Technical Operations Transformation Director

National Physical Laboratory; Birmingham; Hybrid; GBP 70,000 - 90,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading research laboratory in Birmingham seeks a Technical Operations Transformation Director to lead the transformation of technical operations across infrastructure and telecoms. The role involves streamlining processes and driving innovation to support cutting-edge technology. Candidates should have expertise in network operations, IT, and telecommunications. The laboratory values diversity and encourages applications from various backgrounds.

Benefits

Pension scheme with employer contribution

Performance-related pay review

Employee assistance programme

Interest free loans

Qualifications

• Deep understanding of running a network operation center.
• Expertise in disaster recovery and business planning.
• Proven experience in continuous improvement.

Responsibilities

• Lead technical build and operational performance transformation.
• Present technology evolution plans with business benefits.
• Ensure disaster recovery and business continuity plans are in place.

Skills

Network operation understanding

IT and telecommunications experience

Virtualization expertise

Coaching and people management

Tools

IP network design

Firewalls

Containerization

Job description

About the Role

Are you ready to lead the transformation of technical operations across infrastructure, networking, and telecoms? If you're passionate about simplifying complex systems, driving innovation, and building high-performing teams, this is your opportunity to make a lasting impact. As our Technical Operations Transformation Director, you'll be at the heart of UKTL's network build and operate transformation to support our core mission of security and resilience across the UK’s critical national telecommunication infrastructure. This is a unique opportunity to evolve our representative tier 1 mobile operator test network into a cutting edge scalable automated environment to support our growth in testing of emerging telecommunication technology. You’ll bring clarity to complexity, ensuring our infrastructure is scalable, secure, and future-ready. You’ll introduce lightweight processes and tolling to evolve us from a startup into a mature, productive organisation. You’ll work end-to-end across teams, fostering collaboration and driving excellence in delivery. Your curiosity and adaptability will be key as you explore emerging technologies and guide your teams to stay ahead of the curve. You’ll be instrumental in shaping a unified, high-performing technical function that supports cutting-edge research and testing.

What You'll Be Doing

• Transformation: Lead the transformation of technical build and operational performance by leveraging expertise in network operations, process optimization, automation, and integration across network software, IT infrastructure, and cyber security domains.
• Simplifying with Purpose: Identify opportunities to streamline systems while ensuring flexibility and efficiency.
• Driving Business Value: Present technology evolution plans with clear business benefits and robust cases for change.
• Planning for the Future: Document current and future architectures, setting clear short, medium, and long-term goals.
• Building Resilience: Ensure robust environment management, maintenance, patching, and end-of-life infrastructure planning.
• Innovating Responsibly: Evaluate new technologies and make informed decisions about their adoption.
• Leading with Vision: Leverage diverse team expertise to cultivate multidisciplinary talent, guide individuals through a transformative journey, and drive the evolution of infrastructure, networking, and telecom functions to position the team for long-term success and innovation.
• Securing by Design: Reinforce high security standards and ensure disaster recovery and business continuity plans are in place.
• Collaborating Across NPL: Identify synergies and shared services to enhance efficiency and integration.

Pension scheme with a minimum 5% employer contribution (12% employer contribution if you elect to contribute 6%).

• Performance related pay review in 2025 (non-contractual).
• Employee assistance programme.
• Interest free loans (up to £5k for season ticket loans, house purchase deposit).

Successful applicants must be able to commute to the UKTL offices in Birmingham at least twice a week. We strive to offer a great work-life balance and will consider full-time, part-time, or flexible options where business demands permit.

About You

What You'll Bring

• A deep understanding of running a network operation center or a highly complex network test environment.
• Experience across a combination of IT or telecommunications, software, or cyber security.
• Expertise in virtualization, containerisation, IP network design, switching fabrics, and firewalls.
• A structured approach to documenting "as is" and "to be" architectures, policy, and procedures.
• Familiarity with testing processes and quality assurance.
• Proven experience in business planning and disaster recovery.
• A track record of continuous improvement and process optimization.
• Strong coaching and people management skills, with the ability to motivate and address performance effectively.

Engineering and technology to underpin prosperity and quality of life in the UK. NPL and UKTL have strong commitments to diversity and equality of opportunity and welcome applications from candidates irrespective of background, gender, race, sexual orientation, religion, or age, providing they meet the required criteria. Applications from women, disabled and Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic candidates are encouraged. All disabled candidates (as defined by the Equality Act 2010) who satisfy the minimum criteria for the role will be guaranteed an interview under the Disability Confident Scheme. At NPL, we believe our success is a result of the diversity and talent of our people. We strive to nurture and respect individuals to ensure everyone feels valued by treating everyone on the basis of their own merits and abilities regardless of identity, as part of our commitment to diversity and inclusion.