IT Service Manager - Education

Esher - Surrey - Based onsite. £45k - 48k - Plus Benefits

• A very autonomous relaxed environment whilst still providing you with support whenever you need it.
• Potential to apply for Microsoft Training Vouchers after a year.
• Working with a friendly bunch of people who are passionate about IT and providing a fantastic service.
• 2 years death in salary.
• 3% pension contribution.
• Sage benefits scheme (discounts).
• MS Vouchers 3 months after probation - progression plan.
• 25 days holiday, 5 days for Christmas and get it all off. Bank Holidays just given.
• Free lunch.

Our client is looking for an IT Service Manager to be based on a client site in a school to work as part of our managed service team. They are a leading provider of ICT solutions to the education sector in the UK. With over 20 years' experience, they have a proven track record of delivering high-quality, reliable, and quality solutions to schools and colleges. With a team of experienced IT professionals, they are dedicated to helping their clients get the most out of their technology.

Overview: The IT Department at the client’s site is responsible for the installation, management, maintenance, availability, and security of the school's educational and administrative IT systems. This includes network infrastructure, a wide range of hardware and software platforms, and all IT services that support the school community. The department is structured to ensure both strategic oversight and effective operational delivery. The IT Service Manager leads the department's service provision and technical direction, while working closely with the Assistant Network Manager and IT Engineer, who handle the day-to-day running of the helpdesk and front-line support for staff and students.

This role also involves regular collaboration with the IT Management Group, an internal team at the client that sets the strategic direction for IT across the school. The IT Service Manager plays a key part in delivering that vision, reporting progress, raising issues, and aligning departmental efforts with long-term goals.

Key Responsibilities:

• Service Delivery and Strategy: Oversee the smooth delivery of IT services across the school, ensuring uptime, security, and end-user satisfaction. Work closely with the IT Management Group to align services with the school's digital and strategic aims. Maintain accurate documentation for systems, processes, downtime schedules, and asset management. Ensure compliance with all internal IT policies, safeguarding expectations, and GDPR regulations.
• Technical Leadership: Take overall technical leadership of the department, acting as the escalation point for advanced technical issues before they are referred to CTS Helpdesk or Senior Engineers. Resolve or appropriately escalate technical problems, maintaining a proactive, solution-driven approach. Provide regular updates to the IT Management Group, including the number and nature of technical escalations, new technical implementations or system upgrades, flagged technical risks requiring attention (budget or downtime related), and a planned downtime and maintenance schedule. Distribute a weekly Senior Engineering task list to the relevant team.
• Technical Maintenance: Perform or oversee daily system and network checks as defined by CTS guidelines. Collaborate with the Assistant Network Manager on planning and approving outages or major configurations. Ensure regular patching, updates, and upgrades across Claremont's IT infrastructure. Maintain operational integrity and reliability of all core systems and services.
• Team Management and Development: Line manage the Assistant Network Manager and IT Engineer, who handle the day-to-day operation of the helpdesk and fulfil IT support requests from across the school. Ensure the team is effectively resourced, supported, and working collaboratively to meet departmental goals. Oversee staff scheduling, holiday cover, and rota planning, in coordination with the Assistant Network Manager. Provide ongoing training and professional development opportunities to the team. Ensure open communication, shared decision-making, and fair workload distribution across the department. Support and advise staff and students on IT use, providing expertise and fostering digital confidence across the school.

Person Specification:

• Essential: Experience managing IT services and technical teams, preferably in an educational setting. Strong leadership and communication skills, with confidence in engaging senior stakeholders and cross-departmental teams such as the IT Management Group. Broad technical expertise across infrastructure, networks, cloud services, and support. Proven ability to manage escalations and mentor team members. Excellent organisational and planning skills. Strong understanding of safeguarding, cybersecurity, and data protection.
• Desirable: ITIL certification or equivalent experience in structured IT service management. Knowledge of school MIS systems, Microsoft 365, and education-specific software. Experience managing IT projects and implementing new systems.