Role purpose
Run Central IT for the group hands-on. This is an operational role: the person administers and maintains the corporate IT environment day to day and implements the IT foundation under direction, rather than setting its architecture independently. Architectural and security-standard decisions are set by the founder / future Head of IT; this role executes and operates them reliably, and grows with the group.
Scope of Central IT
Central IT is a corporate function serving people and the corporate perimeters of the group's companies. This role administers and operates:
- Microsoft 365 / Entra (identity)
- Email
- Devices (endpoints) and endpoint security
- User access policies
- Licensing
- Onboarding/offboarding
- Basic IT governance: applying access policy, audit checklists, and security standards (set above the role)
Central IT is involved with platform development and operations only through governance and control — identity, access policy, audit requirements, and security standards — never through day-to-day platform operations.
Key responsibilities
- Administer Microsoft 365 / Entra day to day: users, groups, mailboxes, identity, and basic security configuration.
- Set up and manage devices (endpoints) and endpoint security; keep patching and coverage current.
- Run onboarding/offboarding: provision new joiners and fully de-provision leavers on time.
- Apply user access policies and the least-privilege model as defined; carry out scheduled access reviews.
- Manage licensing — track allocation, renewals, and usage; flag waste and keep within budget.
- Apply backup policy to corporate systems and run periodic restore checks.
- Implement and follow security standards and audit checklists set by the founder / future Head of IT.
- Provide first-line IT support to users across the corporate perimeters.
- Keep corporate IT clearly separate from platform operations — no involvement in platform/engineering operations.
- Escalate architectural, security-standard, and major-risk decisions upward rather than deciding them alone.
Career path
This role is designed to grow with the group:
- Now — IT Manager (hands-on, operational): runs Central IT day to day and implements the foundation under direction.
- As the load grows: takes on more ownership and may lead 1–2 IT administrators.
- With a proven track record, team, and scale, can progress to Head of IT — a promotion earned in the role, not an external hire.
Requirements
- Solid hands-on experience administering Microsoft 365 / Entra, devices, and endpoint security.
- Practical experience with onboarding/offboarding, access management, and licensing.
- Working understanding of access policy, audit checklists, and security standards (applying them, not necessarily designing them).
- Reliable, organised, and able to run day-to-day IT operations independently.
- Understands the boundary between corporate IT and platform/engineering operations.
- Motivated to grow with the group toward a leadership role over time.
Nice to have
- Multi-entity / group IT experience.
- Microsoft certifications (e.g., Microsoft 365 / Security Administrator).
- Experience in a fast-moving, early-stage environment.