Digital Service Centre Manager

Digital Service Centre Manager - Join the WeST Family and shape the future of Digital services

Westcountry Schools Trust (WeST) is a family of 31 schools (8 secondary and 23 primary), working together across the South West. We are ambitious for every child and are investing in modern, secure and connected digital services that help our schools collaborate, innovate and deliver an excellent education.

We are looking for an experienced, people-focused technology operations leader to shape how digital services are delivered across WeST. Based at our Plymouth headquarters, you will lead the Digital Service Centre and create reliable, modern services for colleagues across our schools and central teams. Your remit will span infrastructure, connectivity, endpoints, hardware and site technology, combining operational leadership with the opportunity to deliver meaningful improvement at Trust scale.

Working with school leaders, specialist managers and colleagues across WeST Digital, you will lead the support experience across our digital services, creating a responsive, insight-led operation that resolves more needs at first contact, communicates clearly and adapts to what schools need.

About this Role

As Digital Service Centre Manager, you will develop the Service Centre team to deliver first and second line support remotely and on site to primary schools and central services. You will use service data, knowledge management, self-service and automation to improve how requests are logged, prioritised and resolved, ensuring incidents are managed through to closure and schools know what to expect.

You will plan on-site school visits and oversee incident, service request, change and problem management; asset and device operations; planned maintenance and technical changes; and the team’s contribution to Trust-wide projects and migrations. Working within the standards, security baselines and service levels set by the Platforms and Identity Manager, Cyber Security Manager and Digital leadership, you will turn specialist expertise into consistent, scalable support. You will also coordinate suppliers and contractors, triage escalations from secondary-school teams, strengthen service continuity and expand the Service Centre’s capability.

This is a visible leadership role at an important point in WeST’s digital development. You will shape how the Service Centre works, develop its people and turn service insight into better digital experiences for schools.

What we're looking for

The role calls for sound judgement, empathy and a practical, customer-focused approach.

An experienced digital operations, infrastructure or service professional, confident leading and developing a technical team across a complex, multi-site environment.

• A strong people manager who can set clear priorities, motivate colleagues and maintain a genuine customer service focus.
• Experienced in service desk and IT service management practice, including incident, request and problem management, ideally with knowledge of ITIL.

Organised and calm under pressure, able to balance planned work, project activity and urgent incidents across a busy, multi-site estate.

• Able and willing to travel independently to schools across Plymouth, Devon and Cornwall to deliver the Service Centre's programme of on-site support.

Knowledgeable in network infrastructure, connectivity, switching, wireless, endpoint and device operations, identity and access management, and the site technologies that support safe and effective school operations.

• A clear communicator who can build trusted relationships with school leaders, colleagues and suppliers, and manage expectations honestly when capacity is stretched.
• Committed to working within Trust technical and security standards, raising challenges constructively rather than working around them.
• Curious about new technologies and proactive in using service insight, knowledge, automation and better processes to resolve more needs at first contact.
• Commercially aware and able to oversee suppliers, contribute to budget and asset-refresh planning, exercise delegated financial authority appropriately and ensure operational expenditure represents value for money.
• Aligned with WeST's values of collaboration, aspiration, integrity, compassion and respect.

Whilst the indicative working pattern is full time, all year round, we are happy to discuss flexible working.

Please note that this vacancy may close early if we identify and appoint a suitable candidate before the advertised closing date, so we encourage you to apply as soon as possible.

Procedures

All appointments are subject to pre-employment checks. That means:

• We are committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people and expect all staff and volunteers to share this commitment. A copy of our Child Protection Policy & Safeguarding Policy is attached.
• Your identity will be confirmed by sight of original, official documents such as a Birth Certificate, Passport etc. in line with the Asylum and Immigration Act 1996.
• Original documents relating to all the qualifications you have listed on your application form must be supplied.
• Your employment history will be thoroughly examined and clarification will be sought where there are gaps or other discrepancies arising from information provided either by you as the candidate or your referee.
• References will be used to check dates of employment and your relevant experience. A minimum of two written references will be taken up and these references will be requested before the interview.
• References should cover the last 3-5 years’ work history, as a minimum.
• An online search of shortlisted candidates will be conducted in accordance with Part Three ‘Safer Recruitment’ of Keeping Children Safe in Education statutory guidance.
• The identity of referees and information relating to disclosures will be verified.
• You will be required to provide details of any relevant unspent or spent convictions in accordance with the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 (Exceptions) (Amendment) Order 1986.
• An enhanced Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check will be requested. Please note that it is an offence to apply, offer or accept to do any work with children (paid or unpaid) if disqualified from working with children. Applicants will be challenged where inconsistencies exist. Please be aware that a firm offer of appointment will only be made after receipt and verification of all satisfactory checks. Westcountry Schools Trust will carry out these checks and should you fail these checks, our offer of employment will be withdrawn.

Further details about the Trust can be found on our website (www.westst.org.uk) and on My New Term (https://mynewterm.com/trust/Westcountry-Schools-Trust/142688 )