Our client is a well-established Managed Service Provider, CRM, and Software Development business, and they're looking for an experienced IT Operations Manager to take the lead on service delivery, performance, and continuous improvement across their customer base.

This is a hands-on leadership role where you'll oversee day-to-day IT operations, service delivery, and project execution, while also acting as the go-to escalation point for more complex issues. You'll be balancing technical know-how with people leadership and process improvement, making sure customers receive a reliable, secure, and scalable service.

Key Responsibilities

Operational & Service Management

* Take ownership of the day-to-day delivery of IT services, ensuring SLAs and KPIs are consistently met

* Act as the senior escalation point for both operational and technical issues

* Keep processes, documentation, and standards up to date and continuously improving

* Oversee incident, problem, and change management

* Ensure customer environments are stable, secure, and aligned with best practice

Team Leadership & Development

* Lead and support technical support and project teams

* Coach, mentor, and develop team members

* Clearly communicate company direction, team goals, and priorities

* Identify skills gaps and support ongoing training and development

Project & Change Delivery

* Oversee the full lifecycle of IT projects—from planning through to delivery and handover

* Ensure projects are delivered on time, within scope, and to the right technical standards

* Provide technical oversight before, during, and after project delivery

* Carry out site surveys and ensure accurate documentation is produced

Customer & Stakeholder Management

* Build strong, trusted relationships with key stakeholders

* Act as a senior technical advisor, helping customers align IT with their wider business goals

* Support Directors with pre-sales input and solution design

* Ensure smooth handovers into support teams

Technical Oversight

* Maintain oversight across customer environments, including:

* Windows Server and Active Directory

* Cloud platforms (Azure, Microsoft 365)

* Virtualisation (VMware, Hyper-V)

* Networking, firewalls, and security solutions

* Ensure best practice across backup, disaster recovery, security, and patching

* Stay hands-on when needed, particularly for complex issues or critical incidents

Essential

5+ years' experience in a customer-facing IT role within an MSP environment

Proven experience managing IT operations, service delivery, or technical teams

Strong background in Microsoft 365, Azure, Windows Server, and Active Directory

Solid understanding of networking, security, and virtualisation technologies

Excellent communication skills and the ability to build confidence at all levels

Strong organisational skills with great attention to detail

Comfortable working under pressure and managing competing priorities

Desirable

Experience with:

Microsoft 365, Teams, Exchange, SharePoint, Intune, Autopilot

VMware ESX, vCenter, and/or Hyper-V

Backup solutions and enterprise firewalls (Sophos XGS)

Email security platforms (Mimecast, Symantec)

LAN, WAN, VLAN, VPN, enterprise wireless, and MFA

Sophos, Egnyte, and Ubiquiti

IT certifications or formal technical qualifications

Strong documentation and reporting skills