Network Systems & Strategic Development Manager

The King Edward VI Foundation, Birmingham, is a progressive charitable organisation which has supported excellence in education across the City since 1552. Our schools are diverse in nature but have a common purpose and commitment to achieving our mission of “making Birmingham the best place to be educated in the UK”.

Our Academy Trust currently consists of two independent schools, six selective, and six non selective academies. Our recent expansion into a wider diversity of local communities is enabling us to accelerate our strategies for improving the life chances of young people in Birmingham, whatever their background.

The King Edward VI Academy Trust Birmingham (“the Academy Trust”) was established in 2017 and is made up of the academies outlined above. The academies receive back office central support services including governance, from the Foundation Office (a central support services function), with several staff being seconded from the Foundation to deliver support services to the Academy Trust and the academies themselves.

Our highly focused five-year strategy aims to build on our existing strengths and heritage and deliver our ambitious growth strategy which aims to bring in a further five academies over the next five years.

King Edward VI Lordswood School for Girls, Harborne, offers an excellent academic education within a happy and purposeful community. High quality teaching, good behaviour, and valuing each individual are central to our exciting approach to pre and post-sixteen study.

All students are encouraged to realise their fullest potential, to live and work in harmony with others and to be ambitious for their futures. Students are supported in their work by a team of highly professional and caring staff.

Student outcomes are significantly above national figures, but this is not what makes us most proud. Our school is a community, and whilst we value academic success, this is not the only objective of our school. We pride ourselves in growing good citizens, we help to develop girls who have the knowledge, skills and the desire to make a difference to the world in which they live.

The world today is changing rapidly and our aim is that all students will leave as flexible, positive and assured young people. Past students provide fine examples of this by excelling in a wide range of careers and interests.

King Edward VI Lordswood School for Girls, is a happy, active place; students work hard and have fun. The facilities are excellent, the opportunities on offer are exciting, but it is the people who make it special. We hope that you will want to be one of those people. 

We are now looking to appoint an excellent Network Systems & Strategic Development Manager to join our successful team who is primarily responsible for the smooth-running of the IT systems infrastructure at King Edward VI Lordswood School for Girls, ensuring all School IT-related systems function correctly, reliably, securely and are regularly update.

Responsible to the Support Services Manager, the Network Systems and Strategic Development Manager is the senior member of the Technical Support Team and is expected to take on a leadership role within the department, demonstrating initiative to troubleshoot problems, good communication skills to help guide other members of the team and setting an example of best working practices for all members of the LSG community. Having previous experience as a Senior IT Technician or Network Manager, the Network Systems & Strategic Development Manager will be comfortable operating as a second/third line level of technical support to the main IT function at King Edward VI Lordswood School for Girls.

Key Responsibilities:

• Lead the strategic development of all ICT systems across the school and sixth form centre.
• Provide effective technical support for all users.
• To audit and monitor the provision of ICT support by checking IT resources are in full working order to ensure teaching and learning is not impeded.
• Manage filtered internet connectivity and proxy server.
• Management of the schools Wifi provision across various VLANs.
• Manage all elements of the school’s Google Workspace and Microsoft 365 tenancy.
• Manage school-owned Chromebook and Windows devices.
• Managing relationships with third party IT service providers.
• Managing backup systems and disaster contingencies.
• Manage the school’s MIS system and ensure all upgrades and relevant patches are installed.
• Manage the school’s printing and photocopying provision.
• Identify, plan and cost future developments and upgrades of the ICT infrastructure within agreed budgets.
• Oversee software licensing ensuring renewals are adhered to.
• To draw up and review the five year IT development plan.
• Oversee the creation and implementation of designated IT policies.

The post offers excellent working conditions and a comprehensive development programme, along with a school that is committed to updating and developing its IT provision.

We encourage all interested applicants to visit the school and this can be arranged by contacting Sheila Allport, via email, s.allport@lsg.kevibham.org.

How to Apply

A full job description and an application pack for this post can be found at: https://lsg.kevibham.org

Completed application forms should be forwarded to Sheila Allport via email: s.allport@lsg.kevibham.org, by Noon on 10th October 2024.

The Schools of King Edward VI in Birmingham is an educational charity supporting eleven schools and is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people and expects all staff and volunteers to share this commitment. Applicants will be required to undergo child protection screening appropriate to the post, including checks with past employers and the Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS).

This post is covered by Part 7 of the Immigration Act (2016) and therefore the ability to speak fluent and spoken English is an essential requirement for this role.

Charity Number 529051