Head of IT Operations

Are you an experienced IT leader ready to shape the future of healthcare technology? Join Elysium Healthcare as the Head of IT Operations leading the delivery of reliable and scalable technology services to over 8,000 colleagues across more than 100 hospitals, care homes and support centres. This is a pivotal role that ensures our IT infrastructure supports exceptional care and operational excellence.

As Head of IT Operations, you will be responsible for defining and leading the IT Operations strategy, ensuring that technology services are robust, efficient, and aligned with organisational goals. You will oversee all aspects of infrastructure, cloud services, end-user computing, service desk, and field engineering, managing a £10 million operational and lifecycle budget to deliver value for money and high-quality services. A key part of your role will be driving continuous improvement through automation and standardisation, while ensuring resilience and scalability across our systems.

You will lead and develop a team of two direct reports and more than forty indirect reports, embedding a culture of accountability, service excellence and professional growth. Acting as a trusted partner to senior leaders, you will translate business needs into operational IT solutions and maintain strong relationships with external suppliers to ensure performance and value delivery. Additionally, you will own disaster recovery planning and capacity management, ensuring critical healthcare systems remain resilient and future-ready.

As the Head of IT operations, you will:

• Delivery of high-performing IT operational services to 8,000+ colleagues across 100+ mental health hospitals, care homes and support centre functions.
• Annual planning and management of the £10m IT operational and capital budget, planning re investments and programmes of work relating to operational service.
• Achievement of agreed service levels and operating levels for all IT services (availability, response and resolution targets) as well as colleague satisfaction (measured by CSQ).
• Compliance with healthcare regulatory, data protection and cyber security requirements.
• Supplier and contract performance management to ensure value for money and service quality.
• Talent development, retention and succession planning across IT operations teams.
• Timely communication and escalation of risks, incidents and service issues to senior leadership.

To be successful in this role, you will need:

• Proven experience in IT operations leadership role.
• Experience working in a healthcare setting (D)
• Experience of providing technical input to strategic planning activities
• Strong understanding of IT service management frameworks (ITIL, ITSM, CMMI) and their application in large, complex organisations.
• In-depth knowledge of service desk operations, cloud, infrastructure and end-user computing.
• Awareness of cyber security, data protection, and regulatory requirements relevant to healthcare and sensitive personal data.
• Strong supplier management, including contract negotiation and service level agreements (SLAs).
• Expertise in disaster recovery planning, business continuity management and incident response frameworks.
• Understanding of performance monitoring, capacity planning and optimisation of IT systems and services to endure resilience and scalability.
• Knowledge of organisational change management, digital transformation and emerging technology trends.

What You'll Get

At Elysium Healthcare, we believe in taking care of the people who care for others, you'll enjoy a comprehensive benefits package designed to support your wellbeing, growth, and future:

• Competitive annual salary
• The equivalent of 33 days annual leave (including bank holidays) - plus your birthday off and the option to buy additional annual leave, in our annual selection window.
• Career development and training to help you achieve your professional goals
• Access to our Rewards & Benefits platform Ely-Vate; Your one-stop destination for everyday savings, exclusive benefits, and wellbeing hub!
• Wellbeing support and activities to help you maintain a healthy work-life balance
• Access to Blue Light Card, which provides a range of exclusive offers and discounts
• Life Assurance, for added peace of mind
• Stream - instant access to earned wages when you need it, plus access to save, directly from your wages, alongside financial wellbeing support.
• 24/7 GP service and second medical opinion, to ensure you are the best you can be
• Enhanced Maternity Package, so you can truly enjoy this special time
• Pension contribution, to help secure your future

About your next employer:

Elysium Health care has over 8,000 employees and a unique approach to the delivery of care. With a network of over 90 services across England and Wales covering Mental Health, Neurological, Learning Disabilities & Autism, Children & Education, there is opportunity for you to grow and move.

Elysium Healthcare is part of Ramsay Health Care with a global network that extends across 10 countries and employs over 86,000 people globally.

Elysium Healthcare follows safer recruitment of staff for all appointments and is a Disability Confident employer, committed to inclusive and accessible recruitment. It is a requirement that all staff understand it is each person's individual responsibility to promote and safeguard the welfare of service users. All candidates will be subject to a DBS disclosure.