IT Infrastructure Manager
Axians UK · Coventry, United Kingdom · hybrid
JOB SUMMARY
The Infrastructure Manager is responsible for the leadership, governance, design, operational management, performance and continual improvement of the organisation’s IT infrastructure services. The role owns the end-to-end design, delivery and operational integrity of network, server, storage, virtualisation, workplace, cloud and hybrid infrastructure, ensuring services are secure, resilient, supportable, cost-effective and aligned with business priorities.
KEY RESPONSIBILITIES
· Own the infrastructure strategy, roadmap, standards and operating model across networks, servers, storage, virtualisation, end-user platforms, data centres, cloud services and hybrid environments.
· Lead the design, delivery and controlled operation of LAN, WAN, Wi-Fi, SD-WAN, firewalls, internet connectivity and associated network services, ensuring resilient architectures, approved configurations and appropriate technical documentation.
· Accountable for infrastructure availability, capacity, performance, security, supportability and lifecycle health, using measurable service levels, operational KPIs and regular management reporting.
· Own centralised infrastructure monitoring and alerting to proactively identify risks to health, availability, performance and capacity, ensuring alerts are actionable and team accountability for timely response is clearly defined.
· Maintain a complete and current suite of architecture diagrams, site records, configurations, procedures, support models, asset data and knowledge articles, with clear ownership and review cycles.
· Provide clear leadership, direction and line management for the infrastructure function, setting objectives, allocating work, developing capability and holding team members and suppliers accountable for agreed outcomes.
· Own the governance and optimisation of cloud and hybrid infrastructure, including connectivity, compute, storage, backup, monitoring, cost control, security configuration and alignment architecture principles.
· Drive the adoption of cloud infrastructure and migration from on-premises environments where appropriate, assessing business needs, technical suitability, security, resilience and total cost of ownership, and remaining accountable for migration planning, delivery and transition into operational support.
· Maintain ownership of infrastructure risks, technical debt and vulnerabilities, with documented remediation plans, ensuring clear visibility of risks and associated governance.
· Direct infrastructure projects and technical change from requirements and design through implementation, testing, acceptance and transition to support, with clear accountability for scope, quality, cost, risk and benefits.
· Ensure incidents, service requests, problems and changes are managed in line with agreed priorities, service levels and ITIL-aligned controls, taking command of major infrastructure incidents and ensuring effective communication, recovery and post-incident action.
· Ensure patching, configuration hardening, privileged access, endpoint protection, vulnerability remediation and audit evidence are completed to policy and within agreed timescales.
· Own backup, restore and disaster recovery capability across on-premises and cloud services, ensuring recovery objectives are defined, tests are completed, failures are remediated and recovery readiness is evidenced.
· Approve infrastructure designs, bills of materials, implementation plans, method statements, risk assessments, migration plans, acceptance criteria and operational handover documentation.
· Manage infrastructure budgets, forecasts, licensing, assets, contracts and supplier performance, ensuring value for money, accurate records, commercial control and timely renewal or replacement decisions.
· Build effective relationships with security teams, service management, project teams and third parties, translating business needs into prioritised and supportable infrastructure outcomes.
· Champion continual service improvement, automation, standardisation and simplification, ensuring improvement actions have measurable benefits and accountable delivery owners.
· Ensure the function has appropriate resource, skills, succession and operational coverage to meet current and future business requirements.
SKILLS & CAPABILITIES
Experience & Knowledge
· Substantial experience leading infrastructure operations and engineering teams in complex, multi-site or business-critical environments.
· Demonstrable management accountability for infrastructure operational performance, people, budgets, suppliers, risks, controls and delivery commitments.
· Broad technical knowledge across enterprise networking, Wi-Fi, firewalls, SD-WAN, servers, storage, virtualisation, endpoints, identity, backup and disaster recovery.
· Technology experience across Cisco routing and switching, Fortinet firewalls, HP servers and storage, Veeam Backup, infrastructure monitoring technologies, VMware, Microsoft Hyper-V and Microsoft Azure.
· Practical experience managing public cloud and hybrid infrastructure, including cloud governance, security, connectivity, monitoring, resilience, cost optimisation and operational support.
· Experience owning major incidents, infrastructure change, problem resolution, lifecycle planning, technical debt and continual service improvement in an ITIL-aligned environment.
· Experience directing infrastructure projects, reviewing technical designs and ensuring effective testing, acceptance and transition into operational support.
· Strong commercial and supplier management experience, including budgeting, forecasting, procurement, licensing, contract performance and value-for-money decisions.
· Sound knowledge of information security, vulnerability management, access control, audit evidence and relevant ISO and Cyber Essentials requirements.
· Ability to establish clear ownership, define expected outcomes and intervene decisively when performance, risk or delivery falls below standard.
· Ability to translate strategic and business requirements into prioritised infrastructure roadmaps, investment cases and deliverable plans.
· Strong analytical, governance and reporting capability, with confidence presenting service performance, risks, decisions and recommendations to senior stakeholders.
PERSONAL ATTRIBUTES
· Visible, accountable leader who takes ownership of outcomes and creates the same expectation across the team and supplier community.
· Confident people manager who sets clear standards, provides constructive challenge, develops capability and addresses underperformance promptly and fairly.
· Calm and decisive during major incidents, outages and competing operational pressures.
· Strong communicator able to explain complex infrastructure, cloud, risk and investment matters in clear business language.
· Commercially aware, financially disciplined and focused on measurable value and service outcomes.
· Collaborative and credible with engineers, business leaders, customers, security specialists and third-party partners.
· Structured, organised and able to balance strategic planning with hands-on operational leadership.
· Committed to continuous learning, standardisation, automation and evidence-based improvement.
COMPLIANCE AND VALUES
Ensure adherence to:
· ITIL Framework
· Quality (ISO 9001)
· Information Security (ISO 27001)
· Cyber essentials & Cyber essentials +
· Environmental Management (ISO 14001 / ESG)
Consistently demonstrate Axians’ UK core values:
· Trust, Solidarity, Responsibility, Entrepreneurial Mindset & Autonomy
SALARY AND BENEFITS
· Salary is based on experience and location.
· Benefits include:
· Company Shares Scheme, Pension, Medical Insurance, Financial Planning Support, Death in Service, Medicash Healthcare Cash Plan, Permanent Total Disability Insurance, Enhanced Maternity/Paternity/Adoption Pay, Company Sick Pay, Hybrid Working, Investment in personal and professi