IT Manager

Advanced Research + Invention Agency (ARIA); London; Hybrid; GBP 60,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading research and development agency is seeking an IT Manager to oversee technology reliability and security. The role involves vendor management, asset assessment, and IT policy development. The ideal candidate will have experience in managing outsourced IT services and a strong understanding of IT security standards.

Benefits

27 days annual leave

Hybrid working arrangements

Learning and development opportunities

Enhanced family leave arrangements

24/7 employee assistance programme

2 days of paid volunteer days

5% pension scheme

Cycle to Work scheme

Qualifications

• Experienced IT Manager with strong grasp of office IT infrastructure.
• Proven track record in managing outsourced providers and vendors.

Responsibilities

• Act as primary point of contact for outsourced IT service provider.
• Contribute to the development and execution of the IT strategy.

Skills

Vendor Management

Problem-Solving

Communication

Education

IT Management

Tools

GDPR

ISO27001

Job description

Join to apply for the IT Manager role at Advanced Research + Invention Agency (ARIA)

Salary: c.£60,000

Bonus: Discretionary

Location: Kings X, London, Tues - Thurs (3 days) at HQ, Monday + Friday, anywhere

Employment Type: Full-time

Closing Date: Sunday 25 May 2025 23:59

About ARIA

ARIA is a new kind of R&D funding agency. We fund scientists and engineers to pursue research at the edge of the possible. From climate change to AI, society faces enormous challenges and opportunities that can be uniquely addressed by science and technology. ARIA was created to activate the UK’s world-class R&D in new ways, so we can meet these head on.

We are growing our team to develop bold new approaches that can scale – from programmes to systems, processes and everything in between. If that sounds fun, come and build ARIA with us.

Role Summary

Learn more about how we work here.

As our IT Manager, you'll champion the reliability and security of our technology landscape through strong vendor management and effective infrastructure oversight, empowering our team with effective and compliant IT resources. You'll lead technical assessments, optimise assets, contribute to IT strategy and governance, and manage initiatives to maintain a robust security posture and data protection awareness across the organisation.

This role will report into the Information, Data and Insights Lead.

What You’ll Do

Vendor Management

• Act as the primary point of contact for the outsourced IT service provider, coordinating all activities to oversee and maintain all office IT infrastructure (hardware, software, networks, cloud-based systems).
• Monitor service performance, SLAs, and contractual obligations, proactively addressing issues to ensure consistent service delivery.
• Ensure delivery of technical support to all end-users is timely and effective.

Asset Assessment & Management

• Provide technical expertise to all IT procurement processes (hardware, software, services) and lead technical assessments of new applications and systems.
• Actively manage IT assets and subscriptions, disabling unnecessary tools and ensuring live assets remain compliant with security and data protection requirements and regulations.
• Maintain a real-time, documented asset inventory, including system configurations and associated risk profiles.

IT Policies, Procedures & Governance

• Contribute to the development and execution of the IT strategy.
• Develop and maintain IT documentation (policies, procedures, knowledge bases).
• Proactively identify IT gaps and drive improvements for a robust IT management system.
• Manage IT audits effectively and implement all necessary corrective actions.

Cyber Security & Data Protection

• Oversee outsourced IT security implementation and incident response, ensuring compliance with policies and timely resolution of issues.
• Contribute to the cybersecurity strategy and monitor the outsourced provider's performance against security standards and regulatory requirements.
• Collaborate with the DPO to ensure all IT practices adhere to data protection regulations and maintain organisational awareness.

Onboarding, Offboarding & Awareness

• Manage and refine IT onboarding/offboarding and ongoing IT training for staff and partners.
• Maintain a high level of organisational awareness regarding information security and data protection, and contribute to reviews and reporting.

Who You Are

A successful candidate will bring many of the following skills/experience to the role:

• Experienced IT Manager with a strong grasp of office IT infrastructure, implementing IT policies and driving security measures.
• A proven track record in managing outsourced providers and vendors, including SLA monitoring and contract oversight.
• Ability to technically assess tools and systems against data and security requirements.
• Excellent problem-solving, communication abilities, and experience in developing IT documentation and training.
• Knowledgeable in relevant regulatory standards (e.g., GDPR, NCSC cyber assessment framework, Cyber Essentials Plus, ISO27001).

Benefits

• 27 days annual leave provision, with the option to buy/sell additional days
• Hybrid working arrangements; 60% in office / 40% at home
• Supportive environment for learning and development opportunities
• Enhanced family leave arrangements
• A free and confidential 24/7 employee assistance programme
• 2 days of paid volunteer days
• 5% defined contribution pension scheme with Smart Pension
• Cycle to Work scheme
• An excellent office location in Kings X, London

Not sure you meet 100% of our criteria? Don’t worry. If you believe that you could excel in this role, we encourage you to apply. We want to attract the broadest array of candidates, including those with diverse workplace experiences and backgrounds. Whether you’re new to this, returning to work after a gap in employment, simply looking to transition, or taking the next step in your career path, we will be glad to have you on our radar. Please use your cover letter to tell us about your interests and what you hope to bring to this role.

If you require any reasonable adjustments throughout the recruitment process, please notify us and we will make every effort to accommodate you. Disclosing any requests are intended to provide ARIA with the best opportunity to support candidates and will have no negative impact on your recruitment process.

ARIA adopts a highly considered approach to ethical and social responsibility. You can read our policy here. Our research and development activity will abide by the 3Rs principle. You can read about those here.

Seniority level

• Mid-Senior level

Employment type

• Full-time

Job function

• Information Technology

Industries

• Research Services