IT Operations and Service Delivery Manager

IT Operations and Service Delivery Manager

At OQC, we aren’t just theorising about the future; we’re building it. Born from a philosophy of bold innovation, we’ve transitioned quantum computing from an academic ambition into a commercial reality - and we’re just getting started.

The Purpose

Ensure reliable, secure and effective IT services that enable colleagues across OQC’s UK and international sites to work productively.

As our IT Operations and Workplace Lead, you’ll lead the IT support team and coordinate external service partners to deliver consistent service performance, effective workplace technology and a positive employee IT experience. You’ll drive operational improvements, develop your team’s capabilities and identify opportunities to enhance IT services as OQC grows.

The Role

Reporting to the IT Director, you’ll manage day-to-day IT operations and service delivery, balancing business needs, service priorities and available resources. You’ll lead IT engineers across UK and international sites, setting objectives, allocating work, providing feedback and coaching, and contributing to recruitment and performance reviews.

You’ll work closely with HR, Facilities, Information Security and external partners to keep services running effectively. Alongside operational delivery, you’ll develop recommendations and business cases for improvements, investments and significant changes, leading approved projects within agreed scope, budgets and timescales. You’ll escalate competing priorities, significant risks and resource constraints to the IT Director.

This is a primarily on-site role based at OQC’s UK head office, with travel to other UK and international sites as required. Occasional out-of-hours working may be needed for critical incidents, planned maintenance or business-critical IT changes.

What You’ll Be Working On

• Manage and improve IT service management processes across incident, request, problem, change and knowledge management, maintaining the service catalogue, agreed service levels and operational reporting in line with ITIL good practice.
• Lead major incident management, coordinating the response, communicating with stakeholders, restoring services and conducting post-incident reviews.
• Own the IT joiner, mover and leaver process with HR, ensuring colleagues have the equipment and access they need, alongside managing the device lifecycle from specification and procurement through deployment, refresh and secure disposal.
• Own workplace technology, including meeting rooms and audiovisual systems, access control, CCTV, visitor management and desk booking, working with Facilities and to standards set by Information Security.
• Manage suppliers and support partners through service reviews, contract performance, renewals and escalations; maintain software and licence records, and control operational expenditure within agreed budgets.
• Ensure IT processes, assets, access controls and workplace technology meet OQC policies and applicable requirements, working with Information Security to address risks and provide evidence for audits and assurance.
• Use service data, trends and employee feedback to improve support through self-service, knowledge sharing and automation, delivering approved improvement projects and ensuring new sites, office moves and changed services are ready for support before launch.

What We’re Looking For

• Proven experience leading IT operations or service delivery, including managing and developing a support team.
• Strong knowledge of IT service management practices, with experience establishing and improving service processes.
• Experience setting and managing service levels, operational metrics and continual service improvement.
• A hands-on understanding of mixed Windows and macOS environments and cloud productivity platforms such as Google Workspace and Microsoft 365.
• Experience managing suppliers and contracts, including holding managed service providers accountable for agreed service levels.
• Experience managing IT assets and the full device lifecycle.
• Budget-management and cost-control experience.
• Strong project-management, external stakeholder-management and negotiation skills.
• Excellent communication and relationship-building skills, with the ability to work effectively with frontline colleagues and senior leaders.
• A customer-focused approach, supported by leadership, influencing, persistence and practical problem-solving skills.

The ‘Nice-to-Haves’

• Experience with a modern IT service management platform, such as ManageEngine or ServiceNow.
• Experience supporting office moves or opening new sites, including internationally.
• Familiarity with modern device-management and identity platforms, alongside workplace technology such as audiovisual systems and access control.
• Experience in a scale-up, research-led or regulated environment, including supporting ISO 27001 or audit requirements.
• Change-management and strategic-planning skills.
• ITIL 4 Foundation or a higher service management qualification.

Why Join OQC

You will join a world-class team at the forefront of the next computational era. We offer a culture of bold innovation, the chance to work with unique lab infrastructure, and the opportunity to see your work redefine the limits of computation.

You’ll help create the IT experience that enables colleagues across OQC to do their best work, developing your team and improving the services and workplace technology that support our UK and international operations.

Learn more about our benefits and positive work culture on the OQC careers page.