School Network Manager

The role will involve managing, developing, and supporting client infrastructures. You are responsible for maintaining the high standards expected from clients purchasing managed services solutions. You will be exposed to technologies such as desktop, servers, virtualisation, network structure, disaster recovery, business continuity, hosting services, Public and Private Cloud, security, and bespoke managed solutions. The Network Manager will have a background working within a busy IT team; experience in designing and implementing technical solutions, supporting servers and desktop operating systems. The Network Manager must have strong experience in technical troubleshooting and problem solving. In addition, as part of this role, the individual will be expected to deal with any system issues as and when they occur.

The responsibilities fall into the following areas:

• Supporting the Client: You will be the onsite presence working on issues raised by clients, understanding the different business needs of the clients, and recording all key information to support them. You will be the primary presence in delivering the clients’ long‑term strategy and development plan; required to work closely with the Trust Senior Management Team to help devise a roadmap for both now and the future. Key input into high-level meetings with major stakeholders, ultimately reporting to the Trust CEO.
• Achieving SLA targets: Managing your time to prioritise urgent issues whilst ensuring all requests meet the contracted SLA.
• Client Satisfaction: Owning issues through the initial phases of support and keeping the clients informed of all progress with the issue. Working with the clients to ensure a quick and effective resolution of the item raised. Deliver effective communication with all clients including Directors.
• Documentation: Working within the team to ensure all client documentation is updated and correctly recorded in the relevant system, aiding effective closure times. Documentation includes client’s infrastructure, E‑mails, and updating of system to aid the support process and allowing other parts of the business to effectively manage the end‑to‑end process. It is essential that data is accurately recorded in Help Desk System to ensure Wavenet can accurately report on services provided, ticket status, and activities undertaken.
• Supporting the onsite team: You will manage, develop, mentor, and support the onsite technicians to ensure they are delivering the quality of service expected by the client. You will be the first point of contact between the client and Wavenet in all communications.
• Liaising with 3rd party suppliers: When necessary, request support from external suppliers regarding hardware, software, or connectivity support. Communicate updates to the client and ensure a 3rd party meets its SLA targets.
• Managing Personnel: Manages personnel and develops all (your site) based staff providing training and support as needed. Reviews progress of technical support roles throughout (your site) and recommends practical improvement for staff and client. Overall management of the CPD in terms of your immediate Team.

Key Responsibilities:

• Supporting the Client: The Network Manager will be responsible for the professional delivery of managed services to the client’s staff and its leadership. When in place within a MAT (Multi Academy Trust), you will be required to play a lead role in scoping, planning and implementation of a Trust Development Plan, working with major Stakeholders at Board level, reporting directly to the Trust CEO, acting on behalf of Wavenet. The Network Manager will be a leading contributor to the ongoing development of the relationship, infrastructure, and revenue.
• Discussing any issues with peers and line management. Supporting the client base with a varied range of technologies including desktop support, E‑mail, connectivity, printers, telephone systems & 3rd party applications. Keeping the client and ticket updated with developments and fix plans. Handle escalated calls from the service desk.
• Administer and maintain client infrastructure, including Active Directory, LAN, Internet access, firewalls, and Exchange 2010 and above. Administer client Hypervisors Hyper‑V 2012 R2 and above and VMware vSphere 5.0 and above Infrastructures including EMC, SAN and Datacore. Administer software applications and desktop operating systems. Troubleshoot server and network performance Monitoring System to ensure any necessary action taken that needs to be.
• Management of relationships with third parties for any escalated tickets. Keep operational documentation up to date. Research, recommend and plan infrastructure system. Manage and maintain client Backup solution including Veeam and offsite solutions.

Achieving SLA targets:

• Leading your team to ensure all issues are actioned within SLA. Monitored activity through various ticket reporting tools. You will be expected to meet or exceed client expectations with regard to the SLA.

Client Satisfaction:

• Ensure that the client is satisfied with the outcome & with their experience of Wavenet. You will need to work to achieve the highest standard of response and identify when assistance is required to achieve this. When required provide information to the service delivery teams by providing information about ongoing tickets and reports relating to client’s history.

Documentation & Information:

• By providing regular and effective documentation you will help to maintain and effectively monitor a client’s systems and networks. Accuracy and detail are key to effective documentation, it is expected that all relevant documentation will be completed and available to other Wavenet staff. All tickets need to accurately reflect status and must be closed once work activities to address the issue are complete.

Supporting the service desk and the managed service team:

• Working on issues escalated by the service desk and the onsite support team, ensuring you maintain the documentation and communication for the issue. Identifying when business critical IT services are impacted and adjusting the ticket priority accordingly. Leading your team to identify the fix and any underlying problems that could cause repeat issues. Report this to the Senior technical Consultant/Technical Manager for review.
• Communicate any ongoing issues to relevant teams including the service desk and managed service engineers to ensure no time is wasted on repeat troubleshooting. Provide feedback to Senior Technical Consultant/Technical Manager on issues that have been escalated including documented fixes for use by the service desk and managed service engineers.

Liaising with 3rd party suppliers:

• When required, raising cases with 3rd party vendors for supported products. Ensure regular updates to the tickets to meet SLA requirements. Where required arrange access to sites or servers for further support. Provide full and clear documentation of the issues to allow for the quickest support. Report progress of ongoing cases to Technical Manager. Escalate case with supplier when required. Report and document any action carried out by the 3rd party.

Department Organisation Structure: Reports to the Head of Schools Services, but working closely with the Schools SLT and Wavenet Technical Account Managers.

Qualifications Skills / Interests Required:

• A strong desire and focus on continued improvements and personal development.
• Technically excellent and extremely competent.
• High standard of report writing/presentation skills.
• A desire to be part of an overall team and achieve team goals.
• Very strong communicator.
• Excellent problem‑solving skills.
• Proven ability to work under pressure and with other team members.
• Strong time management and self‑motivation skills; ability to effectively manage resources and others’ time.
• Keeping up to date with current industry trends and emerging technologies and best practices.
• Previous experience with a ticketing system.

Experience Required:

• Essential - Microsoft Windows Server From 2003 - 2019.
• Essential - Excellent understanding of Group Policy, Active Directory, DFS, DNS, Web Services (IIS), DHCP, Terminal Services, Windows Remote Desktop Services, and other educational Technologies and Services.
• Essential - Excellent knowledge of all preferred solutions for schools; Server hardware/software, 3rd party software products, security products and custom services for all our client base.
• Essential – Excellent understanding and 5+ years experience in onsite support for schools.
• Essential – Have an extensive or in‑depth specialised knowledge of schools along with the skills, and judgment to accomplish a result or to accomplish one’s job effectively.
• Desirable – Telephony, Voip, Wireless Networks and AV with experience in installation and support.
• Desirable - Management / Coaching / Mentoring Skills.
• Desirable - Security Technologies including a good understanding of security procedures for Schools which ensure schools safeguarding policies and procedures.

Additional Information: At Wavenet, we offer more than just a job – we provide an exceptional environment and a wide range of benefits to support your success from day one. With us, you’ll enjoy a generous starting annual leave allowance, private medical coverage, discounted health plans, an eye care scheme, and comprehensive health and wellbeing programs, all backed by a dedicated in‑house Wellbeing Team. We believe in a strong work‑life balance, rewarding your commitment with an additional day of annual leave each year, reaching up to 28 days.

Here’s a closer look at what we offer:

• Annual Leave: Begin your journey with 25 days of leave, increasing by one day per year up to 28 days – our way of saying thank you for your dedication.
• Health & Wellbeing: Your wellbeing is a priority. Enjoy private medical coverage, discounted health plans, virtual GP access, an eye care scheme, and a comprehensive employee assistance programme, all supported by our internal Wellbeing Team.