About the role
- Own day-to-day IT Operations and service reliability
- Ensure secure, resilient IT infrastructure
- Drive standardisation, automation and operational maturity
What you'll do
- Own day-to-day IT operations across sites, ensuring service availability and effective incident, request, problem and change management.
- Operate and continually improve the virtualised infrastructure, including high availability and disaster recovery capabilities, in line with business growth.
- Oversee all network connectivity (LAN, WAN, Wi‑Fi, SD-WAN and SASE), from individual user connectivity through to inter-site traffic, including performance and resilience.
- Manage security operations for IT infrastructure and endpoints, including firewalls, endpoint protection/EDR, encryption, vulnerability and patch management, monitoring and secure remote/BYOD access controls (where applicable).
- Manage, maintain and upgrade the company’s server estate (predominantly Microsoft), including standard builds, configuration, documentation and lifecycle management.
- Own operational tooling and documentation (monitoring, alerting, backup reporting, asset/configuration records) and drive standardisation and automation where beneficial.
- Lead and coordinate end-user support and escalations, ensuring timely resolution and clear communication (working with internal colleagues and third parties as required).
- Maintain service KPIs and provide timely reporting to management, highlighting risks, trends and improvement actions.
- Manage key IT suppliers and support contracts (e.g., connectivity, security, support partners), including service reviews and escalation management.
- Any other duties as required.
Person Specification
- Proven experience in a similar role managing and improving IT Operations and infrastructure in a multi-site environment.
- Strong hands-on experience managing Microsoft server infrastructure (e.g., Windows Server/Active Directory and related services), including lifecycle management, high availability, backup and disaster recovery.
- Microsoft 365 administration experience (e.g., Entra ID/Azure AD, Exchange Online, SharePoint/Teams and related services), where applicable to the environment.
- Strong hands-on experience of enterprise virtualisation platforms (e.g., VMware vSphere and/or Nutanix AHV), including operational support and performance/resilience considerations.
- Strong understanding of LAN, WAN, Wi‑Fi and VPN connectivity, including troubleshooting and supplier engagement.
- Security operations experience, including next-generation firewalls (e.g., Sophos/Check Point or equivalent), endpoint protection/EDR, encryption, patching and vulnerability management.
- Identity and access management experience (e.g., MFA, role-based access, joiner/mover/leaver processes) and an understanding of modern device management/BYOD controls (where applicable).
- Experience running operational processes (incident, problem and change management), with a service-focused approach and clear stakeholder communication.
- Experience producing and presenting operational reporting and KPIs (availability, incidents, change, patch/vulnerability posture) to management.
- Automation/scripting capability (e.g., PowerShell) and a continuous improvement mindset.
- Ability to manage stakeholders effectively, with a service approach.
- Ability to work in a methodical, organised, and timely manner; good attention to detail; able to work to tight deadlines.
- Strong communication skills, both written and verbal; flexible approach; able to work within a small team across multiple departments.
- Willingness to travel as required.
- Desirable:
- ITIL Foundation (or equivalent operational service management experience).
- Relevant formal certification and/or advanced administration experience in an Enterprise virtualisation platform e.g., VMware or Nutanix.
- Cloud and SaaS administration experience (e.g., Microsoft 365 and related services), where applicable to the environment.
Senior IT Service Desk Technician in Bicester employer: YASA
As a Maintenance Technician at our cutting-edge facility, you will be part of a dynamic team that values innovation and excellence. We offer a supportive work culture that prioritises employee growth through continuous training and development opportunities, ensuring you can advance your skills in a fast-paced manufacturing environment. Located in a vibrant area, our company provides a unique chance to work with advanced technology while enjoying a balanced work-life schedule on a rotating shift pattern.
