Group IT Infrastructure Manager

Tamworth, Staffordshire
Espire

Supporting over 300 users across our sites in the UK, Ireland, Scotland, and Dubai, the Group IT Infrastructure Manager leads a team of skilled IT individuals, fostering a collaborative and service-focused culture.

From delivering large-scale infrastructure projects to ensuring the seamless day-to-day operation of critical systems, the IT Infrastructure will work on meaningful projects, collaborate with cross functional teams, and directly influence the success of our organisation.

Strategic Leadership & Collaboration

• Serve as an engaged and approachable leader, maintaining a presence across all locations.
• Collaborate with departments and business units to understand IT requirements and deliver proactive solutions.
• Actively participate in management meetings to provide IT expertise and support organisational goals.
• Support other departments during peak periods to ensure smooth and efficient operations across the group.

Infrastructure & Operations Management

• Manage daily IT operations, including server hardware, software, operating systems, and network infrastructure.
• Coordinate the installation, upgrade, and maintenance of technology systems.
• Oversee the procurement and implementation of new and replacement hardware and software.
• Ensure optimal performance by testing, troubleshooting, and enhancing IT systems.

WAN Infrastructure & Security

• Coordinate and manage a resilient WAN infrastructure to ensure reliable connectivity and performance across all sites.
• Implement and maintain robust security measures.
• Identify and address vulnerabilities through proactive patching and updates to maintain compliance with security standards.

Disaster Recovery & Business Continuity

• Develop and maintain disaster recovery plans and backup procedures.
• Evaluate technology risks and implement measures to minimise disruption to business operations. Conduct regular testing of IT and site-wide Disaster Recovery (DR) and Business Continuity Plans (BCP).

Project Management

• Lead the delivery of large-scale infrastructure projects, including deployments, upgrades, and migrations.
• Collaborate with the MIS Team to align infrastructure plans with software and organisational roadmaps.
• Develop detailed project plans, allocate resources, and deliver projects on time and within budget.

Budget & Vendor Management

• Oversee the annual IT budget, ensuring cost-effective resource allocation and tracking expenditure.
• Maintain strong relationships with infrastructure vendors, negotiating contracts and ensuring SLA compliance.

Team Leadership & Development

• Strong leadership and management abilities, with excellent time management and multitasking skills.
• Lead, mentor, and develop a team of 3rd Line Engineers and the Helpdesk team, ensuring their professional growth, technical excellence, career progression, accountability and collaboration.
• Oversee the Helpdesk operations, ensuring effective resolution of user issues and consistently high customer satisfaction.
• Foster a collaborative, service-oriented, and growth-focused culture within the IT team, promoting continuous learning and skill development across all levels.

Technology Advancement

• Stay current with technological trends and industry best practices, recommending and implementing innovations to enhance IT operations.
• Drive continuous improvement initiatives to optimise infrastructure and align IT services with business needs.
• Align IT infrastructure and projects with the organisation’s long-term goals.

Analytical Skills

• Analytical and problem-solving skills with a keen attention to detail.

Flexibility

• Flexibility to work evenings, weekends, and public holidays as needed.

Essential Skills and Experience Networking

• Proficiency in networking, including administration, installation, and troubleshooting (ideally to CCNA level).
• Experience with enterprise-grade networking solutions, including Cisco, Fortinet, and Rukus, with a focus on performance optimisation and security.
• Knowledge of advanced network configurations, including VLANs, VPNs, firewalls, and QoS settings to support high availability environments.

Hardware & Infrastructure

• Strong knowledge of computer hardware, cabling standards, wireless technology, and IT security protocols.
• Hands on experience with server infrastructure, including rack mounted servers, RAID configurations, and SAN/NAS storage systems.
• Knowledge of monitoring tools such as SolarWinds, Nagios, or PRTG to ensure optimal system performance.

Microsoft Technologies

• Experience with Windows Server () for active directory management, group policy configuration, and system administration.
• Knowledge of Exchange Online for email infrastructure.
• Knowledge of Azure AD for identity and access management, including integration with hybrid environments.
• Knowledge of Microsoft Intune/JAMF.
• Advanced knowledge of Office 365 suite/Windows OS 10/11 administration, licensing, and support.

Virtualisation & Cloud Platforms

• Experience with virtualisation platforms such as Hyper V and VMware, including resource allocation, snapshot management, and fault tolerance.
• Familiarity with cloud based solutions, including Microsoft Azure, AWS, or Google Cloud Platform, with knowledge of migration strategies and cost optimisation.

Communication Systems & Peripherals

• Experience with VoIP systems for enterprise telephony deployment and management.
• Understanding of IP CCTV systems, including camera configuration, storage management, and integration with networked systems.

Backup & Disaster Recovery

• Proficiency with backup and recovery tools like Veeam for ensuring business continuity.
• Experience in setting up and maintaining disaster recovery solutions, including replication and failover configurations.

Security & Compliance

• Strong understanding of IT security standards and best practices, including firewalls, endpoint protection, and threat detection systems.
• Knowledge of compliance frameworks, such as ISO 27001 and GDPR, and experience implementing security audits.
• Familiarity with SIEM tools like Splunk or Microsoft Sentinel for real time monitoring and security incident response.

Operating Systems & Other Tools

• Good knowledge of Linux distributions (e.g., Ubuntu, CentOS) for server administration and scripting.
• Experience with automation and scripting tools such as PowerShell, Bash, or Python to streamline IT operations.
• Familiarity with ITSM platforms like ServiceNow, Fresh Service, or similar for managing IT support workflows.

Soft Skills

• Strong analytical and problem solving skills with the ability to diagnose and resolve complex technical issues.
• Excellent communication and collaboration skills to work effectively with stakeholders at all levels.
• Highly organised with the ability to prioritise tasks and manage multiple projects simultaneously.
• Demonstrated ability to inspire and lead teams toward achieving shared goals, fostering accountability, innovation, and continuous improvement.

Certifications and Standards

• MCSE – essential
• ITIL Qualification – essential
• CCNA or equivalent networking certification – essential
• CISSP or CompTIA Security+ – desirable
• ISO27001 Experience – desirable
• PRINCE2 – desirable

• Option to purchase up to 5 extra days annual leave
• Health Cashback Plan
• Pension Scheme
• Life Assurance
• Free Parking

Site Location: Scolmore House, Tamworth, B79 7UL