IT Operations Manager

IT Operations Manager Lead and scale IT operations at SMG, driving secure, high-performing systems, smarter AI adoption and a best-in-class service that powers the entire business. Location: Hybrid - minimum 3 days per week in our London office Salary: From £60,000 + 10% discretionary bonus About the Role We are looking for an IT Operations Manager to join our IT team at SMG. In this role, you will lead the delivery of secure, scalable and high-performing IT operations across the business, owning service delivery, strengthening operational governance and driving continuous improvement. You will play a critical role in ensuring our platforms, systems and AI tools are reliable, compliant and optimised to support growth, while building a high-performing, accountable IT function. If you love variety, thrive in a fast-paced environment, and embrace change with energy, this could be your right role. Why SMG? At SMG, we hire for the future, which is fast-moving and changing shape . Do you have the potential to help shape our business? We’re looking for brilliant, diverse talent who want to grow with us—people who are curious, ambitious, and eager to learn, whether as specialists or across teams. Our culture is everything. If you’re someone who stays honest, stays hungry, stays foolish, and has fun, you’ll feel right at home here. We value those who take ownership of their growth and bring fresh perspectives. That’s why we’re committed to equity, inclusion, and building a place where everyone feels empowered to grow . At SMG, it’s not just about filling a role but building the future together. 10% discretionary bonus £1,800 yearly wellbeing fund (on top of your salary!) Free Headspace subscription £500 yearly “Learning Fund” for learning 4 extra Wellbeing Days off per year 4pm finishes every Friday Flexible and hybrid working Explore all our benefits here Are We What You’re Looking For? We move fast, adapt quickly, and like to challenge each other. We're looking for people who enjoy the buzz of change, the satisfaction of building something better, and the joy of working with a close-knit, values-driven team . This isn’t for everyone, but if you thrive in this environment, we’d love to meet you! A Little Bit About You You’ll bring: Proven experience managing IT operations in a growing organisation Strong knowledge of Google Workspace administration and identity management Experience with enterprise AI platforms, such as GPT Enterprise, or SaaS governance Understanding of ISO27001 or structured compliance frameworks Knowledge of endpoint management tools, such as Intune or equivalent Experience leading, developing and performance managing engineers Strong documentation and process standardisation skills Commercial awareness with a focus on cost optimisation and value delivery A proactive, ownership-driven mindset with strong accountability Ability to operate effectively in a fast-paced, evolving environment Confidence to challenge and improve existing processes and standards Desirable: ITIL certification, v3 or v4, or equivalent experience Experience in media, marketing or multi-client environments Microsoft 365 or Entra ID administration experience Exposure to AI governance frameworks and data protection alignment Experience supporting ISO27001 audits or ISMS documentation Automation experience using scripting or workflow tools Don’t meet every single requirement? We still want to hear from you. If you believe you’d thrive in this role, your unique perspective might be just what we’re looking for. What You’ll Be Doing Your days will be dynamic. You might find yourself: Owning end-to-end IT operations across service desk, endpoints, SaaS platforms and infrastructure Ensuring SLA performance and continuously improving service quality Leading major incident management, root cause analysis and issue prevention Managing IT budgets, SaaS licensing and vendor relationships to drive value Overseeing JML processes, access controls and identity governance Administering and governing AI platforms, including GPT Enterprise Monitoring AI usage, mitigating risks and ensuring compliance with policies and regulations Strengthening security posture through patching, endpoint compliance and audit readiness Supporting ISO27001 alignment and maintaining operational evidence Leading and developing IT engineers, setting KPIs and driving accountability Identifying and implementing automation opportunities to improve efficiency Standardising documentation and reducing operational risk and dependencies Our Values: Stay honest. Stay hungry. Stay foolish. Have fun. Explore what that means to us here Useful Links Before You Apply: Learn about our departments Our hiring process Life at SMG FAQs Still Curious? We always send a confirmation email - check your spam if you don’t see it. Problems? Email: [email protected] Our full data retention policy can be found here . Department IT Locations London Remote status Hybrid London Life at SMG Our workplace culture is super important to us and we have a team dedicated to making SMG a great place to work. Whether it's Wellbeing Wednesday, a virtual quiz, or giving back to our charity partner The Trussell Trust, there is always something going on here at SMG. Take a look at some of the things we've been up to on our Life at SMG page.