience across a range of core business applications. In particular Microsoft 365 as a primary productivity suite. Additional systems in use include CRM and Events Management (Tessitura, Nexudus, DIESE), Finance (iplicit), HR (PeopleHR).
• Ownership of the cyber security and cyber risk posture of an organisation, actively managing the risk profile.

Skills:

• Excellent project and programme management skills. Ability to manage complex workloads, prioritise tasks, and deliver to deadlines.
• Broad technical skills and ability to keep abreast of technical innovations and their potential application.
• A proactive communicator who can engage with and translate for non-technical peers and who can lead change as a human process, as well as a technical one.
• Strong customer service ethos with experience of delivering customer service improvements.
• Strong analytical abilities to solve problems and plan changes.
• Capable of being able to both develop an overview of technology to meet business needs, as well as assist in a ‘hands on’ fashion as required.
• Strong understanding of wired and wireless networking principles and how a large, resilient network should be built and managed.
• Strong commercial and vendor management skills, with hands-on budget management and contract negotiation experience.
• Working knowledge of ITIL.

Benefits of working at Somerset House

Mental Health & Wellbeing

- Access to our external Employee Assistance Programme (CiC) for free 24/7 confidential advice and support, including up to 6 free counselling sessions per year where needed

- Mental health support and guidance from our in-house trained Mental Health First Aiders

- Hybrid working based on having 3 days in the office per week (pro rata if part-time)

- Contribution towards eye tests and glasses

- Trust life insurance scheme

Holiday

- Enhanced annual leave – 25 days plus bank holidays (pro rata)

- Birthday leave - additional day leave on or within a week of your birthday

- Festive day - additional discretionary day off around the Christmas period

Other Leave

- Sick leave – 20 days full pay, followed by 20 days half pay (pro rata)

- Emergency dependent care – option to use 25% of paid sick leave for emergency care of a dependent

- Enhanced maternity pay

Pension

- 8% employer pension contributions

- No minimum requirement for employee contributions

- Option for salary exchange

- Interest-free loans

- Season ticket loan

- Cycle to Work scheme

Discounts, offers, and free stuff

- The list is endless and includes tickets to Somerset House events and entrance to other London Heritage sites

- Discounts in Somerset House cafes and restaurants

- Discounts with various high street retailers and restaurants

- Discount to local leisure centres