IT Service Manager

At the SKAO we are coordinating a global effort to deliver one of the largest science facilities on the planet. The SKAO telescopes will be next-generation instruments that will help to answer key questions in astrophysics, drive technological innovation and support human capital development. 

More than a dozen partner countries and over a thousand scientists and engineers around the world are already on board, making the SKA project an international collaboration like no other, and one of the most ambitious science and engineering endeavours of the 21st century.

Headquartered in the UK, with telescope sites in Australia and South Africa, the SKAO will be one observatory operating two telescopes, an endeavour spanning three continents. Multinational by design, in early 2021 the SKAO became an intergovernmental organisation, one of only a select handful of science infrastructures to do so worldwide.

Our Global HQ is located near the buzzing city of Manchester at the historic Jodrell Bank Observatory, a UNESCO World Heritage site located in the Cheshire countryside. It is home to a rapidly expanding international team of more than a hundred, working in a highly collaborative and inclusive way, in coordination with SKAO teams in Australia and South Africa as part of a global astronomy and engineering community.

Being part of Team SKA means contributing to something extraordinary: a uniquely exciting project to advance human knowledge that will last for decades. In return, we offer a diverse multicultural working environment, 30 days annual leave plus public holidays, a generous pension scheme, visa and support with relocation (if applicable), regular social events, a family-friendly environment and much more. Come and join us!

The IT Service Manager will manage, maintain, and work to continuously improve, the IT service provided to all SKAO staff and the SKA Community. They will coordinate the global IT staff resources to deliver high-quality support services. They will support the technical delivery of events and technical development activities.

Job Location Cheshire, UK (Head Office)

The IT Service Manager will manage, maintain, and work to continuously improve, the IT service provided to all SKAO staff and the SKA Community. They will coordinate the global IT staff resources to deliver high-quality support services and technical development activities.

The IT Service Manager will be the principal point of contact for all IT support matters and service maintenance activities, ensuring effective, user-focused, outcomes across the Observatory.

Reporting to the Head of IT, the IT Service Manager will line manage the IT Support Analysts and will determine all available resources in the IT Team for project work whilst prioritising the delivery of the service. They will be in a leading position in the planning and delivery of project work relating to SKAO’s core commercial off-the-shelf (COTS) as well as other enterprise services and communications and events platforms. They will be responsible for driving service improvements and platform enhancements across these systems, working closely with technical specialists and stakeholders to ensure solutions are effectively designed, implemented, and embedded into operational support.

The IT Service Manager will lead the support and continuous improvement of event-related IT services, including collaboration platforms and meeting room technologies, for events held at SKAO premises and provide expert consultation for events at other locations.

This role will be based at the SKAO Global Headquarters at the iconic Jodrell Bank Observatory, Cheshire, UK.

SKAO is committed to providing an inclusive and flexible working environment, meeting the requests of our Colleagues whilst also fulfilling the needs and objectives of the Observatory.

This role requires the post holder to work across different time zones and, in line with SKAO policy, flexible working hours will be supported in agreement with the line manager.

Key Responsibilities, Accountabilities and Duties

•  Developing and managing the follow-the-sun service desks, drawing on the technical expertise of IT staff based in the three host countries and the wider technical community.
• Implementing and operating IT services and continual service improvements, including SLAs/OLAs, automation of repetitive tasks, knowledge sharing, and the ongoing enhancement of user experience and customer relationships.
• Line or functional management of aligned staff, including work allocation, regular check-ins, performance reviews, and identification of training and development needs.
• Providing oversight and coordination of IT asset lifecycle processes, working in collaboration with specialist roles to ensure effective standards, procurement practices, and lifecycle controls are in place, without direct ownership of day-to-day asset management.
• Leading the planning and delivery of project work relating to SKAO’s core commercial off-the-shelf (COTS) platforms, and other enterprise services, ensuring successful implementation, transition into service, and ongoing optimisation.
• Acting as the service owner for core enterprise platforms, ensuring they are effectively governed, maintained, and continuously improved in line with organisational needs.
• Supporting Lean Agile project delivery by identifying available IT resources and balancing priorities between service operations and project commitments.
• Developing the capability to deliver IT services effectively within programme cadence, ensuring alignment with wider organisational planning cycles.
• Supporting and, where appropriate, leading technically the delivery of ICT services, including incident, request, and problem management, and the support of end-user services and collaboration technologies.
• Leading the support and continuous improvement of event-related IT services, including collaboration platforms and meeting room technologies.
• Undertake any other duties within your capabilities as may be reasonably required.

Mandatory Knowledge, Skills and Experience

• Qualified to university degree level in a related subject or equivalent experience
• Knowledge and experience in IT service provision and Service Management Frameworks (e.g. ITIL)
• Experience in managing resources and prioritisation
• Technical experience with the willingness and ability to provide direct IT support when required
• Experience with enterprise cloud platforms (e.g. Microsoft, Google and Atlassian)
• Strong communication skills with the ability to build working relationships with international stakeholders
• A flexible team player who is adaptable to change
• Willingness and ability to work outside of normal working hours on occasion to meet service needs

Desirable Knowledge, Skills and Experience

• Certification held in relevant disciplines
• Experience of managing or leading a team
• Experience of Lean Agile project management
• Programming/scripting experience and capability across multiple platforms
• Experience in asset lifecycle management and software asset management

Equality Diversity and Inclusion Statement

SKA Observatory recognises that our diversity is a strength. We aim to create a welcoming and inclusive environment where everyone feels they belong, and diverse perspectives and ideas thrive. As such, Equality, Diversity, and Inclusion are at the core of SKA Observatory’s agenda.

Our aim is to recruit and retain the most talented individuals, regardless of gender, race, disability, age, sexual orientation, marital status, religion, nationality or background.

Women have traditionally been under-represented in the fields of science and engineering; SKA Observatory welcomes and encourages female applicants. 

Where applicants with a disability need facilities or adjustments to enable them to participate in the recruitment process, these will be provided.

SKA Observatory welcome all candidates, especially those from member countries.

The “How to Apply” information contained within the SKA Observatory recruitment portal provides more detail regarding our application and selection approach.

Apply for this jobSend to a Friend