IT Infrastructure Manager

JOB SUMMARY

The Infrastructure Manager is responsible for the leadership, governance, design, operational management, performance and continual improvement of the organisation’s IT infrastructure services. The role owns the end-to-end design, delivery and operational integrity of network, server, storage, virtualisation, workplace, cloud and hybrid infrastructure, ensuring services are secure, resilient, supportable, cost-effective and aligned with business priorities.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES

· Own the infrastructure strategy, roadmap, standards and operating model across networks, servers, storage, virtualisation, end-user platforms, data centres, cloud services and hybrid environments.

· Lead the design, delivery and controlled operation of LAN, WAN, Wi-Fi, SD-WAN, firewalls, internet connectivity and associated network services, ensuring resilient architectures, approved configurations and appropriate technical documentation.

· Accountable for infrastructure availability, capacity, performance, security, supportability and lifecycle health, using measurable service levels, operational KPIs and regular management reporting.

· Own centralised infrastructure monitoring and alerting to proactively identify risks to health, availability, performance and capacity, ensuring alerts are actionable and team accountability for timely response is clearly defined.

· Maintain a complete and current suite of architecture diagrams, site records, configurations, procedures, support models, asset data and knowledge articles, with clear ownership and review cycles.

· Provide clear leadership, direction and line management for the infrastructure function, setting objectives, allocating work, developing capability and holding team members and suppliers accountable for agreed outcomes.

· Own the governance and optimisation of cloud and hybrid infrastructure, including connectivity, compute, storage, backup, monitoring, cost control, security configuration and alignment architecture principles.

· Drive the adoption of cloud infrastructure and migration from on-premises environments where appropriate, assessing business needs, technical suitability, security, resilience and total cost of ownership, and remaining accountable for migration planning, delivery and transition into operational support.

· Maintain ownership of infrastructure risks, technical debt and vulnerabilities, with documented remediation plans, ensuring clear visibility of risks and associated governance.

· Direct infrastructure projects and technical change from requirements and design through implementation, testing, acceptance and transition to support, with clear accountability for scope, quality, cost, risk and benefits.

· Ensure incidents, service requests, problems and changes are managed in line with agreed priorities, service levels and ITIL-aligned controls, taking command of major infrastructure incidents and ensuring effective communication, recovery and post-incident action.

· Ensure patching, configuration hardening, privileged access, endpoint protection, vulnerability remediation and audit evidence are completed to policy and within agreed timescales.

· Own backup, restore and disaster recovery capability across on-premises and cloud services, ensuring recovery objectives are defined, tests are completed, failures are remediated and recovery readiness is evidenced.

· Approve infrastructure designs, bills of materials, implementation plans, method statements, risk assessments, migration plans, acceptance criteria and operational handover documentation.

· Manage infrastructure budgets, forecasts, licensing, assets, contracts and supplier performance, ensuring value for money, accurate records, commercial control and timely renewal or replacement decisions.

· Build effective relationships with security teams, service management, project teams and third parties, translating business needs into prioritised and supportable infrastructure outcomes.

· Champion continual service improvement, automation, standardisation and simplification, ensuring improvement actions have measurable benefits and accountable delivery owners.

· Ensure the function has appropriate resource, skills, succession and operational coverage to meet current and future business requirements.

SKILLS & CAPABILITIES

Experience & Knowledge

· Substantial experience leading infrastructure operations and engineering teams in complex, multi-site or business-critical environments.

· Demonstrable management accountability for infrastructure operational performance, people, budgets, suppliers, risks, controls and delivery commitments.

· Broad technical knowledge across enterprise networking, Wi-Fi, firewalls, SD-WAN, servers, storage, virtualisation, endpoints, identity, backup and disaster recovery.

· Technology experience across Cisco routing and switching, Fortinet firewalls, HP servers and storage, Veeam Backup, infrastructure monitoring technologies, VMware, Microsoft Hyper-V and Microsoft Azure.

· Practical experience managing public cloud and hybrid infrastructure, including cloud governance, security, connectivity, monitoring, resilience, cost optimisation and operational support.

· Experience owning major incidents, infrastructure change, problem resolution, lifecycle planning, technical debt and continual service improvement in an ITIL-aligned environment.

· Experience directing infrastructure projects, reviewing technical designs and ensuring effective testing, acceptance and transition into operational support.

· Strong commercial and supplier management experience, including budgeting, forecasting, procurement, licensing, contract performance and value-for-money decisions.

· Sound knowledge of information security, vulnerability management, access control, audit evidence and relevant ISO and Cyber Essentials requirements.

· Ability to establish clear ownership, define expected outcomes and intervene decisively when performance, risk or delivery falls below standard.

· Ability to translate strategic and business requirements into prioritised infrastructure roadmaps, investment cases and deliverable plans.

· Strong analytical, governance and reporting capability, with confidence presenting service performance, risks, decisions and recommendations to senior stakeholders.

PERSONAL ATTRIBUTES

· Visible, accountable leader who takes ownership of outcomes and creates the same expectation across the team and supplier community.

· Confident people manager who sets clear standards, provides constructive challenge, develops capability and addresses underperformance promptly and fairly.

· Calm and decisive during major incidents, outages and competing operational pressures.

· Strong communicator able to explain complex infrastructure, cloud, risk and investment matters in clear business language.

· Commercially aware, financially disciplined and focused on measurable value and service outcomes.

· Collaborative and credible with engineers, business leaders, customers, security specialists and third-party partners.

· Structured, organised and able to balance strategic planning with hands-on operational leadership.

· Committed to continuous learning, standardisation, automation and evidence-based improvement.

COMPLIANCE AND VALUES

Ensure adherence to:

· ITIL Framework

· Quality (ISO 9001)

· Information Security (ISO 27001)

· Cyber essentials & Cyber essentials +

· Environmental Management (ISO 14001 / ESG)

Consistently demonstrate Axians’ UK core values:

· Trust, Solidarity, Responsibility, Entrepreneurial Mindset & Autonomy

SALARY AND BENEFITS

· Salary is based on experience and location.

· Benefits include:

· Company Shares Scheme, Pension, Medical Insurance, Financial Planning Support, Death in Service, Medicash Healthcare Cash Plan, Permanent Total Disability Insurance, Enhanced Maternity/Paternity/Adoption Pay, Company Sick Pay, Hybrid Working, Investment in personal and professional training, Professional Memberships, Health checks, Wellbeing training and support, Employee Assistance Program, Flu jabs, Eyecare and of course paid holiday.

WORK ENVIRONMENT

Axians is a fun and growing business both in the UK and globally. We are part of a network of businesses where you can learn from and work with peers worldwide to help you achieve your ambitions. Supporting our employees and customers is at the heart of who we are. This means we can support a hybrid work environment, but we always work best in teams in person, either in our offices or on customer sites.

ABOUT US

Axians UK is a technology services partner that delivers transformative solutions to accelerate our customers’ ambitions in today’s ever-changing world. Whether they need tried-and-tested platforms or cutting-edge innovation, we commit to customer excellence and invest in long-term thinking.

The strength of Axians’ global network as part of VINCI Energies means our customers can rely on our incredible people to deploy technology that achieves critical operational outcomes, wherever you are and whatever your need.