Jobs

This is a new and dynamic leadership position within the Digital, Technology, and Innovation team at West Northamptonshire Council (WNC). Reporting to the IT Systems Manager, you’ll lead a talented team, whilst working on a range of impactful technology projects, and have the opportunity to foster a culture of innovation and continuous improvement.

If you’re looking for a role where you can make a real difference and blend technical expertise with leadership, this is the perfect opportunity for you! 

Our benefits

We offer a wide range of benefits to our employees, these include:

• Generous annual leave entitlement starting at 28 days annual leave per year, 29 days for senior managers (pro rata, depending on how many hours per week you work), plus bank holidays. An additional 5 days, linked to continuous service, and ability to purchase up to 6 weeks additional leave per year.
• Cycle to Work scheme. 
• Local Government Pension Scheme plus immediate life cover (3 times your annual salary from day one) and ill-health protection.
• Employee discounts with local and national retailers, days out, finance, health and beauty, travel and eating out plus lots more.
• Car Lease scheme via Tusker.
• Payment of professional subscription / membership - If your job description requires that you are registered with or are a member of a professional body, WNC will pay for your professional subscription or membership fees.
• Employee Assistance Programme - We have an employee support programme run by Health Assured, an independent, external organisation. Health Assured is available for you and your immediate family members, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year and includes telephone counselling, legal advice, bereavement support and medical information.
• Commsave- Free membership to Commsave Credit Union who provide a variety of savings accounts, loans, a monthly lottery draw and more!
• Ongoing training and development opportunities.
• A variety of flexible working options to support your work/life balance, including full or part time, term time, 9-day fortnight, etc. (subject to business needs).
• Our West Ways of Working – We want our workforce to thrive, and we equip our employees with the right technology to support hybrid and collaborative working, on or off site, depending on the role.
• Making a difference - If you want to use your skills and experience with an organisation that are genuinely invested in making a difference, are committed to improving people's lives, and whose success has a direct impact on the wellbeing of your family, friends and people in your local area, then West Northamptonshire Council is the place for you.

What will you be doing?

Using your technical knowledge, and working with the broader DTI team, you will lead a number of different technical projects that will enhance and drive transformational change within the Council’s infrastructure ecosystem, currently supporting in excess of 4,500 staff.

Using your experience of working within a large corporate environment, you will provide technical project leadership and direction combined with resolving support tickets, with the result that your work will have a lasting impact across the organisation. Your innovative mindset will be key as you introduce new technologies to improve IT Operations and enhance user experience. 

About you

You’re an enthusiastic IT infrastructure expert with a passion for delivering high-quality technical projects on time and to budget that make a real impact. Leading and motivating teams is where you excel, and you’re eager to provide the leadership and technical know-how to keep the WNC infrastructure running smoothly. You love tackling complex challenges and staying ahead of the latest technology trends. You’re driven by continuous improvement and are always looking for ways to ensure security is “baked in”, enhance services, boost efficiency, and exceed user expectations. 

Key responsibilities will include:

• Leading technical projects to implement new solutions
• Leveraging your technical expertise to optimise services
• Proactively identifying and addressing potential issues
• Troubleshooting complex infrastructure issues
• Maintaining and monitoring infrastructure
• Support, coach, and mentor the more junior members of the team, leading by example
• Contribute with ideas and suggestions on continuous service improvement
• Develop, produce and maintain IT documentation and follow IT procedures as required

• Proven experience in leading and delivering successful technical projects on time and to budget
• Strong technical proficiency obtained in a 2^nd or 3^rd line role in Microsoft Windows Server, Active Directory, Microsoft 365, Intune, Teams, Azure, Citrix and VMWare
• Experience with Backup/Archiving technologies
• Scripting knowledge such as Powershell and an interest in automation/orchestration
• You'll be a strong advocate for ITIL processes and Change Control
• A client-centric mindset and a passion for delivering exceptional service
• A collaborative spirit and the ability to thrive in a team environment

Desirable Skills

• Working with Cloud Infrastructure
• Strong knowledge of Azure networking and Azure Security.

About us

At West Northants Council, it’s about our people. People who thrive with ambition, bubble with new ideas, demand better ways of working, caring about every detail, and who never shy away from a challenge. Our culture is a gateway for new experiences. A place to forge new opportunities. To empower you in your career and unite you with like-minded people.

Our vision is ‘to make West Northants a great place to live, work, visit and thrive’. We truly stand by this and work hard every day to make this a reality. Our corporate values, THRIVE, stand for: Trust, High Performance, Respect, Innovate and Empower, they underpin everything we do and how we deliver services. 

Hear more from our Chief Executive, Anna Earnshaw, about what it's like to work at West Northants Council https://youtu.be/lV0EfeUF4aU  

We are committed to ensuring diversity, equality, equity, and inclusion is woven into the fabric of WNC and everything we do, to enable all colleagues to develop and maximize their full potential.  We are a disability confident employer, a member of the Armed Forces Covenant, and a Care Leaver Covenant partner

The following film was created by us to communicate our intentions - watch WNC colleagues explain what DEI means to us.

If you need additional support or reasonable adjustments during the application process, including needing the job description in another format or language, please email careers@westnorthants.gov.uk for support.

West Northants Council, where careers thrive.

To apply please click the Apply Now link below.