Head of IT Operations

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About The Role

We have an exciting opportunity for a Head of IT Operations to join our dynamic IT Team. Working directly for the CTO this role oversees the delivery, operational efficiency and excellence of the IT systems and services used by fee-earning and support staff to deliver high-quality legal services to our clients.

We need someone with hands-on expertise of running IT operations and leading teams, who is able combine a strategic, pragmatic approach with practical experience whilst delivering technology services that fulfil our firm's business objectives.

The role involves leading a talented IT team of 16 people, managing the firm's technology infrastructure, and ensuring the security, performance, and availability of systems across our 10 offices and to our 900 employees.

The position is based in our Worcester office, and is predominately office based.

Role purpose

The core purpose of this role is to ensure the effective and secure delivery of business critical IT services across the firm, supporting our legal teams and business services functions. You will play a key role in implementing the firm's IT strategy, delivering operational efficiencies, and fostering innovation to improve both client and fee earner efficiency and experience. You will also play an important role in the implementation of our five-year IT strategy.

Role and responsibilities

Operational Management

• System Performance - Ensure all IT systems are reliable, secure, and optimised for performance
• Service Delivery - Lead IT support functions to ensure the timely resolution of incidents and requests in line with agreed SLAs
• Infrastructure - Manage and maintain the firm's IT infrastructure, including cloud environments, networks, and on-premise systems.

Leadership and Collaboration

• Team Leadership - Lead, mentor, and develop the IT Operations team to deliver high-quality services to fee earners and support staff
• Stakeholder Engagement - Collaborate with internal stakeholders of varying seniority to understand business needs and ensure IT services meet their requirements
• Supplier Management - Develop and manage relationships with external IT suppliers and service providers, ensuring the firm receives high-quality services.

Governance and Security

• Compliance - Ensure IT operations comply with industry regulations, including GDPR and SRA guidelines
• Risk Management - Identify and mitigate risks related to IT systems, including processes
• Policies - Develop and enforce IT policies and procedures to standardise practices across the firm.

Innovation and Strategy

• Continuous Improvement - Seek opportunities to enhance IT operations, leveraging technology to improve efficiency and service quality
• Future-Proofing - Stay up-to-day with industry trends and emerging technologies to keep the firm ahead in its IT capabilities.

About You

Experience and Attributes

If you're going to lead a high-performing team and drive operational excellence, you will likely have the following experience and attributes:

• IT Expertise - Strong experience managing IT operations within a professional services or legal environment
• Leadership -A compassionate leader with excellent empathy skills and a proven ability to manage and inspire teams to achieve excellent results
• Business-Focused - Deep understanding of the operational needs of a legal firm, with the ability to align IT services to support business priorities. Flexible and adaptable, capable of adjusting direction seamlessly when plans evolve
• Financial Management - experience of compiling and managing budgets, negotiating with suppliers and, reviewing and leveraging maximum value from contracts
• Problem-Solver - Analytical thinker who thrives on identifying and solving operational challenges
• Communicator - Strong communication skills, with the ability to communicate technical language in an easy-to-understand way to those outside of the technical team
• Collaborator - A team player who works effectively with colleagues, stakeholders, and third-party providers.

Core Skills

• Extensive knowledge of IT infrastructure (VMware and Wintel), including networking (Fortinet), cloud environments (Azure), Database (Postgres and SQL) and storage solutions (Dell EMC Powerstores)
• Proficiency in ITIL service management frameworks
• Familiarity with legal-specific systems both Case Management and Practice Management
• Strong understanding of cybersecurity principles and regulatory compliance in a legal setting
• Excellent organisational skills, with the ability to manage multiple priorities and deliver results under pressure.

You will also need a full driving licence and car to visit our offices as required.

About Us

Benefits of working with us:
• Scottish Widows Pension Scheme
• 27 days annual leave (plus public holidays)
• Bonus scheme
• Healthcare cash plan
• Electric vehicle scheme
• Happy People / Perks at Work benefits portal
• Cycle to Work scheme
• Life Assurance
• 1/3 gym membership contribution
• Flu vaccinations

Is HCR the smart move for you?

HCR suits people who love a challenge and want to work in an environment where careers thrive on the back of hard work and personal merit. Our people enjoy feeling part of something bigger than themselves, and whilst our clients drive our development, it is our people who bring their energy, enthusiasm, and entrepreneurial mindsets together to solve problems and help our clients succeed.

Why HCR people love their jobs

Our people tell us they enjoy working on good quality, interesting matters from a wide variety of our clients, because they get the experience they want to develop their careers. We will give you responsibility early, the mandate to make things happen and we'll back your good ideas. Our "Passion for People" lives and breathes every day throughout the firm as our peoples' energy and sense of fun create a warm environment in which to thrive.

What career progression will HCR offer you?

HCR's growth constantly creates opportunities for people who want to go places and make a difference, your career plan can become part of our growth plan. At HCR you can expect to work with friendly, energetic, ambitious people, who love getting stuck into a client problem, and enjoy celebrating a good outcome. Our people value the sense of community provided by the individual personality of each office and the collegiate approach across all our service and sector teams.

What does HCR believe, achieve and stand for?

As a Times Best Law firm, among the UK Top 60, we provide the full range of services that you would expect to organisations, business leaders and individuals. However, in our mission to give everyone the opportunity to experience a different kind of legal service we take an entrepreneurial approach. We're flexible and responsive to the needs of our clients, delivering the best outcomes for them. We have more than 800 lawyers and support staff, including more than 150 partners, and have been awarded the Law Society's Lexcel quality mark in recognition of our compliance and client care standards.

With ten offices in England and Wales our well-established presence stretches from west to east, ensuring clients can access a full-service legal offering no matter where they're located. We've expanded significantly in Birmingham, Cardiff and the Thames Valley, and our merger with Hewitsons resulted in a full service regional hub being established in the heart of the Waterside innovation area centre of Northampton. Our London and Cambridge continue to grow apace.

With solid connections in the communities we work in, and a track record of delivering legal advice to businesses and individuals throughout the areas we base ourselves in, our clients continue to value our approach to providing legal advice, in the way they need, when they need it.

As HCR is an equal opportunities employer, we don't just accept differences, we celebrate them. We want to attract a diverse and ambitious workforce that reflects all backgrounds and skills to create a workplace that is supportive and inclusive, recognises and nurtures talent, and which works together to achieve the best outcome for our clients. We are privileged to be an armed forces-friendly organisation.

We also want you to achieve your absolute best during the recruitment process. Please let us know of any changes we can make at any point that will help support your application. If this opportunity sounds of interest to you, please make an application and submit your CV.

A note for recruitment agencies - The HCR Resourcing Team is responsible for recruitment across the firm, and where possible will use direct hiring methods. We do work with a Preferred Supplier List, and where appropriate, we will release vacancies to those agencies who we deem most appropriate to support us. Only those agencies will be invited to submit candidates via our recruitment portal. Any speculative or unsolicited CVs sent to any employee or Partner of HCR will not be considered an introduction, and no fees will be applicable. Furthermore, we retain the right to pursue these candidates without query of ownership