IT Demand and Resource Manager

Cardiff University / Prifysgol Caerdydd; Cardiff; On-site; GBP 51,000 - 57,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading academic institution in Cardiff seeks an IT Demand and Resource Manager to strategically align IT services with university priorities. This full-time role involves managing cross-functional teams, optimizing resource allocation, and influencing decision-making at various levels. The ideal candidate will hold a postgraduate qualification and have substantial experience in IT workforce planning. A competitive salary of £51,753 - £56,535 per annum is offered.

Qualifications

• Extensive experience in IT resource or workforce planning.
• Expert knowledge of IT demand and resource management.
• Experience in developing and implementing IT planning processes.

Responsibilities

• Lead and manage the IT Demand & Resource Management team.
• Advise on IT resource and demand management processes.
• Assess IT workload impacts from emerging demands.

Skills

IT resource or workforce planning

IT demand and resource management

Stakeholder influence

Problem-solving

Education

Postgraduate/professional qualification or NVQ Level 5

Job description

Overview

Cardiff University is embarking on a journey to transform how it delivers and leverages digital technologies across the institution. We are seeking a forward-thinking IT Demand and Resource Manager to form a new function within University IT that will help the department understand the demand for IT services and support the allocation of resources to deliver the University’s priorities. The IT Demand and Resource Manager will shape how we plan, prioritise, and deliver IT services that support academic, research, and operational excellence.

This full-time (35 hours per week), open-ended role offers an opportunity to lead colleagues across the department and beyond to align IT capacity with the University’s strategic goals—ensuring that digital transformation initiatives, strategic developments, and business-as-usual activities are supported by the right people, with the right skills, at the right time. You will work closely with stakeholders across academic departments, professional services, and central IT to assess and manage demand and optimise resource allocation. Your insights and leadership will influence how Cardiff University delivers value through technology, enhancing the student experience, enabling cutting-edge research, and driving operational efficiency.

Salary: £51,753 - £56,535 per annum (Grade 7). Appointments are usually made at the bottom of the scale unless in exceptional circumstances.

Date advertised: Friday, 10 October 2025. Closing date: Sunday, 26 October 2025.

Key Duties

• Provide professional advice and guidance on IT resource and demand management processes and procedures to stakeholders, internally across the institution and with external partners.
• Understand requirements and priority for IT and digital services arising from strategic developments, digital transformation initiatives, and business-as-usual activity.
• Assess the impact of emerging demand for IT workload and advise on the impact to existing resource plans for strategic IT developments, digital transformation initiatives, and BAU activity.
• Build, own and maintain a register of skills, experience and knowledge within the University IT staff community for workload planning, identifying training needs and skills gaps.
• Plan and deliver optimised resource plans through resource planning tools with institution-wide impact, manage cross-functional teams as needed, and ensure delivery against agreed timelines and objectives.
• Provide effective and responsive resource management services, adapt delivery models to meet evolving customer and project requirements, and contribute to university-wide standards in IT resource planning.
• Resolve complex issues independently within IT demand and resource management, using judgement and creativity to recommend solutions and ensure these are understood by technical and non-technical audiences.
• Investigate and analyse complex issues related to IT capacity, workforce planning, and project demand, producing evidence-based recommendations supported by sector best practices and internal data.
• Create and lead working groups across the University to support delivery of IT/Digital portfolio and resource planning objectives.
• Establish and maintain strong relationships with key contacts across IT Services, academic schools, professional departments, and external partners to ensure role objectives are met.
• Develop and deliver training and guidance for resource planning tools, processes, and systems to colleagues across the University.
• Instruct and guide other employees across the University in IT resource and demand management as required.

General Duties

• Manage and lead the IT Demand & Resource Management team, ensuring departmental objectives are communicated and engaged with, planning, organising and delegating work, monitoring progress and intervening as required.
• Manage performance, induction and development of the IT Demand and Resource Management team. Support and guide team members in welfare issues, escalating as necessary to specialist support areas.
• Ensure that an understanding of confidentiality is applied when undertaking all duties.
• Abide by University policies on Health and Safety and Equality and Diversity.
• Perform other duties occasionally which are not included above, but which will be consistent with the role.

Person Specification

Important note: It is the University’s policy to use the person specification as a key tool for short-listing. Candidates should evidence that they meet ALL of the essential criteria as well as, where relevant, the desirable. As part of the application process you will be asked to provide this evidence via a supporting statement. Please ensure that the evidence corresponds with the numbered criteria outlined below. Your application will be considered based on the information you provide under each element. When attaching the supporting statement to your application profile, please name it with the vacancy reference number, e.g. Supporting Statement for 20714BR.

Essential Criteria

Qualifications and Education

• Postgraduate/professional qualification or NVQ Level 5, or equivalent experience.

Knowledge, Skills and Experience

• Substantial experience of working within IT resource or workforce planning.
• Expert professional knowledge of IT demand and resource management, recognised as an authority in the field.
• Proven experience in developing and implementing new planning and prioritisation processes and procedures.

Customer Service, Communication and Team Working

• Able to influence senior stakeholder decision-making within IT and institutional planning contexts.
• Evidence of the ability to explore customer needs, adapt services, and manage expectations effectively.
• Proven ability to develop networks and partnerships to support long-term strategic goals.

Planning, Analysis and Problem Solving

• Evidence of ability to research and solve complex problems using initiative and creativity, proposing practical and innovative solutions.
• Demonstrable knowledge of key advances and tools in IT resource and demand management.
• Evidence of ability to undertake and deliver specific projects and supervise short-term project teams.

Desirable Criteria

• Experience of working in a Higher Education environment.
• Fluency in Welsh, written and oral.
• Management qualification in ITIL, or similar.

Additional Information

As an employee of Cardiff University the post holder will:

• Ensure compliance with legal and regulatory requirements in respect of equality and diversity, data protection, copyright and licensing, security, financial and other University policies, procedures and codes as appropriate.
• Take reasonable care for the health and safety of yourself and of other persons who may be affected by your acts or omissions at work in accordance with the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974 and the University’s Safety, Health and Environment Policies and procedures.