At a Glance
- Tasks: Manage IT assets, optimise costs, and ensure compliance across software and cloud environments.
- Company: Join Unum UK, a leader in employee benefits and workplace wellbeing.
- Benefits: Generous bonus, private medical insurance, remote GP access, and 27 days holiday.
- Other info: Inclusive workplace with opportunities for growth and development.
- Why this job: Shape technology investments and drive innovation in a supportive environment.
- Qualifications: Experience in Software Asset Management and strong analytical skills required.
The predicted salary is between 56700 - 69300 £ per year.
We’re a specialist employee benefits provider, striving to create healthy, happy workplaces. As part of the international Unum Group, we’re on a collective mission to help the working world thrive.
The role
General Summary: The role has accountability for the management of all Unum UK’s IT operations assets and ensuring compliance with licensing contracts. The scope includes effective audit and reporting for new and existing technologies, including those hosted in the cloud, SaaS and PaaS solutions. Using experience and expertise, the role will assist development teams and solution architects in designing and deploying their applications so that software licensing costs are optimal. The role has accountability for fully understanding the overall IT budget and its cost drivers, identifying opportunities to optimise spend, driving the implementation of these opportunities, and tracking the benefits. Responsible for managing and optimising cloud costs using the FinOps Framework.
The role will partner closely with Unum’s Sourcing team, providing technical expertise to enable effective negotiations, and participating in negotiations where appropriate. To support transformative projects, the role will perform detailed financial analysis and cost models. Also supports the management of IT Operations contract and commercial management, providing cover for the IT Vendor Contract Manager as required.
What will you bring?
At Unum, technology is a key driver of innovation, customer experience, and business success. We're looking for a commercially minded IT Asset Manager to take ownership of our software asset estate and technology spend, helping us maximise value from our investments while ensuring compliance and operational excellence. This is a high-impact role where you'll work across Technology, Finance, Procurement, and Architecture teams to drive smarter technology decisions. You'll use your expertise in Software Asset Management (SAM), cloud cost optimisation, and commercial analysis to influence investment decisions, optimise licensing strategies, and deliver measurable business value.
If you enjoy combining technical knowledge with commercial thinking and thrive on building relationships across a business, we'd love to hear from you.
What You'll Be Doing
As our IT Asset Manager, you'll play a critical role in ensuring our technology investments are cost-effective, compliant, and aligned to business priorities. You'll:
- Own and manage Unum UK's software asset portfolio, ensuring accurate reporting, governance, and licence compliance across on-premise, cloud, SaaS, and PaaS environments.
- Lead software asset management activities, maintaining visibility of software usage, entitlements, and optimisation opportunities.
- Act as a trusted advisor to Development Teams and Solution Architects, helping design solutions that are commercially and technically effective.
- Drive cloud cost optimisation initiatives, applying FinOps principles to improve visibility, forecasting, accountability, and value from cloud investments.
- Develop a deep understanding of IT budgets, spend categories, and cost drivers to identify opportunities for savings and efficiency.
- Produce robust financial analysis and business cases, including ROI, NPV, total cost of ownership, and make-versus-buy assessments.
- Partner closely with Procurement and Sourcing teams, providing technical expertise to support supplier negotiations and contract renewals.
- Build strong relationships with software vendors and strategic suppliers to maximise commercial and service outcomes.
- Influence stakeholders across Technology, Finance, and Procurement to ensure technology investments deliver clear business value.
- Support software approval, allocation, and lifecycle management processes.
- Contribute to IT contract and commercial management activities, providing support and cover for the IT Vendor Contract Manager when required.
What We're Looking For
We're interested in hearing from professionals who can bring a combination of technical understanding, commercial awareness, and stakeholder influence. You'll ideally have:
- Proven experience in Software Asset Management (SAM) and technology spend optimisation.
- A strong understanding of AI token cost models.
- Strong knowledge of software licensing models across major vendors such as Microsoft, Oracle, IBM, or similar.
- Experience managing software estates across on-premise, SaaS, PaaS, and cloud environments.
- A solid understanding of cloud cost management and FinOps practices, ideally within Azure Cloud licensing.
- Experience partnering with Procurement teams and contributing to supplier and contract negotiations.
- Strong financial and analytical skills, with experience creating cost models, business cases, and budget forecasts.
- Experience managing third-party suppliers and vendor relationships.
- The ability to communicate complex technical and commercial information clearly to a variety of audiences.
- Excellent stakeholder management and influencing skills, with the confidence to challenge constructively and drive better outcomes.
The successful candidate can expect:
- Generous Bonus
- Car Allowance
- Private Medical Insurance
- DC pension scheme
- Life, medical and income Insurance
- Access to remote GP, nutrition coaching, personal training, unlimited mental health support and medical 2nd opinion
- 27 days holiday with the option to buy and sell holiday up to 5 days (plus Bank Holidays)
- Salary sacrifice electric car scheme with free on-site electric chargers.
Why join us?
At Unum, we’ve created a workplace where people feel supported to progress and grow, and can see their ambitions coming to life. As a part of our commitment to creating an inclusive workplace, we actively encourage applications from those with disabilities and those with long-term health conditions. If you meet the essential criteria for the role and choose to opt in to the scheme during your application, you will be offered an interview under the Disability Confident Scheme. If you need assistance and/or reasonable accommodation due to a disability during the application or recruiting process, please send a request to careers@unum.co.uk. We are proud to be a Disability Confident Employer.
IT Asset Manager in Basingstoke employer: Unum Group
At Unum, we pride ourselves on being an excellent employer by fostering a supportive and inclusive work environment that prioritises employee growth and development. As a Security Analyst in our hybrid Dorking location, you'll benefit from a collaborative culture that encourages continuous learning and innovation, while also having the opportunity to make a significant impact in safeguarding our organisation. Join us to thrive in your career and contribute to creating healthier workplaces.
StudySmarter Expert Advice🤫
We think this is how you could land IT Asset Manager in Basingstoke
✨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 Unum Group 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 Unum Group 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 Unum Group!
✨Direct Apply to Unum Group
Let's not forget to apply directly through the Unum Group website! Tailor your application to showcase our understanding of their consulting style and how we can contribute to their projects. A personalised approach can make a huge difference in landing that full-time position!
We think you need these skills to ace IT Asset Manager in Basingstoke
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 Unum Group.
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 Unum Group. 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 Unum Group
✨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.
