IT Manager - £70,000 – Chelmsford, Essex

Ashdown Group; Tiptree; On-site; GBP 63,000 - 77,000; Full time

Job summary

Ashdown Group is seeking an experienced IT Operations Manager to lead our IT infrastructure and support services in Chelmsford, Essex. You will manage the Infrastructure & Support team, oversee day-to-day IT operations and drive improvements across infrastructure, cybersecurity and resilience.

The role combines hands-on leadership with strategic planning, balancing operational priorities with longer-term development and cost-efficiency.

Qualifications

• Experience in IT infrastructure and service delivery.
• Proven leadership of a small technical team.
• Strong communication with technical and non-technical colleagues.

Responsibilities

• Lead IT support function ensuring incidents and requests are resolved efficiently.
• Develop and coach Infrastructure & Support team for continuous improvement.
• Oversee IT infrastructure including servers, networking, Microsoft 365, cloud services and endpoints.
• Strengthen cybersecurity, manage risks and ensure backup, DR and business continuity.

Skills

Microsoft 365

Windows environments

Networking

Cybersecurity

Incident management

Project delivery

Communication

Organisational skills

Supplier management

Job description

IT Operations Manager - £70,000 - Chelmsford, Essex

A highly successful, reputable retail brand are looking for an experienced, hands-on IT Operations Manager to lead their IT infrastructure and support services, ensuring they remain secure, reliable and responsive to the needs of business.

Working closely with the IT Director, you will lead and develop the Infrastructure & Support team, oversee day-to-day IT operations, and drive improvements across infrastructure, cybersecurity and business resilience. Combining technical expertise with strong people leadership, you will balance operational priorities with longer-term planning and development.

Key responsibilities of this IT Manager role will include:

• Lead the IT support function, ensuring incidents and service requests are resolved efficiently and colleagues receive an excellent service.
• Manage, coach and develop the Infrastructure & Support team, promoting accountability, collaboration and continuous improvement.
• Oversee IT infrastructure, including servers, networking, connectivity, Microsoft 365, cloud services and endpoints.
• Strengthen cybersecurity, manage technical risks and maintain effective backup, disaster recovery and business continuity arrangements.
• Plan and deliver infrastructure and security projects, ensuring changes are managed safely and effectively.
• Identify opportunities to improve system reliability, service quality, efficiency and cost-effectiveness.
• Manage external suppliers, technical support partners, IT assets and technology procurement.
• Contribute to infrastructure strategy, budgets and the longer-term technical roadmap.

About You

You will have proven experience in IT infrastructure, technical operations or IT service delivery, with the technical confidence to troubleshoot complex issues and the leadership skills to support a small technical team.

You will bring:

• Strong knowledge of Microsoft 365, Windows environments, networking and core IT infrastructure.
• A sound understanding of cybersecurity, access management, endpoint protection, vulnerability management and disaster recovery.
• Experience managing IT incidents, prioritising workloads and delivering technical projects.
• The ability to communicate clearly with both technical and non-technical colleagues.
• Strong organisational and problem-solving skills, with a proactive approach to continuous improvement.
• Experience developing colleagues and managing supplier relationships.

Desirable: Experience with Microsoft Intune, Entra ID, Defender, virtualisation, firewalls and cloud infrastructure, or supporting manufacturing, distribution or multi-site operations.

The salary on offer for this role is up to £70,000 plus bonus and benefits.