Job descriptionIT Lead - Manchester Based (3 Days Hybrid) About Finova Finova is the UK’s largest financial services technology provider, supporting one in every five mortgages nationwide. Our agile, cloud-native solutions enable over 60 banks, building societies, specialist lenders, equity release providers and a network of 2,400+ brokers to stay ahead in a competitive market. Built on open architecture and backed by deep industry expertise, our platform is designed to scale. Each year, we process over £50 billion in loans, manage nearly £50 billion in savings, and support the digital servicing of more than 650,000 UK borrower accounts. Be part of a team that’s driving innovation, enabling growth and shaping the future of UK lending. For Lenders Finova offers a flexible, modular technology suite designed to help lenders move faster, scale efficiently and deliver standout digital experiences. Financial Institutions use Finova to launch products faster, process applications up to 50% more efficiently and reduce operational costs — all while staying fully compliant in a fast-moving market. About the Role: Finova is seeking an experienced and hands-on Head of IT to lead and develop the internal IT function on a permanent basis. Core Responsibility: Oversee the full breadth of internal IT across Finova, including end-user computing, identity/access, collaboration platforms, networking, internal systems, and daily employee tech experience. Key Focus: Transform IT from a reactive function into a well-run, well-governed service. Energy is required for resolving critical process issues (e.g., centralizing decentralized application purchasing, modernizing the JML lifecycle). Technical Ecosystem: Requires deep technical expertise across Microsoft Azure, M365, and Google Workspace. Location: Hybrid role, based in Finova's Manchester office at least 3 days per week , with travel to other offices as required. About you: Here is an "About You" section tailored for the candidate profile of this role, formatted for a job description or advertisement: You are a pragmatic, operationally minded IT leader who thrives on turning chaos into order. You don’t just manage systems—you transform them, bringing governance to decentralized environments and turning reactive IT support into a highly efficient, trusted business service. Key Qualifications & Experience: Proven IT Leadership: Significant experience leading and developing internal IT teams (Service Desk and Infrastructure) within a regulated, enterprise, or fast-growing technology environment. Transformation Track Record: A proven history of tackling inherited process bottlenecks—specifically modernizing the Joiners, Movers, Leavers (JML) lifecycle and reining in shadow IT/decentralized SaaS purchasing. Ecosystem Expertise: Deep technical knowledge of the Microsoft/M365 ecosystem (Entra ID, Intune, Exchange, Teams, SharePoint, Azure) alongside a solid working knowledge of Google Workspace administration. ITIL & Governance: Strong background in IT Service Management (ITSM), with the ability to embed practical, ITIL-aligned frameworks without introducing unnecessary bureaucracy. Vendor & Budget Management: Experienced in negotiating with strategic vendors, overseeing SLAs, managing contract renewals, and balancing an operational budget. Forward-Thinking Mindset: Familiarity with leveraging automation, self-service, and the controlled rollout of AI productivity tools (like Microsoft Copilot) to help an organization scale. Core Attributes: The "Fixer" Mentality: You are genuinely energized by diagnosing root causes, rebuilding broken processes end-to-end, and driving operational maturity. Credible Communicator: You possess the stakeholder management skills necessary to engage confidently with department heads, HR, Finance, and the executive leadership team. Collaborative Change Agent: You know how to centralize governance and introduce strict IT controls smoothly, earning the trust and buy-in of the business rather than creating friction. What will you be doing? Leadership & Oversight Team Management: Lead and manage the internal IT team, ensuring continuity, performance, development, and morale. Daily Operations: Provide oversight of IT operations, including the service desk, infrastructure, end-user computing, and collaboration platforms. Employee Experience: Own the technology experience end-to-end—from onboarding hardware to daily support—ensuring staff have the tools and access needed. Strategic Direction: Build an internal IT roadmap that supports business growth, scale, and operational maturity. Process, Governance, and Service Delivery Process Remediation: Diagnose and resolve critical process issues, bringing structure, governance, and reporting to areas that have grown ad-hoc. ITSM Practices: Define and operate ITIL-aligned service management practices (incident, problem, change, and request management) scaled appropriately for Finova. JML Lifecycle: Rebuild the Joiners, Movers, Leavers (JML) process end-to-end across HR, IT, and the business for fast onboarding, clean transitions, and prompt access revocation. Operational Visibility: Drive improvements in service desk metrics, asset inventory, and system health, reporting meaningfully to leadership. Compliance: Develop and maintain IT policies, standards, and documentation to ensure consistent, auditable operations. Vendor & Stakeholder Management Vendor Relations: Manage relationships with key IT vendors and service providers to ensure service levels, value for money, and strategic alignment. Contract Oversight: Oversee external vendors, including SLAs, contract management, and renewals. Business Liaison: Act as the senior IT point of contact, engaging credibly with department heads, finance, HR, and leadership on technology decisions. Budgeting: Manage the IT budget, balancing operational stability with forward-looking investments. Technology Platform & Infrastructure Ecosystem Ownership: Own the internal Microsoft Azure, M365 (Entra ID, Intune, Exchange, Teams, SharePoint, OneDrive), and Google Workspace estate. Drive rationalization between the two ecosystems where appropriate. Infrastructure & Networking: Lead internal networking, connectivity, and office IT estates across Finova locations to ensure reliable, modern infrastructure. Device Management: Manage the device estate (laptops, mobiles, peripherals) via modern endpoint management, automated provisioning, and clear lifecycles. SaaS Governance: Bring the internal SaaS and application portfolio under central IT management to eliminate shadow IT, consolidate subscriptions, and track costs. What We Offer: Hybrid working 🕰️ Work in a hybrid way that suits you. Our model is primarily office-based, with flexibility to work remotely as needed. We’re committed to supporting a healthy balance between work and life. Private medical insurance 👩⚕️ Comprehensive health cover, with the option to add your family to your plan, because your well-being matters to us. Life assurance & income protection 💰 We provide life assurance and income protection to give you peace of mind for the future Family friendly policies 👶 Our enhanced family-friendly policy goes beyond maternity and paternity leave, offering paid time off for when plans change or alternative paths to parenthood are needed. Work from anywhere 🌴 Some thrive in the office, others at home — and many do best with choice. With approval, Finova employees can work abroad for up to 4 weeks each year. Flexible holiday package 🗓️ Enjoy 25 days paid holiday allowance, plus all public holidays. And, you can rebook any public holidays for a day that aligns with your personal beliefs or celebration calendar. We also offer holiday trading allowing you to purchase or sell your holiday allowance. Company pension scheme 🏦 With salary exchange, you save on tax and can build a secure future. Employee assistance programme 💞 We understand that mental health is just as important as physical health. Access to a 24/7 confidential counselling helpline ensures you have support when you need it. Electric car scheme 🚗 Get a brand-new electric vehicle with salary sacrifice as a benefit, paid for through your gross monthly pay, saving on Income Tax and National Insurance. Health cash plan 🏥 Our Health Cash Plan empowers you to prioritise your wellbeing by providing effortless reimbursement for everyday healthcare costs, from dental and optical visits to physiotherapy. Gym discounts 🏋️ Achieve your fitness goals for less with GymFlex, which offers significant savings on annual memberships at over 3,000 gyms and leisure centers nationwide. Perks that matter 🎁 We fuel your day with a fully stocked pantry of fresh fruit and snacks and keep the team spirit high with weekly socials and events. Equal Opportunity Statement We value diversity and are committed to creating an inclusive environment for all employees. If you’re passionate about this role but don’t meet all the criteria, please reach out, we’d love to discuss how your skills and experiences align with our needs.
