Head of IT

AN INDEPENDENT CO-EDUCATIONAL DAY AND BOARDING SCHOOL FOR PUPILS AGED 7 TO 18 IN THE HEART OF SURREY

Head

of IT

Information

for prospective staff

About Freemen's

Our mission is to inspire our people to learn, to lead and to make a difference.

We believe that if we can motivate pupils and staff to always give their best, the School will continue to grow and thrive. Community engagement and our impact on the world beyond our walls are at the forefront of everything we do at Freemen’s.

The School was founded in Brixton in 1854 to provide an education for the orphaned children of Freemen of the City of London before moving to the present site, Ashtead Park, in 1926. We have a magnificent site with modern buildings alongside the original Main House set in a stunning 57 acres of parkland. This idyllic setting further supports the wellbeing of our students and staff, as being here, in the park, makes coming to work a pleasure. It looks striking in every season and we are lucky to have a vast array of wildlife living in our woods.

Today, Freemen’s is an independent day and boarding school for students aged 7-18, with a strong ethos of community and service in accordance with the values on which the School

was founded. We are proudly co-educational and have been since 1854, which was radical at the time, and we continue to push the boundaries of what’s possible with our forward-thinking, progressive approach.

You can expect to be teaching highly able, personable and engaged students who are a pleasure to work with. Whilst stellar exam results and academic excellence are one of the outcomes at the school, that’s not all. Our curriculum ensures each individual finds a path which is appropriate for them, be that in the classroom, on a sports pitch or in one of the many co-curricular activities we encourage our young people to throw themselves into. That curriculum is built upon four pillars of the Freemen’s education: pastoral support, House activities, academic achievement, and our varied co-curricular programme (including sport) to ensure every student realises their potential. Crucially, we then spend time helping our students to understand who and why they are becoming the people they are.

Teachers at Freemen's embody our principles for excellent classroom practice, offering innovative and forward-thinking approaches and enabling us to be a beacon of learning and teaching. They are supported with a comprehensive programme

About Freemen's

of continued professional learning so there are always opportunities to develop and we stay abreast of change.

The emphasis in the Junior School is on Kindness, Honesty and Fun and the Senior School picks up that message with a pastoral programme that emphasizes the importance of a strong, supportive community in which every member, staff and student, feels respected, supported and valued. As a result, we are able to support our young people to successfully navigate the tests of life they face every day.

We do all of this in an environment where staff and students are helped to feel like they matter, feel supported, and enjoy access to a community of people and physical environment which is good for the body and for the soul.

The School is one of four independent schools managed by the City of London Corporation (The City). The City provides financial support in the form of bursaries and scholarships. Other links with the City of London and the Livery Companies are strong, which presents opportunities for staff to attend events at Guildhall and elsewhere in the City, as well as the possibility of gaining the honour of the Freedom of the City of London.

Transport links are good; the School is a mile from Ashtead station with regular services to Epsom and London and south to Leatherhead and Guildford. The M25 junction 9 is a sevenminute drive from the School.

Information about the role

Reporting to: Chief Operating Officer.

Responsible for: Manager - Projects and Infrastructure Manager – Learning Technologies

Key relationships

The Head of IT is responsible for setting, leading and managing all aspects of the delivery of the vision of the digital transformation and IT service provision within Freemen’s, in conjunction with school leadership.

Purpose of Post

To manage the IT team as well as media services, infrastructure and projects functions to ensure that Freemen’s continues to make excellent progress in improving facilities, services and systems for all pupils and staff, as well as delivering the most up-to-date educational service.

Main duties and responsibilities

Leadership and Planning

• As a member of the IT Strategy Group ensure that IT facilities, support and service continue to evolve and reflect the requirements of Teaching and Learning and that the School

IT platforms and infrastructure availability matches the development, evolution and integration of business applications.

• With the COO and IT Strategy Group, and working with your reports, define and plan a programme of projects across IT infrastructure, IT facilities and IT Service which continually enhance the IT systems and facilities available to staff and students and which reflect the changing needs and expectations of learners, supporting aspirations of those responsible for TEL and enabling flexibility, experimentation, and innovation. Ensures delivery to timescale and within budget.

• Responsible for Refresh Programme and budget, implementation, mentoring and adaptation.

IT Management

• Line management responsibility for Manager of Infrastructure and Projects and Business Systems Manager.

• Manages the relationship between IT functions to ensure that responsibilities and procedures are clearly defined and adhered to. Conducting reviews as needed.

• Directs the establishment and oversees the management of a rigorous systematic

Job description - Head of IT

approach to IT systems operations –encompassing security, availability, compliance, performance.

• Oversee and use a project managementbased approach, using appropriate tools, skills and processes.

• Oversee a service level driven approach and embed culture of service within team, supported by visible reporting and monitoring, periodic audit and improvement programmes.

• Develop and implement a quality improvement approach across all aspects of the IT service.

• Manages the contract oversight and review of both internal and external services, and tailoring these reports to the specific needs of the School and maintaining KPI’s and publishing dashboards.

• Manage financial resources, in line with the City’s financial regulations, to ensure that expenditure is appropriately focused to

delivering the School’s strategic objectives and plan, managing delegated budgets and alerting the COO to significant budget variances in a timely manner.

Procurement and Technological Development

• Ensures there is robust analysis and evaluation associated with technology investments, purchases and decisions (including assessment and communication of risks, business case justifications, cost benefit analysis, requirement definitions etc.).

• Provides IT sign off for new projects/systems to the COO and Headmaster.

• Through the Learning Technologies Lead, responsible for conducting research and remaining up to date and knowledgeable with regards to educational trends and emerging technologies in anticipation of new processes and system alterations.

• Through the Learning Technologies

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Job description - Head of IT

Lead, ensuring that all members of the IT Department assist with the delivery of training to the staff body to maintain skills and support the use of new and emerging technologies.

Communication

• Analyses information to identify problems, trends and forecast activities to improve performance on relatively complex and medium risk environments. Use appropriate management tools and translates complex and detailed outputs into meaningful reports.

Security and Risk Management

• Ensures, through the Manager of Infrastructure and Projects, an appropriate regime is in place for information security management across all infrastructure and both internal and externally hosted business systems, developing a culture of information security awareness through training, risk assessment and management..

• Through the Manager of Infrastructure and Projects Develop, deliver and operate a business continuity and disaster recovery strategy and an Information Security approach. o undertake any other duties that may reasonably be requested appropriate to the grade.

• Ensure Cyber Security defences robust and that Cyber essentials certification achieved.

People Management

• Provide a strong, supportive, clear, open leadership style that influences and motivates staff to work as effectively as possible to meet the needs of staff and students.

• Participate in the planning and delivery of personal and professional development

that enables the building of capacity and capability to enable the strategy while meeting identified needs within your area of work.

• Support the existing teams through prioritisation and escalation to ensure that customer service is excellent and that staff workload is managed appropriately.

Other

• Actively seek to implement and comply with the School’s Safeguarding policies and procedures and to demonstrate a commitment to the safety and welfare of children.

• Actively seek to implement the City of London’s Occupational Health and Safety Policy in relation to the duties of the post, and at all times give due regard to the health and safety of both themselves and others when carrying out their duties, informing the Bursar of any concerns regarding Health & Safety and safe working practices.

• Actively seek to implement the City of London’s Equal Opportunity Policy and the

objective to promote equality of opportunity in relation to the duties of the post.

• Undertake any other duties that may reasonably be requested appropriate to the grade.

Revision of Job Description

According to the development and requirement of the School, job descriptions may need to be reviewed and updated periodically after consultation with the job holder.

Person Specification

Please find below the qualifications, experience and technical skills required to undertake this post. Each criterion will be assessed at application (A), interview (I) or test (T) as indicated below.

Professional Qualifications / Relevant Education and Training

Relevant Degree, or related work experience (A).

Experience required, including budget holding experience

• Experience of leading teams or functions. (A, I)

• Experience of strategic delivery of IT services within education preferred. (A, I)

• Experience of managing and delivering change through projects in IT. (A, I)

• Experience of project planning and delivery of IT services. (A, I)

• Experience of budgeting, cost management and estimating, and of procurement of IT services. (A, I)

• Experience of providing excellent customer service. (A, I)

• Good organisational and planning skills. (A, I)

• Attention to detail with strong analytical skills with commercial view. (A, I)

• Strong interpersonal skills. (A, I)

• Effective written and oral communication skills. (A, I)

Personal Qualities

• Experienced leader with IT focus. (A, I)

• An ability to see the ‘big picture’ across the IT facilities and service and undertake analysis and prioritisation based on this. (A, I)

• An aptitude for capturing and understanding IT from a users’ perspective. (A, I)

• Integrity and professional and considered approach. (A, I, T)

• Analytical approach to both projects and

planning and to problem resolution. (A, I)

• Ability to manage own time and priorities effectively. (A, I)

• Ability to communicate with staff across the school and at all levels. (A, I)

• Assertive – ability to hold your own and to manage suppliers (internal and external) to achieve the school’s requirements. (A, I)

• Ability to identify and nurture talent within the team. (A, I)

Technical Skills

• Strong understanding of a number of the key technologies in use across schools. (A)

• Strong understanding of Microsoft and IOS operating environments and Edtech. (A)

• Sufficient broad technical skills and confidence to challenge projects. (A, I)

• Understanding of financial planning. (A)

Other relevant information e.g. working hours or desirables 100% on site.

Note to Applicants

The qualifications, experience and technical skills will be used in the decision making process for recruitment. Please give examples of how you have exhibited these behaviours in your previous role(s). It is essential you address the criterion marked as (A) on your application form in the section for supporting information. Be as specific as possible, we will assess your application solely on the information provided. Try to provide evidence, by examples, where possible, of skills, knowledge and experience.

"This friendly, grounded and well-run school takes the pressure off getting academically bright young things into senior schools and seems to a knack of making challenging work seem fun."

The Good Schools Guide

Professional expectations of staff

Safeguarding

Staff will be kind, fair and respectful to students and each other, challenge others when they are unkind, unfair or disrespectful and have the highest regard for the students’ safety and their safeguarding duties, whether on or off the school premises.

Appearance

Smart professional dress, or appropriate co-curricular clothing, at all times.

Availability

Prompt attendance during the School’s operating hours and a commitment to completing School business is expected.

Awareness and use of Freemen’s policies

Staff will be able to access and use policies as necessary, and read and act upon them appropriately.

Behaviour

Staff will establish Freemen’s as a place of learning and will determine clear boundaries of behaviour, based on mutual respect and trust. Staff will have high expectations of students and will manage their behaviour effectively.

Collective responsibility

Staff share collective responsibility for Freemen’s standards, reputation and property, should treat them with respect and care, and insist others do likewise.

Communication

Staff will expect high standards of communication from students and will, in turn, demonstrate accurate, timely and appropriate communication when dealing with students, parents and colleagues.

Ethics and behaviour

Staff will uphold public trust in the profession and the reputation of Freemen’s by maintaining high standards of ethics and behaviour, within and outside School. They will be respectful and tolerant of the rights of others, including colleagues, and not undermine fundamental British values, including democracy, the rule of law, individual liberty and mutual respect, and tolerance of those with different faiths and beliefs. They will ensure that their personal beliefs are not expressed in ways which exploit pupils’ vulnerability or might lead them to break the law.

Learn, lead and make a difference

Leaders

Staff will be leaders in the School, exercising good judgement and modelling the behaviour and habits that are expected of the students.

Learners

Staff will show and share a passion for their subject or discipline(s). They will seek to develop as professionals and as specialists, will be open to feedback and will seek opportunities to collaborate with colleagues and engage with relevant research.

Planning

Teaching staff will have a sense of where the lesson fits within the scheme of work and plan well-structured lessons using an appropriate range of pedagogies.

Use of feedback

Staff will seek to use feedback for themselves and if appropriate, their students and will complete assessments and reports in a timely fashion in the appropriate manner and style.

How to apply

Applicants should send a letter of application and a completed application form to the Headmaster via CLFS-Recruitment@cityoflondon.gov.uk, by 9am on Wedneaday 13 March 2024.

Interviews that will take place at the School the following week, though candidates are asked to note that Freemen’s retains the right to interview and appoint at any time during the application process.

Freemen’s acknowledges receipt of all applications, if you have not received confirmation of the safe receipt of your application within two working days please call the School or email CLFS-Recruitment@ cityoflondon.gov.uk to check on its status.

The successful candidate must be able to satisfy the City of London’s health requirements and a confidential medical assessment by the City of London’s Medical Officer is required.

The City of London Freemen’s School is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people and expects all employees to share this commitment.

The successful applicant must be willing to undergo child protection screening appropriate to the post, including checks with past employers and the Disclosure and Barring Service (Enhanced Disclosure).

"Friendly was the single most uttered word used to describe the school by students, while parents report that their offspring are happy. ‘Kind’ and ‘non-judgemental,’ we also heard, with support on tap."

The Good Schools Guide

Your benefits

Local Government Pension Scheme (LGPS)

Contributory defined benefit

Family friendly

Significantly enhanced maternity, adoption and shared parental leave entitlement

Free lunch and refreshments

The option to join Supper Club at a subsidised rate

Annual Leave 25/29 days (subject to grade) plus bank holidays increasing with service.

Cycle to work scheme

Up to £3,000 salary sacrifice

Season Ticket Loan

Free parking on site

Access to on-site facilities

City of London benefits:

• CityBenefits - discounts and cashback.

• Wellbeing resources.

• Sponsorship to become a Freeman of the City of London.

Sports and Leisure:

• Discounted gym membership.

• Free use of the fitness suite.

• Staff social and sporting opportunities including pilates, yoga and five-a-side football.

• Free staff swimming and weekend family swimming for staff.

Learning and Development:

• In-house and externally run CPL

• Enquiring Schools project

• Support for professional development appropriate to the role including Apprenticeships/Masters.

Wellbeing:

• Up to 2 days’ paid leave for volunteering.

• Cash back on private health care treatment.

• Access to on-site Medical Centre.

• Staff Wellbeing Committee.

• Confidential Employee Assistance for staff and their families.

• Emergencies-only approach to out of hours email.

"A down-to-earth, friendly school that’s comfortable in its own skin rather than relentlessly trying to show off its most polished side – and is all the better for it. Just the ticket for parents after a high-quality, stress-free route for their academically bright sons and daughters from age 7 right through to 18. Almost unique around here."

The Good Schools Guide