IT Technical Operations Manager

IT Technical Operations Manager
Cardiff (3 days per week onsite)

We have partnered exclusively with a growing financial services company in Cardiff is looking for an IT Technical Operations Manager to take ownership of day-to-day technology operations and supplier management across the business.

The company is still comparatively small, around 50 people, so this isn’t a role where someone sits at a distance from the work. They need someone technical who can lead a small team, work closely with external suppliers, and step in wherever needed to keep systems running smoothly.

Most of the infrastructure and security capability is delivered through third-party providers. The key part of the role is making sure those partners are delivering what they should, holding them to account, and acting as the technical bridge between the business and its suppliers.

You’ll also work closely with the Head of IT, supporting the wider technology function and ensuring the organisation maintains the standards expected within a regulated financial services environment.

The Role

You’ll be responsible for the operational performance, security posture and reliability of the company’s technology environment. This includes overseeing outsourced infrastructure, cloud services, security providers and core business platforms.

A large part of the role involves coordinating suppliers, reviewing service delivery, and ensuring the organisation’s cloud and productivity platforms are running effectively.

Alongside this, you’ll lead a small internal team and act as the technical escalation point across the business.

Because of the size of the organisation, the role suits someone comfortable working in a hands-on environment where priorities can shift quickly and everyone contributes to solving problems.

Key Responsibilities

• Oversee the day-to-day operation of the company’s IT infrastructure and cloud services

• Act as the primary technical point of contact for external managed service providers and vendors

• Monitor and manage supplier performance against SLAs and contractual commitments

• Provide technical leadership to a small internal IT support team

• Ensure the reliability, security and availability of core systems and services

• Oversee the organisation’s Microsoft 365 environment including identity, collaboration and productivity tools

• Maintain oversight of the Azure cloud environment delivered through third-party providers

• Work with security partners to maintain a strong security posture across systems and data

• Support regulatory and compliance requirements within a financial services environment

• Coordinate and support internal and external technology audits

• Maintain documentation, policies and operational procedures

• Act as a technical escalation point for complex issues

• Work closely with the Head of IT to support technology planning and improvement initiatives

• Identify opportunities to improve processes, reliability and operational efficiency

Skills and Experience

• Strong technical background across Microsoft 365 and Azure environments

• Experience managing third-party IT providers or managed service partners

• Good understanding of cloud infrastructure, identity management and security best practices

• Experience operating within a regulated or compliance-driven environment (financial services highly desirable)

• Ability to lead and support a small team

• Comfortable operating in a hands-on technical role where priorities can shift

• Strong communication skills with the ability to translate technical issues for non-technical stakeholders

• Experience supporting audits, compliance checks or security reviews

• Good understanding of IT operations, service delivery and incident management

Personal Profile

• A hands-on problem solver who enjoys working in smaller organisations

• Comfortable working across both technical and operational responsibilities

• Strong communicator who can build relationships with suppliers and internal stakeholders

• Someone who takes ownership and follows issues through to resolution

• Adaptable and willing to get involved wherever needed

Benefits

• Hybrid working - 3 days per week onsite in Cardiff

• Free parking

• Gym membership

• Private healthcare (Bupa)

• Pension matched and doubled by the employer up to 5%

• 30 days annual leave