ETON COLLEGE Head of Information Technology Job description and further particulars

Eton College is seeking to appoint a Head of IT as the senior member of its IT delivery team, responsible for the effective and efficient management, control, development and improvement of IT provision throughout Eton College and its related activities. Although Eton’s IT infrastructure is in many ways similar to that of any medium-sized business, applicants must be interested in, and in sympathy with, the aims of Eton as a school and as a charitable foundation, and therefore understand the difference between an educationally-driven set of goals and those of other organisations where profit may be a main measure of success.

Background Eton College was founded by Henry VI in 1440 for 70 King’s Scholars. The central purpose still remains education and, to this end, it runs a secondary school of the highest possible standard for approximately 1,300 boys aged 13-18. All pupils board at the school. The demand for places is strong. Eton has for many years given a high priority to providing public benefit by widening access through subsidising pupils’ fees, running educational holiday courses and making many of its facilities available for public use. One in five boys receives some form of financial assistance with school fees. There are 160 masters and around 600 other staff including dames (matrons), visiting music teachers, domestic staff in the 25 boarding houses and in the central dining hall, technicians, groundsmen, pool attendants, administrative staff, security, cleaners, and a large buildings department. The school and its immediate grounds and playing fields extend over 400 acres from the north end of Eton High Street to the M4 by Slough, bounded on the East by the Thames and on the West by the railway. The site is well located for motorway connections and both main-line and suburban railways. There are some 400 school buildings and properties; and a 2,000 metre rowing lake at Dorney, which was the London 2012 venue for rowing and flat-water canoeing. There is non-stop Head of IT job details May 2013

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maintenance of buildings and grounds. A wide-ranging development programme is planned. A general description of Eton is provided in the Prospectus, which may be downloaded from a link on the Introduction page of www.etoncollege.com. IT provision and the IT Department The IT Department provides all of the Eton College’s IT services and networking, supporting over 2000 users. The IT Department is responsible for the procurement and maintenance of equipment, system security, the hardware infrastructure, software and data systems, and the building, installation and maintenance of the computers for staff and student use. The IT Department consists of the following staff     

an Infrastructure Manager a Data Manager supported by a software developer an Operations Project Manager a Network Manager (who also has other responsibilities in the academic operations of the school) a Helpdesk Manager supported by a team of three support analysts who provide first-line support for our user base of staff and students

Many aspects of the Department’s work are similar to those of a business organisation, and computer systems are used extensively for all functions, but the “bottom line” is the impact decisions and policies have on the education of boys in an era of rapid technological change. The department is currently managed by the Director of School Administration and IT, who is a member of Senior Management Team. The new post of Head of IT, who will report directly to the Director of School Administration and IT, is being created to separate day-to-day operational management and delivery of the school’s short and medium term IT goals from the longer-term strategic aims of Eton College maintaining its status as a world-leading boarding school and developing a similar presence in online and “blended” education. Head of IT The main responsibilities of the Head of IT will be: 

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understanding and meeting the IT needs of Eton as a world-leading school located on a historic site with substantial supporting operations in areas such as alumni and fundraising, admissions, finance, HR, security, buildings and grounds maintenance, charitable outreach and historic collections day-to-day management of the IT department and its staff, including the immediate line management of the senior IT staff

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overseeing the departmental finances, controlling and allocating budgets, and preparing bids for new IT projects maintaining best practice standards and compliance with school policies providing strategic vision with respect to IT provision to position Eton as a leader of best practice, and working to achieve the goals set by the School Strategy Committee and the Director of School Administration and IT overseeing the introduction and implementation of new hardware and software systems and the development and maintenance of existing systems working closely with the Head of Digital Curriculum to explore and implement new technologies for teaching and learning acting as a point of contact for all within the school who require new or modified IT provision, and defining, prioritising and implementing the changes required to meet those requirements representing the department in its contacts with its counterparts in other schools and similar institutions overall responsibility for the security and disaster recovery aspects of IT The Head of IT will sit on the school’s ICT Committee which is chaired by the Head Master and comprises many of the senior staff and representatives of various categories of IT user. An annual report of progress and future plans will be presented to this group, to be prepared in conjunction with the Director of School Administration and IT negotiations with suppliers and potential suppliers the Head of IT will be expected to attend the daily meeting of academic staff, on most days and will meet weekly (or more often if required) during the term with the Director of School Administration and IT. depending on the skill set of the person appointed, there may be an opportunity for the Head of IT to have some direct involvement with the academic function of the school, for example by teaching some computing, or contributing to the school’s extensive co-curricular programme.

Major projects currently ongoing or under active consideration include:           

Implementation and staff training for a new Virtual Learning Environment (Firefly) Implementation of a new Academic Information System (iSAMS) for the management of examination and parental contact information Enhancement of our existing Academic Information System to allow access from a wider range of browsers and from outside the school Enhancements to the Music Department administration systems New building management and environmental monitoring systems Replacement of our existing fibre optic network Extension of our WiFi provision The implementation of a “follow me” print solution for students Review of software provision within the Admissions Office Renewal of our virtualised server infrastructure Introduction of VOIP telephony

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Review of disaster recovery procedures

Skills and attributes required will include:    

proven track record as a manager, producing accurate and reliable work to deadline, able to listen, to reach sound decisions, to prioritise conflicting demands effectively and to lead a team towards the goals of the organisation technically very sound, with good working knowledge of standard technologies and experience in the procurement and implementation of new hardware and software systems a flexible “hands-on” approach which allows team members to develop their own specialisms and the ability to push projects forward as efficiently as possible strong analytical skills and the ability to communicate effectively, both orally and in writing.

These skills and attributes should be supported by an ability to lead a team of professionals and to make decisions effectively. We are seeking a member of staff who is personable, energetic, diplomatic and committed to delivering results; located, or willing to locate, within reasonable commuting distance of the College. Prior experience of delivering IT-related goals within a complex educational or other not-for-profit environment would be a distinct advantage.

Terms and conditions: The salary for this role will be circa £60,000 per annum. The normal working week is 35 hours: 9 am to 5 pm, Monday to Friday with a lunch break from 1 pm to 2 pm. The Head of IT would be expected to work such hours as required by the needs of the post. Many of the school’s extensive recreational and sporting facilities are available to employees and their families (swimming, golf, tennis, theatre, concerts etc.). The basic holiday allowance is 25 days. Most holidays are expected to be taken when the school is closed. Bank holidays in term time are normal working days, with a day in lieu at another time. The Head of IT will be eligible upon appointment to become a contributory member of the defined contribution College pension scheme. There is a (non-contributory) life assurance scheme which all staff join on starting their employment.

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Application Process Applicants are asked to download and complete the application form and coversheet in full and return it to: Mrs Margaret Flower, Human Resources Department, Eton College, Windsor SL4 6DJ, or by email to [email protected] before the closing date. Further details and an application form can be found on our website. http://www.etoncollege.com/SupportStaffVacancies.aspx

The closing date for this position is 31 May 2013. It is anticipated that first interviews will be held in the week commencing 10 June2013. All appointments with the School will be subject to two satisfactory references, a satisfactory medical report and an Enhanced Disclosure from the Disclosure and Barring Service. In addition the School is required to contact any former employers in whose employment the applicant has worked with children. It is the responsibility of all Eton staff to promote and safeguard the welfare of children and young persons for whom they are responsible, or with whom they come into contact, and to adhere to and ensure compliance with, the School’s Child Protection Policy Statement at all times. If in the course of carrying out the duties of the post, the post-holder becomes aware of any actual or potential risks to the safety or welfare of children in the school he or she must report any concerns to the Lower Master or to the Head Master.

These particulars do not form any part of an offer of employment.

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