location_on Location Central Office - Home Based

location_on Location Central Office - Home Based

United Learning is a large, and growing, group of schools aiming to offer a life changing education to children and young people across England.Central Office staff work closely with schools, offering a wealth of expertise to underpin schools' own knowledge. Our specialist departments, including HR, finance, technology, strategy and performance, estates, and marketing, work alongside dedicated school improvement teams. By joining us, you will provide ongoing support to schools, ultimately improving the outcomes of our pupils.United Learning is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of all children and young people and expects all staff and volunteers to share this commitment. All positions are subject to an Enhanced Disclosure and Barring check from the Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) and shortlisted candidates will be subject to an online check.We always appoint on merit, and we are open to discussing flexible working options.

Job details

We are excited to be growing our IT Department team to add an IT Project Manager with extensive experience in successful IT projects delivery to Multi Academy Trusts (MAT), Single Academy Trusts (SAT) or Schools.

As the United Learning IT Projects Manager, you will play a crucial role in supporting the work of the IT department in delivering a significant programme of change across all our schools and to those working with our Trust as we develop a 2030 vision for IT. The role will also involve taking on the oversight and co-ordination of the technical IT onboarding of new schools into the group and additionally supporting the Head of IT with major IT procurements. You will be able to contribute to our IT processes and operating approaches, ensuring that we are efficient and scalable, as we continue to grow our network of schools across the length and breadth of England.

The IT Department oversees and substantially directs all technical operations and support to both our schools and central office. As part of growth, we are continually looking to make greater use of our scale, and this position will be instrumental in supporting this.

Whilst field based and Microsoft teams is our preferred communication platform, you will need to be prepared to operate across our Head Office locations in Peterborough, London and Manchester when required, with a potential of a small amount of work at our school sites across the length and breadth of England. Whilst you will work primarily and report to the Head of IT, you will be heavily involved with our Transformation Department and especially their project leads co-ordinating IT technical work. Your work will significantly impact all of our schools and their delivery of high quality education to over 75,000 students.

You will have an eye for technical detail and an understanding of IT processes and systems that can best support an organisation with a national footprint. Your technical knowledge should be significant, equivalent to a school Network Manager, able if ever required to work on systems competently and expertly with no direct supervision, able to draw on experts when required from within the department. We work primarily in cloud systems under the Microsoft technology stack Azure/Entra with a focus on Microsoft Teams as our primary platform for communication across the organisation and in TEAMS use by schools supporting teaching and learning.

Responsibilities and key results areas, could include but are not limited to:

• Manage the IT Department’s contribution to major projects, supporting all Central Office projects that require IT involvement.
• Deliver effective project management to IT Department projects ensuring projects are supported from pre-project through to delivery and closure, minimising risk at all times.
• Oversee the successful technical onboarding of new schools.
• Deliver with the support of the Head of IT, compliant major IT procurements across software and hardware (device and infrastructure).
• Contribute to the United Learning IT Business Continuity and Disaster Recovery plans and response operations.
• Develop and maintain a customer service ethos in order that the IT Department remains highly responsive to individual and institutional needs.
• Contribute to the United Learning Digital Standards to ensure best practices are defined and followed.

We will make sure that you have the support you need to succeed from the range of specialists working in the organisation and other members of the team. We are open to early career and career change applicants, and we will consider opportunities for training and development on an individual basis.

This is a field-based role that supports the primarily cloud based IT operations (M365) across our Central Office (2 physical office locations) and across our 106 schools. Whilst the post holder could be based in any location able to effectively serve our central office and schools, regular travel to our main office at Peterborough is an expectation of this role. Travel to schools/offices, on a national basis with the ability to remain overnight for one or more night’s when required is an essential requirement. However, we are open to flexible working to secure the right candidate.

Personal Attributes:

To be successful in this role, you will be intellectually curious, with an openness to learning and an ability to innovate to achieve results. As an expert user of technology, you will be open to learning about the software and systems our central office and schools are using. You will have an analytical mindset, capable of capturing, breaking down and simplifying complex information for our stakeholders. You will be a critical thinker able to translate an idea or business case into a coherent project plan and ensure links to other projects are identified at the outset.

You will need to be a self-starter, focused and willing to learn and work as part of a team. You will be willing to maintain an up-to-date knowledge of the education system and best practices within the sector. You will be communicating directly with school colleagues from our trust and beyond, so you will need excellent communication skills.

You will be excited by the prospect of working on a range of projects which improve the experience of staff and pupils in our schools

Behaviours:

• Analytical thinking.
• Communicating and influencing.

Rewards and Benefits:

• Contributory pension scheme.
• 26 days holiday.
• Occupational sick pay, protecting you and your family.
• Competitive maternity, paternity, and adoption benefits.
• Westfield Health cash plan for eligible staff.
• Continuous Professional Development options that will be tailored to your needs.
• A supportive team across the country.
• We are open to requests for flexible or part-time working; and we encourage open and regular conversations about work-life balance.