At a Glance
- Tasks: Lead IT systems operations to ensure business applications run smoothly and efficiently.
- Company: Join Rexel, a global leader in smart electrical solutions and energy-efficient products.
- Benefits: Enjoy 33 days annual leave, private medical insurance, and extensive learning opportunities.
- Why this job: Make a real impact by improving critical systems and coaching teams in a collaborative environment.
- Qualifications: Experience in IT operations and strong collaboration skills are essential.
- Other info: Diversity is celebrated here; we value fresh ideas and creativity.
The predicted salary is between 36000 - 60000 £ per year.
Looking for a role where your technical judgement, people-first leadership and process discipline make a visible business impact? Want to join a global organisation that values collaboration and continuous improvement? If you enjoy coaching teams, removing operational pain, and embedding disciplined service practices that keep critical systems running, this is the role for you. Rexel is a worldwide expert in distributing electric and energy-efficient products and services. Our goal is to provide smart electrical solutions that improve the comfort, safety and security of our customers’ homes, businesses, and industries.
Benefits:
- Contributory pension scheme and life assurance
- Performance related bonus
- 33 days annual leave (incl. bank holidays, increasing with service)
- Flexibility to buy and sell holiday each year
- Enhanced parental leave
- Extensive learning opportunities from day one
- Private medical insurance, free virtual GP service, Healthy Mind Champions
- Staff discounts, exclusive holiday offers and free financial support and education
Job Description:
As IT Systems Operations Manager you will lead the Systems Operations function to protect the availability, performance and integrity of our ERP and core business applications. You will combine people-first leadership with strong ITSM discipline to ensure daily business readiness, minimise disruption, and drive continuous improvement through automation and eradication of recurring issues.
- Own end-to-end operational stability for ERP and core applications, ensuring daily start-of-trade readiness and adherence to SLAs.
- Lead incident, problem and change management to reduce disruption and mean time to restore (MTTR).
- Design and maintain monitoring, capacity planning, backup/restore and disaster recovery practices; run regular resilience tests.
- Manage build/test/deploy pipelines to make releases predictable and low-risk; keep Jira backlogs clean and releases on track.
- Build, coach and develop the Ops/DevOps team: set standards, run fair on-call rotas, use retrospectives and build playbooks/runbooks.
- Hold vendors and internal partners to account via SLAs, service reviews and outcome-focused governance.
- Translate technical issues, risks and plans into clear business impact and recommended actions for stakeholders.
- Reduce operational toil through automation, eradication of recurring problems and disciplined testing.
- Maintain accurate documentation, configuration records and operational playbooks.
Qualifications:
At Rexel, we prioritise hiring individuals based on behaviours and potential, rather than requiring specific formal qualifications for roles. The behaviours that will set you up for success include:
- Collaboration: Building partnerships and working collaboratively with others to achieve shared objectives.
- Takes accountability: Taking action, overcoming obstacles, and meeting commitments.
- Customer focus: Building strong customer relationships and delivering customer‑centric solutions.
Ideally you will also have had some experience in:
- Hands‑on systems operations experience (ERP support or IT operations leadership).
- Solid practical knowledge of ERP landscapes, middleware and integrations.
- Strong ITSM practice across incident, problem and change management.
- Confidence with monitoring, capacity planning, backup/restore and disaster recovery testing.
- Comfortable with CI/CD and release management concepts.
- Experienced in defining and managing SLAs and running vendor/service reviews.
Additional Information:
At Rexel UK, we’re all about welcoming people from different backgrounds, experiences, and perspectives because we know that diversity drives fresh ideas and great results. By coming together as one team, we’re building a high‑performance culture that not only drives success but also creates real value for our customers and communities. Creating an environment where individuality is celebrated and creativity flourishes, we’re making sure everyone feels supported and confident to be their best.
Seniority Level: Mid‑Senior level
Employment Type: Full‑time
Industries: Wholesale
Location: Birmingham, England, United Kingdom
IT Systems Manager in Birmingham employer: Rexel UK Ltd
Contact Detail:
Rexel UK Ltd Recruiting Team
StudySmarter Expert Advice 🤫
We think this is how you could land IT Systems Manager in Birmingham
✨Tip Number 1
Network like a pro! Reach out to your connections in the industry, attend meetups, and engage on platforms like LinkedIn. We all know that sometimes it’s not just what you know, but who you know that can land you that interview.
✨Tip Number 2
Prepare for those interviews by researching the company and its culture. We want you to understand Rexel's values and how you can contribute to their mission. Tailor your responses to show how your skills align with their needs.
✨Tip Number 3
Practice makes perfect! Conduct mock interviews with friends or use online resources to refine your answers. We suggest focusing on your leadership style and problem-solving skills, as these are key for the IT Systems Manager role.
✨Tip Number 4
Don’t forget to follow up after your interview! A simple thank-you email can go a long way. We recommend reiterating your enthusiasm for the role and how you can help Rexel achieve its goals.
We think you need these skills to ace IT Systems Manager in Birmingham
Some tips for your application 🫡
Tailor Your CV: Make sure your CV speaks directly to the IT Systems Manager role. Highlight your hands-on systems operations experience and any relevant ITSM practices you've used. We want to see how your skills align with our needs!
Craft a Compelling Cover Letter: Your cover letter is your chance to shine! Use it to showcase your people-first leadership style and how you’ve driven continuous improvement in past roles. Let us know why you’re excited about joining Rexel!
Showcase Your Achievements: Don’t just list your responsibilities; share your successes! Whether it’s reducing MTTR or improving operational stability, we love to see quantifiable results that demonstrate your impact.
Apply Through Our Website: We encourage you to apply through our website for a smoother process. It helps us keep track of your application and ensures you don’t miss out on any important updates from us!
How to prepare for a job interview at Rexel UK Ltd
✨Know Your Tech Inside Out
Make sure you brush up on your knowledge of ERP systems and ITSM practices. Be ready to discuss specific examples of how you've kept critical systems running smoothly and how you've tackled incidents in the past. This will show that you’re not just familiar with the concepts, but that you can apply them effectively.
✨Showcase Your People Skills
As a people-first leader, it’s crucial to demonstrate your ability to coach and develop teams. Prepare anecdotes that highlight your experience in building partnerships and fostering collaboration. Rexel values strong customer relationships, so be ready to share how you've delivered customer-centric solutions in previous roles.
✨Be Ready for Scenario Questions
Expect questions that put you in hypothetical situations related to incident management or change processes. Think through how you would handle disruptions or improve operational stability. Practising these scenarios can help you articulate your thought process clearly during the interview.
✨Prepare Questions for Them
Interviews are a two-way street! Prepare insightful questions about their current challenges with ERP systems or their approach to continuous improvement. This shows your genuine interest in the role and helps you assess if the company culture aligns with your values.