Head of IT Operations — Strategic Tech Leader

Mills & Reeve; Manchester; On-site; GBP 90,000 - 140,000; Full time

Job summary

Mills & Reeve in Manchester seeks an experienced Head of IT Operations to lead our operational technology strategy across the UK firm. You will oversee the Service Desk and Technical Services, ensuring secure, reliable and scalable IT services that support growth, regulatory compliance and client needs.

Reporting to the Chief Technology Officer, you’ll drive service excellence, vendor management and budget oversight while collaborating with senior stakeholders across multiple offices.

Qualifications

• Significant IT Operations experience, ideally within a law firm.
• Excellent communicator with ability to explain complex tech to non-technical stakeholders.
• Willingness to travel between offices and work additional hours when required.

Responsibilities

• Lead IT Operations strategy, teams and resources, driving performance and service excellence.
• Own operational IT services and ensure SLAs meet business needs.
• Lead the Service Desk across UK offices to provide a consistent customer-focused experience.
• Oversee Technical Services and the firm’s infrastructure for security, resilience and efficiency.
• Ensure consistent technology services across offices and support moves, growth and refurbishments.
• Maintain resilience of critical IT services and lead incident response and recovery.
• Manage technology suppliers, contracts and purchasing with a focus on value for money and compliance.
• Oversee IT Operations budget, forecasting and resource planning to improve efficiency and control costs.
• Provide clear operational reporting to senior stakeholders and act as escalation point for critical IT issues.

Skills

IT Operations

Service Desk Leadership

Technical Services

Security & Compliance

Vendor Management

Budget & Finance

Stakeholder Engagement

IT Strategy

Tools

ITIL

Job description

Mills & Reeve in Manchester seeks an experienced Head of IT Operations to lead our operational technology strategy across the UK firm. You will oversee the Service Desk and Technical Services, ensuring secure, reliable and scalable IT services that support growth, regulatory compliance and client needs.

Reporting to the Chief Technology Officer, you’ll drive service excellence, vendor management and budget oversight while collaborating with senior stakeholders across multiple offices.