Head of IT Services and Operations

Permanent Competitive based on skills and experience Full time; 40 hours per week Based in: Covent Garden, London

The Royal Ballet and Opera continues to lead the way in opera, ballet, music and dance both live on stage and through multiple digital platforms, from live streaming to worldwide cinema screenings. Our Covent Garden theatre has been at the heart of London and British cultural life for three centuries. We are home to two world-class Companies: The Royal Ballet and The Royal Opera.

The Royal Opera House describes the place we work, not who we are. The whole is always more than the sum of its parts - we may be a House, but three quarters of our audience experience what we do outside this building. While our Covent Garden theatre is the nerve centre, the impact and influence of the organisation can be felt in every corner of the country, and around the world. Keeping us connected to audiences across the world are our technology team, who enable us to do our jobs onsite by providing the network, infrastructure and systems for all departments to work effectively.

Following an internal senior promotion, we are now looking for a Head of IT Services and Operations. This critical role is responsible for overseeing the Services and Operations department, ensuring alignment with the ITIL framework. This broad role involves strategic planning, management, and continuous improvement of IT services to support the organisation`s goals.

Our ideal candidate will be an experienced and dynamic leader as this role requires strong leadership, excellent communication skills, and a deep understanding of IT service management. They will be able to demonstrate:

• Proven experience managing a variety of teams including Operations Managers, DevOps engineers, Service Desk Analysts and Infrastructure Engineers.
• Extensive experience in IT service management, with a strong background in the ITIL framework.
• Strong technical skills and experience in managing technology operations.
• Excellent analytical and problem-solving skills.
• Ability to maintain positive relations with all user groups and stakeholders.
• Experience working successfully with cross-discipline teams.

An ITIL certification (e.g., ITIL Foundation, ITIL Practitioner) is highly desirable so please do reference this in your application is applicable.

The Royal Ballet and Opera is committed to creating a diverse and inclusive environment in which everyone can thrive. We particularly welcome applications from those who are from a global majority background and/or those who are disabled, as they are under-represented within our organisation. As a Disability Confident Employer, we guarantee to interview all disabled applicants who meet the essential minimum criteria for our vacancies.

Closing date for applications: 8am, Friday 10th January 2025 . Applicants must have work authorisation for the UK. No agencies please.