Head of IT in Leeds

About the team

At Vintage Cash Cow and Arcavindi, technology is how we scale our impact. Every customer journey, from sending in pre‑loved items to getting paid, is powered by reliable infrastructure, seamless systems, and responsive support. Our IT team is the backbone of this operation. They make sure our people have the tools, systems, and support they need to do their best work every day. From managing infrastructure and devices to keeping our environment secure and efficient, IT enables every team across the business to thrive. This is a team where service excellence meets operational rigour, blending proactive problem‑solving, deep technical expertise, and a people‑first mindset to deliver an IT experience that feels seamless, reliable, and empowering.

About the role

We’re looking for a Head of IT to lead and evolve our IT operations across the UK and EU. Reporting into the Director of Technology & Product, you’ll take ownership of our IT infrastructure, support services, and the teams that deliver them. This is a senior leadership role focused on operational excellence, team development, and ensuring our IT environment scales smoothly with the business. You’ll oversee IT Managers and support teams across multiple locations, driving consistency, efficiency, and a culture of outstanding service. If you’re a hands‑on IT leader who enjoys building high‑performing teams, simplifying complexity, and delivering reliable, secure infrastructure, you’ll feel right at home here. This role will require time at our Leeds office, travel to our European location (and other international sites as we scale), and some out‑of‑hours support when needed.

Getting Started…

• Get to know our IT landscape, infrastructure, assets, and support operations.
• Build strong relationships with IT teams across locations and support hiring where needed.
• Review current systems, hardware estate, and service levels to identify quick wins.
• Carry out a full review of IT asset inventory, lifecycle status, and management processes.
• Understand business needs and establish yourself as a trusted partner to stakeholders.
• Review vendor relationships, contracts, and existing technology investments.

Establishing Your Impact…

• Take ownership of IT operations, infrastructure, assets, and support delivery across all locations.
• Standardise processes and service levels to ensure consistency across UK and EU teams.
• Embed robust asset management practices with full visibility across hardware and software.
• Own and manage the IT budget, optimising spend while clearly demonstrating value.
• Strengthen our security posture and ensure compliance with relevant regulations and frameworks.
• Build strong, collaborative partnerships with key vendors and service providers.

Driving Excellence…

• Lead the IT function with a clear vision for operational excellence and continuous improvement.
• Champion a culture of service excellence, accountability, and proactive problem‑solving.
• Mentor and develop IT Managers and support teams, building a high‑performing, engaged function.
• Drive strategic IT initiatives that improve productivity, security, and user experience.
• Optimise hardware refresh cycles and procurement to maximise value and minimise disruption.
• Stay ahead of emerging IT trends, assessing tools and technologies that could benefit the business.

Key Goals & Objectives

• Deliver reliable, secure, and scalable IT infrastructure that supports business growth.
• Provide outstanding IT support with clear SLAs and consistently high user satisfaction.
• Maintain accurate, up‑to‑date asset inventories with full lifecycle management across all locations.
• Build and lead a cohesive, high‑performing IT team across the UK and EU.
• Strengthen our security posture, protecting the business against cyber threats and vulnerabilities.
• Ensure compliance with data protection regulations, including GDPR.
• Maintain and advance compliance with frameworks such as ISO 27001, Cyber Essentials, and ITIL.
• Develop and maintain disaster recovery and business continuity plans to minimise downtime.
• Continuously improve IT operations through automation, modern tooling, and best practice.

Key Responsibilities

• Oversee the design, delivery, and maintenance of IT infrastructure across all locations.
• Ensure high availability, performance, and security of networks, systems, and end‑user devices.
• Own disaster recovery and business continuity planning for IT systems.
• Support both office and warehouse IT environments, including connectivity and operational technology.

• Own the full lifecycle of IT assets: procurement, deployment, tracking, maintenance, and disposal.
• Maintain accurate asset registers and inventory systems across all locations.
• Define and enforce hardware standards for laptops, desktops, mobiles, and peripherals.
• Ensure DSE compliance and support workstation assessments where required.
• Lead hardware refresh programmes to minimise downtime and disruption.
• Oversee secure, compliant disposal and recycling of end‑of‑life equipment.
• Manage supplier relationships, procurement, leasing agreements, and contracts.
• Ensure all assets are auditable and compliant for financial and regulatory reporting.
• Own endpoint management and MDM solutions.

• Lead IT support teams to deliver responsive, high‑quality service to all users.
• Set and monitor SLAs, OKRs, and user satisfaction metrics.
• Implement and continually improve IT service management processes and tooling.
• Embed ITIL best practices across incident, problem, and change management.
• Oversee onboarding and offboarding processes, ensuring timely provisioning and equipment returns.

• Line manage IT Managers across the UK and EU, providing coaching and clear direction.
• Build a collaborative, service‑oriented culture across distributed teams.
• Recruit, develop, and retain top IT talent.
• Encourage knowledge‑sharing, continuous learning, and succession planning.

• Ensure IT security controls align with recognised frameworks (ISO 27001, Cyber Essentials, NIST).
• Own or support IT audits and certification processes.
• Ensure compliance with data protection and licensing requirements.
• Support health & safety compliance, including DSE standards.
• Promote security awareness and a strong security‑first culture.
• Coordinate security incident response and remediation.

• Manage IT vendors, suppliers, and service providers.
• Negotiate contracts and ensure value for money.
• Own IT procurement and budget management.
• Evaluate and recommend new tools, technologies, and equipment.

• Partner with leaders across the business to understand needs and priorities.
• Communicate IT initiatives, changes, and performance clearly.
• Report regularly to the Director of Technology & Product on risks, performance, and opportunities.

Essential Skills & Experience

• Proven experience leading IT operations and support teams across multiple locations.
• Strong knowledge of IT infrastructure, networks, cloud services, and end‑user computing.
• Hands‑on experience with IT asset management and lifecycle processes.
• Experience managing IT budgets, vendors, and contracts.
• Strong understanding of IT security frameworks (ISO 27001, Cyber Essentials, NIST).
• Experience supporting audits and certification processes.
• Familiarity with Google Workspace, Azure, AWS and endpoint management / MDM solutions.
• Design, implement, and manage network infrastructure including VLAN segmentation to ensure secure, efficient, and scalable connectivity across the organisation.
• Manage and maintain WiFi and WAN infrastructure, including HP/Aruba networking equipment, to ensure reliable connectivity and optimal performance across all sites.
• Configure, monitor, and maintain WatchGuard firewalls to ensure network security, threat prevention, and compliance with organisational security policies.
• Manage and maintain CCTV systems and surveillance infrastructure, ensuring reliable operation, adequate coverage, and secure storage of footage.
• Familiarity with endpoint management and MDM tools.
• Confident leader with experience managing and developing managers.
• Comfortable working in a fast‑paced, scaling environment.
• Willingness to travel and provide out‑of‑hours support when required.