IT Service Delivery Manager

We are looking for a Service Delivery Managers to join our team. Within this role the Service Delivery Manager will provide strategic leadership for the governance, performance and continual improvement of IT services across a portfolio of schools. Through strong leadership, stakeholder engagement and service governance, the role ensures technology services enable teaching, learning and business operations whilst continually evolving to meet the changing needs of Ark and its schools.

Working closely with Cluster IT Managers, Central IT teams, school leaders and strategic service partners, the Service Delivery Manager will provide leadership, assurance and direction across all aspects of IT service delivery. The Service Delivery Manager will be accountable for strengthening service performance, stakeholder confidence and operational maturity across their portfolio.

The role develops high-performing Cluster IT Managers and future service leaders; governs the performance and value delivered by service partners; and ensures strategic technology initiatives are successfully transitioned into sustainable live service.

Success is measured not only by operational performance, but by the confidence schools have in the IT service, the strength of stakeholder relationships, the maturity of service delivery practices, and the ability to deliver measurable improvement.

The IT Service Delivery Manager will report into Head of IT Services. This role will work across multiple Ark sites on a permanent basis working full time.

Interviews will be arranged once suitable candidates are identified, early applications are advised.

Key Responsibilities:

• Lead the governance of IT service delivery across multiple clusters, ensuring a consistent, customer-focused experience for schools and central services
• Monitor, review and govern performance through agreed Service Level Agreements (SLAs), Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) and customer satisfaction measures
• Provide leadership and assurance during major incidents, service disruptions and high-priority escalations, ensuring risks are managed and communication is clear and timely
• Champion continual service improvement, using operational insight, stakeholder feedback and performance data to deliver measurable improvements
• Build and maintain trusted relationships with Headteachers, School Business Managers, senior school leaders and central service teams, acting as a strategic representative for Ark IT
• Champion the voice of the customer, using stakeholder feedback to influence service improvement, investment decisions and future service development
• Lead, coach and support Cluster IT Managers, creating an environment that encourages accountability, collaboration and professional growth
• Govern supplier performance through regular service reviews, ensuring contractual obligations, service levels and KPIs are consistently achieved
• Lead the operational delivery of strategic technology initiatives, ensuring change is effectively planned, communicated and successfully adopted across assigned schools
• Champion a One IT approach, ensuring all teams work together to deliver a consistent, seamless and customer-focused experience for every school

Key Requirements:

• Right to work in the UK
• ITIL 4 Managing Professional, Strategic Leader or equivalent IT Service Management qualification
• Prince2, Agile or another recognised project or change management qualification
• Proven experience leading and developing operational managers within an IT Service Management environment
• Strong understanding of IT Service Management principles and best practice
• Experience governing service performance through SLAs, KPIs, customer satisfaction and continual service improvement
• Ability to balance operational priorities with strategic objectives and organisational outcomes
• Experience leading major incidents, high-priority escalations and service recovery activities
• Excellent communication and relationship-building skills, with the ability to influence senior stakeholders
• Experience governing third-party suppliers and strategic service partners
• Knowledge of IT governance, risk management and information security principles

• 27 days annual leave plus bank holidays, rising with each year of service up to 30 days after 3-years’ service. This entitlement is pro rata for part time employees. This entitlement excludes bank holidays
• Full office closure between Christmas and New Year
• As an Ark employee, you will have the opportunity to be part of the TPT (The Pension Trust) scheme, our workplace pension scheme where we make an 11% contribution; you are not required to contribute towards this scheme unless you choose to. Depending on your role you may also be entitled to LGPS which is a defined benefit scheme where you contribute a percentage based on how much you earn (as do we) in exchange for a guaranteed amount in your pension pot every year
• Access to high-quality professional learning throughout your career, offering both face-to-face sessions and a bespoke online learning platform
• Access to Ark Rewards scheme offering savings from over 3,000 major retailers, interest-free loans available for season tickets or a bike, gym discounts offering up to 40% off your local gym and free eye tests

There are 34,000 students learning in our network of 48 schools across Birmingham, Hastings, London, Pontefract and Portsmouth. We’ve always believed that, with the right approach, every child has the potential to succeed. We work in the communities where we can make the biggest difference to children’s lives, and all our schools are non-selective. 

It works: our schools achieve great results – significantly outperforming national averages, especially when it comes to driving progress – the best measure for ‘closing the gap’.

We take what we learn in our schools to develop new solutions and approaches that we can share. Over the last two decades, we have developed and incubated more than 20 projects and programmes, supporting them to scale and achieve systemic impact on the life chances of all children. Over 300,000 children currently learn using an Ark curriculum and our Ark Start nurseries are demonstrating a new model for early years education that we hope will become the norm.