IT Change Manager

Job summary

As our IT Change Manager, you will lead the governance and continual improvement of IT Change Management, ensuring that new and updated technology can move into live service with risks understood and operational stability protected.

This is much more than a process role. You will have the authority to influence significant deployment decisions, bring stakeholders together and drive improvements across Technology Operations. From managing high-pressure emergency changes to leading conversations and chairing the Change Authority Board, your judgement and expertise will directly support successful delivery.

You will join a collaborative environment where your ideas, professional challenge and ability to turn complex information into clear decisions will make a visible difference.

You will work as part of the IT Service Delivery team and have the opportunity to develop your skills and knowledge both through formal training and other development opportunities.

Hybrid working

This job role can be worked on a hybrid basis, which is an informal, non-contractual and voluntary arrangement, working between the office in Taunton and remotely within the UK.

Our team has a mix of colleagues, split between those who work predominantly from home and those who attend the office, dependent on business needs. This role requires frequent contact with the Senior Management team and site-based support teams. The successful candidate will therefore need to be able to attend the office regularly, at least one day a week, due to the nature of the role.

Job description

1. Lead the day-to-day operation of IT Change Management, guiding changes from initial submission through approval, implementation and review.
2. Assess the risk, impact and operational readiness of proposed changes, ensuring plans are robust before deployment to live services.
3. Chair the weekly Change Authority Board, bringing stakeholders together to make clear, informed and timely go/no-go decisions.
4. Provide expert advice and constructive challenge to technical teams, projects and senior stakeholders, helping them deliver change safely and effectively.
5. Oversee emergency and unauthorised changes, making confident decisions and coordinating communications in fast-moving or high-pressure situations.
6. Maintain a clear view of upcoming change through the Forward Schedule of Change, identifying potential conflicts and managing change moratorium periods.
7. Lead post-implementation reviews, capturing lessons from successful and unsuccessful changes and ensuring agreed improvements are taken forward.
8. Continuously improve the Change Management approach, using feedback, performance information and industry good practice to strengthen governance and reduce disruption to live services.

Person specification

1. Significant recent professional experience of IT Change Management within a large, complex technology environment.
2. SFIA Skills: Change control: Level 5, Risk Management: Level 4. Strong knowledge of IT service management best practice, supported by an ITIL 4 qualification.
3. Extensive experience analysing complex change proposals, assessing risk and making timely, evidence-based decisions.
4. Excellent communication and influencing skills, with the ability to provide constructive challenge and engage stakeholders at all levels.
5. A collaborative team player who can build strong working relationships across technical, project and business teams.
6. Highly organised and able to manage competing priorities, operational pressures and urgent changes effectively.
7. Experience of using IT service management tools and producing performance information to monitor outcomes and drive improvement.
8. A proactive and resilient approach, with the confidence to take ownership, work independently and maintain standards in challenging situations

Behaviours

We'll assess you against these behaviours during the selection process:

• Managing a Quality Service
• Making Effective Decisions
• Seeing the Big Picture

Technical skills

We'll assess you against these technical skills during the selection process:

• Evidence of SFIA skills:Change Control - Level 5Risk Management - Level 4All skills A–Z — English (sfia-online.org)

Benefits

Alongside your salary of £50,292, UK Hydrographic Office contributes £14,569 towards you being a member of the Civil Service Defined Benefit Pension scheme. Find out what benefits a Civil Service Pension provides (opens in a new window).

At the UK Hydrographic Office, it's very important to us that our people feel valued.

We offer a huge range of benefits such as training and development, well-being support, flexible/ homeworking, a fantastic state of the art building, high spec equipment, and so much more.

See our attached Candidate Information Pack for more details.

Things you need to know

Artificial intelligence

Artificial intelligence can be a useful tool to support your application, however, all examples and statements provided must be truthful, factually accurate and taken directly from your own experience. Where plagiarism has been identified (presenting the ideas and experiences of others, or generated by artificial intelligence, as your own) applications may be withdrawn and internal candidates may be subject to disciplinary action. Please see our candidate guidance (opens in a new window) for more information on appropriate and inappropriate use.

Selection process details

This vacancy is using Success Profiles (opens in a new window), and will assess your Behaviours, Experience and Technical skills.

How to Apply:

When you click "Apply Now" at the bottom of this page, you will be required to attach your anonymised CV, together with a 750 word supporting statement on the experience criteria below (please use 250 words per criteria with clear headings in your supporting statement).

Timeline:

• Advert Closes for applications: 15th October 2026
• Shortlisting: W/c 19th October 2026
• Interviews: W/c 2nd November 2026

We will try to meet the dates set out in the advert. There may be occasions when these dates change. You will be provided with sufficient notice of the confirmed dates.

All applications are processed anonymously. You will be short-listed against the following criteria:

Pre-Sift Criteria

• ITIL v4 Foundation qualified (this information will be taken from your CV and supporting statement).

If you do not meet the pre-sift criteria, your application will not be taken through to be sifted on the Experience Criteria below:-

Sift/Shortlist Criteria:

• IT Change Management Expertise - Demonstrates evidence of significant experience leading and governing IT change within a complex technology environment, with a strong understanding of risk management, change control and service management best practice (lead criteria used in the event of a high volume of applications).
• Decision Making and Risk Assessment - Demonstrates ability to evaluate complex technical and business information, assess risk and impact, and make sound, evidence-based decisions that balance operational stability with busin