IT Manager

Location: Guildford (Hybrid Working Available)

An exciting opportunity has arisen for an innovative and forward-thinking IT Manager to lead the IT function and ensure the seamless delivery of IT services across the business. This role will oversee end-to-end IT service delivery, supporting engineering teams and wider business operations across on-premise and cloud environments.

You will take ownership of the IT strategy and roadmap, manage budgets, lead a high-performing team, and ensure systems remain secure, scalable and aligned with current and emerging technologies.

• Lead and manage the IT department, including recruitment, performance management, development, mentoring and wellbeing.
• Build a culture of collaboration, continuous improvement and customer-focused service delivery.
• Ensure appropriate resourcing, capability and planning to deliver IT services across engineering, production and wider business functions.
• Proactively manage workload planning and resolve resource constraints or shifting priorities.

• Develop and maintain IT strategy and roadmaps aligned with business goals.
• Manage budgets, ensuring strong financial control and reporting.
• Act as a senior technology advisor, providing regular updates to senior leadership.
• Ensure the availability, performance, reliability, security and scalability of IT systems, networks and applications across hybrid infrastructure.
• Maintain compliance with key standards and regulations including GDPR, ISO 9001, ISO 27001 and Cyber Essentials Plus.
• Ensure all services and applications are licensed, maintained and kept up to date.
• Deliver high-quality IT support and service delivery aligned to ITIL best practice.

• Coordinate effective communication and resolution of issues during out-of-hours support and service calls.

• Work closely with internal stakeholders across engineering, projects, production and sales to align IT priorities.
• Conduct regular service reviews and provide reporting ahead of key meetings, demonstrating performance against KPIs, SLAs and contractual obligations.

• Develop and maintain risk management strategies to minimise service disruption.
• Lead incident response and ensure timely resolution, minimal business impact and clear communication.
• Ensure outages and performance issues are handled effectively within agreed service levels.

• Identify opportunities to improve service delivery processes, tools and operational efficiency.
• Drive improvements through best practice and emerging technologies.
• Oversee IT projects from initiation through to delivery.

• Provide technical and commercial input into proposals for new missions.
• Support customer contract negotiations and extension proposals.
• Ensure services meet contractual and security obligations.
• Manage supplier relationships including MSPs and third-party vendors, negotiating service levels where required.

• Proven experience working in an IT Manager position.
• Strong experience managing budgets, vendors and IT projects.
• Experience supporting and maintaining hybrid IT environments (on-premise and cloud).

• Degree in Computing / Information Security (or equivalent experience).
• ITIL, CISA or CISSP beneficial but not essential.
• Must be able to attain and maintain National Security Vetting (minimum SC level).
• Strong technical IT background with a strategic mindset.
• Proven leadership and people management experience.
• Strong communication skills with the ability to influence stakeholders at all levels.
• Highly organised with excellent project and time management skills.
• Strong analytical and problem-solving abilities.
• Customer-focused and able to manage technical relationships confidently.
• Results-driven, adaptable and comfortable working in fast-paced environments.
• Ability to view technology as a business enabler, not a blocker.