At a Glance
- Tasks: Lead IT operations, develop talent, and drive innovative technology solutions.
- Company: Join QinetiQ, a forward-thinking tech company with a collaborative culture.
- Benefits: Enjoy competitive pay, flexible working, and a range of health benefits.
- Other info: Be part of a diverse team that values innovation and continuous improvement.
- Why this job: Make a real impact in IT while growing your skills in a dynamic environment.
- Qualifications: 5+ years in IT leadership, strong communication, and problem-solving skills required.
The predicted salary is between 48000 - 84000 £ per year.
A capability lead in IT operations is responsible for strategically growing and maintaining the essential skills, processes, and technologies required to deliver IT services effectively, ensuring the team can meet business objectives. Their purpose includes developing talent, improving operational efficiency through frameworks like Agile and ITIL, fostering continuous improvement, and providing expert consultation to senior leaders on capability-related matters. They act as a strategic partner to senior stakeholders across business functions, influencing and enabling the delivery of cross‑functional initiatives and transformation programmes.
Technical Strategy Development: Promote knowledge sharing, training, and self‑service enablement. Lead efforts to automate processes, implement AI/ML for operations, and explore innovative technologies to enhance services. Develop and execute strategies & roadmaps for IT infrastructure, aligning with broader organisational goals and digital strategies.
Performance and Metrics: Using analytics and feedback to improve service quality and user satisfaction. Find ways to scale technological innovations effectively while reducing operational costs. Monitor and maintain IT systems for optimal performance, security, and uptime.
Team Leadership & Mentoring: Lead technical teams, develop talent, and foster a culture of accountability and innovation. Lead and evolve IT support capabilities across UK, Germany & Canadian operations. Lead and coach Team Leads & Engineering Leads and foster a high‑performance culture. Oversee team structure, recruitment, and career development.
Project Delivery: Proven record of delivering infrastructure projects on time and within budget. Plan and lead the testing and delivery of new systems and improvements.
Stakeholder Engagement: Maintain strong stakeholder relationships with the wider business. Partner with senior stakeholders across business units to shape and deliver strategic IT initiatives. Effective communication skills to translate technical concepts for non‑technical audiences and influence senior stakeholders. Own escalated incidents and requests, ensuring resolution and continuous improvement. Represent QinetiQ IT at industry events, bringing back insights and innovation. Represent IT Operations in governance forums, steering groups, and strategic planning sessions. Influence cross‑functional decision‑making by translating capability insights into business outcomes.
Budgeting & Cost Optimisation: Understanding of Capex/Opex models and ability to optimise spend. Drive operational performance reporting, trend analysis, and service improvement initiatives.
Risk Management: Ability to assess and mitigate risks related to infrastructure availability, scalability, and security. Implement robust security measures, manage vulnerabilities, and ensure adherence to compliance and regulatory requirements.
Hardware Lifecycle Management: Overseeing provisioning, maintenance, and disposal of IT assets across multiple locations.
Software Deployment & Updates: Familiarity with tools like SCCM, Intune, or other endpoint management platforms.
Onsite Support & Escalation Handling: Providing responsive, high‑quality support and acting as a point of escalation for complex issues. On‑site Support: Strong hands‑on experience with laptops, desktops, mobile devices, printers, fiber optics, structured cabling and AV equipment. Accountability for the management of Network Equipment Rooms.
Networking Fundamentals: Solid understanding of LAN/WAN, Wi‑Fi, VPN, and basic troubleshooting of connectivity issues.
Health & Safety: Understanding of construction regulations (e.g., CDM). Holds IOSH and Emergency First Aid certificates.
Executive Support: Delivering highly personalized and responsive IT support to senior stakeholders and executives.
MOD standards: Own the governance of delivery against Site Coordinating Installation Design Authority (SCIDA) installation requirements by adhering to JSP604 and owning the implementation.
Proven leadership in IT operations, ideally within a multi‑site or enterprise environment. Strong understanding of ITIL service operations and continuous improvement. Experience managing third‑party vendors and service level agreements. Excellent stakeholder engagement and communication skills. Ability to lead through influence in matrixed environments. Deep customer focus with a passion for service excellence. Strong analytical, problem‑solving, and decision‑making skills. Knowledge of modern workplace technologies (e.g., Microsoft 365, Endpoint Management). Understanding of data privacy, information security, and compliance principles. Degree or equivalent experience in IT, Computer Science, or related field. Minimum 5 years' experience in senior team leadership or capability management. ITIL Foundation v4 certification (required); ITIL Practitioner or Managing Professional (desirable). Experience with modern service management platforms (e.g., ServiceNow, Jira Service Management). Demonstrable success in driving service transformation and performance improvement. Strong reporting and data analysis capabilities. People management qualifications (e.g., ILM Level 4 or equivalent) preferred. Eligible for and able to maintain SC-level security clearance.
Working Patterns: To cover shift patterns between 0730-1830 GMT you may be asked to work at specific times. As part of a commitment to maintaining high service availability and rapid incident response, this role will be required to participate in an on‑call rota. This responsibility reflects the trust placed in the role to act swiftly and decisively when critical systems are impacted.
As we continue to grow into new markets around the world, there's never been a more exciting time to join QinetiQ. The formula for success is our appetite for innovation and having the courage to take on a wide variety of complex challenges. As a QinetiQ employee, you'll experience a unique working environment where teams from different backgrounds, disciplines and experience enjoy collaborating widely and openly as we undertake this exciting and rewarding journey. Through effective teamwork, and pulling together, you'll get to experience what happens when we all share different perspectives, blend disciplines, and link technologies; constantly discovering new ways of solving complex problems in a diverse and inclusive environment where you can be authentic, feel valued and realise your full potential.
Visit our website to read more about our diverse and inclusive workplace culture. www.qinetiq.com/en/careers/life-at-qinetiq
Our Benefits: Matched contribution pension scheme, with life assurance. Competitive holiday allowance, with the option to purchase additional days. Options to join Health Cash Plan, Private Medical Insurance and Dental Insurance. Employee discount portal: Personal Accident Insurance, Travel Insurance, Restaurants, Cinema Tickets and much more. We are proud to support the Armed Forces community by honouring the Armed Forces Covenant and maintaining our Gold Award standard in the Defence Employer Recognition Scheme. Volunteering Opportunities - helping charities and local community.
Our Recruitment Process: We want to make sure that our recruitment process is as inclusive as possible and we aspire to bring out the best in our candidates by creating an environment where everyone feels value, heard and supported. If you have a disability or health condition that may affect your performance in certain assessment types, please speak to your Recruiter about potential reasonable adjustments. Many roles in QinetiQ are subject to national security vetting being completed, applicants who already hold the appropriate level of vetting may be able to transfer it upon appointment. A number of roles are also subject to additional restrictions, which mean factors such as nationality or previous nationalities may affect the roles that you can be employed in. Please note that all applicants for this role must be eligible for SC clearance, as a minimum.
Capability Lead (Field) in Farnborough employer: QinetiQ Group plc
QinetiQ is an exceptional employer that fosters a culture of innovation and collaboration, making it an ideal place for a Capability Lead in IT operations. With a commitment to employee growth through diverse training opportunities and a supportive environment, you will be empowered to lead technical teams across multiple countries while enjoying competitive benefits such as a matched pension scheme and health plans. Join us in a dynamic workplace where your contributions are valued, and you can make a meaningful impact on our strategic IT initiatives.
StudySmarter Expert Advice🤫
We think this is how you could land Capability Lead (Field) in Farnborough
✨Join the IT Consultancy Buzz
Get involved in local or virtual IT consultancy meetups and forums. This is where we can rub shoulders with industry professionals, get insights into what QinetiQ Group plc values, and even spot unadvertised opportunities. Don't miss out on these chances to make a name for ourselves in the IT world!
✨Show Off Your Skills
Create a personal project or case study relevant to the challenges QinetiQ Group plc might face. Use platforms like GitHub or Medium to share your findings. This not only demonstrates our consulting skills but shows a proactive attitude, making us stand out from the crowd when applying for that full-time gig.
✨Leverage LinkedIn for Connections
Follow and engage with the relevant thought leaders and influencers in IT consultancy on LinkedIn. Share insightful content and join discussions to gain visibility. A well-placed comment or shared article could catch the attention of someone at QinetiQ Group plc!
✨Direct Apply to QinetiQ Group plc
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We think you need these skills to ace Capability Lead (Field) in Farnborough
Some tips for your application 🫡
Showcase Your Problem-Solving Skills:In IT consulting, it's all about problem-solving, so make sure your CV highlights your analytical skills and any relevant projects you've tackled. Mention specific technologies or methodologies you've used to resolve issues or improve processes; this shows you can think critically and deliver results, which is vital for us at QinetiQ Group plc.
Highlight Relevant Certifications:Certifications like ITIL, PMP, or even specific tech stack qualifications can really make you stand out. Make sure to include these in your CV, as they not only demonstrate your expertise but also your commitment to staying current in the field. We love seeing candidates who are proactive about their professional development!
Tailor Your Cover Letter:Your cover letter is your chance to connect personally with us at QinetiQ Group plc. Share stories about your experiences in IT consulting, and how they shaped your desire to join our team. Mention why you’re excited about this particular role, and how you see yourself contributing to our projects.
Keep It Clear and Concise:We're all busy, so make sure your application is easy to read. Use bullet points for key achievements, and don’t overload us with jargon. A clean, professional layout goes a long way. Remember, the clearer your application, the more likely we are to invite you in for an interview!
How to prepare for a job interview at QinetiQ Group plc
✨Brush Up on Your Technical Skills
For an IT consulting role, be ready to demonstrate your technical prowess. You might face questions on systems integration, cloud technologies, or even troubleshooting specific software. If you have experience with tools like AWS, Azure, or even specific programming languages, make sure you can talk about them fluently.
✨Showcase Your Problem-Solving Approach
IT consulting is all about solving problems for clients. Think about how you can illustrate your approach to a past challenge using the STAR method (Situation, Task, Action, Result). It's a great way to show how you tackle complex issues and come up with effective solutions.
✨Know the Business Impact of IT Solutions
When discussing your experiences, focus not just on the tech solutions you implemented, but also on their business impact. Employers want to see that you can connect IT with organisational goals. Prep examples that highlight how your tech contributions improved efficiency or reduced costs for past clients or projects.
✨Prepare for Behavioural Questions
Since IT consulting often involves teamwork and client interactions, expect behavioural questions that assess your interpersonal skills. Be prepared with examples that demonstrate your adaptability, communication skills, and how you handle client feedback. Before the interview, think of situations where you worked closely with clients to create effective IT strategies or changes.
