Estates Digital Infrastructure Lead in Sheffield

Overview: You will be the bridge between IT Services and the Estates and Facilities Management (EFM) department, ensuring that digital infrastructure is treated as a core component of every capital development and refurbishment project.

You will collaborate with teams across IT Services and Estates, as well as senior internal stakeholders, contractors, and suppliers, to deliver successful IT outcomes within University estate developments.

This role represents IT within estates developments, attending governance meetings and acting as the primary point of contact and conduit into IT Services.

You will ensure key digital infrastructure requirements are captured, specified, and implemented to the right standards, working closely with technical subject matter experts.

You will own the route to resolution for IT‑related issues, translating between technical and non‑technical audiences, keeping stakeholders informed and escalating where appropriate, retaining ownership until resolved.

You will also encourage the standardisation of IT solutions across the estate portfolio, identifying opportunities to improve consistency, efficiency, and quality of delivery.

Responsibilities

• Single Point of Contact & Requirements Management
• Own the primary interface between Estates and IT Services for University estate development initiatives, acting as the single point of contact and ensuring clear lines of communication in both directions.
• Lead the capture, definition and documentation of IT requirements, ensuring alignment with organisational strategy and technical standards and that requirements are considered at the right stage of the project lifecycle.
• Provide oversight and direction across the provision and installation of IT services, including passive infrastructure, communications rooms, AV and desktop IT installations.
• Technical Specification and Quality Assurance
• Ensure compliance with relevant technical specifications and standards for networking (passive and active components), Audio Visual and other IT systems.
• Coordinate the review and approval of designs, contractor proposals and technical documentation with specialist IT teams (Network, AV, Desktop and others).

Hold delegated approval authority where this is explicitly granted by the relevant technical lead and supported by clear guidance.

• Carry out site visits and inspections throughout the project lifecycle to assure the quality and compliance of installed IT infrastructure.
• Protect the integrity of agreed IT and AV scope through project gates, escalating to the relevant technical lead and IT Services leadership where value engineering or budget pressure threatens to compromise the agreed specification.
• Governance and Stakeholder Engagement
• Represent IT Services within project governance meetings and other forums as required, providing clear, informed and timely input on behalf of the department.
• Own the flow of information back into IT Services, providing structured progress updates to IT leadership and technical and delivery teams.

Escalate risks, issues and conflicts with the IT strategic roadmap to the appropriate technical lead and to IT Services leadership where resolution requires it.

• Work with Project Managers and IT operational teams to drive the successful handover of IT systems from project delivery into live service, marking a clean transition point at which ongoing service ownership passes to the relevant IT teams.
• Strategic IT Integration
• Engage with IT product areas and technical teams to identify strategic IT initiatives and ensure these opportunities are captured and reflected within Estates developments where appropriate.
• Drive process efficiency, innovation and the standardisation of IT solutions across the estate portfolio, building a more consistent and repeatable approach over time.
• Carry out other duties, commensurate with the grade and remit of the post.

Person Specification

• Experience in
• Technical
• Project

Liaison: Proven track record of acting as a bridge between technical IT teams and non‑technical stakeholders, ideally within construction or estates. (Essential)

• Strong knowledge and experience of IT infrastructures (passive and active) including cross‑campus fibre optic cabling, in‑building cabling (fibre, copper), communications rooms and active networking infrastructure (wired/wireless). (Essential)
• Broad technical literacy.

Knowledge of Audio Visual technologies, Building Management Systems, desktop hardware and the dependencies in relation to other IT/building infrastructures. (Essential)

• Ability to translate strategic outcomes into functional or operational requirements. (Essential)
• Ability to review, understand and convey technical documentation in relation to IT solution specifications and standards. (Essential)
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills. (Essential)
• Stakeholder relationship. Ability to build effective and collaborative relationships with stakeholders from site contractors through to senior University leadership. (Essential)
• Ability to prioritise effectively across multiple concurrent projects with competing demands. (Essential)
• Experience of implementing IT infrastructure and solutions within large building developments. (Desirable)
• Knowledge of RIBA stages and how these relate to IT infrastructure. (Desirable)
• Further Information
• Grade: 8
• Line manager: Head of Networks and Telephony
• Direct reports: None
• Contact for informal enquiries: chris. daniels@sheffield. ac. uk or 0114 222 3060

Benefits

• Minimum 41 days annual leave including bank holiday and closure days (pro rata) with the ability to purchase more.
• Flexible working opportunities, including hybrid working for some roles.
• Generous pension scheme.
• A wide range of discounts and rewards on shopping, eating out and travel.
• A variety of staff networks, providing opportunities for social interaction, peer support and personal development (Race Equality, LGBT+, Women's and Parent's networks).
• Recognition Awards to reward staff who go above and beyond in their role.
• A commitment to your development access to learning and mentoring schemes.

• A range of generous family‑friendly policies

• Paid time off for parenting and caring emergencies
• Support for those going through menopause
• Paid time off and support for fertility treatment
• and more
• Disability Confidence

We are a Disability Confident Employer.

If you have a disability and meet the essential criteria for this job you will be invited to take part in the next stage of the selection process.

Criminal Record

Possession of a criminal record is not an automatic bar to employment at the University of Sheffield.

We recognise the value of steady employment in the rehabilitation process and examine each case in its own right.

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