Head of IT Operations

Job summary

The Head of IT Operations plays a pivotal leadership role in ensuring the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) technology services are robust, secure and continuously improving. Operating in a modern, hybrid working environment, the CMA depends on highly available digital services, modern end-user technologies and cloud-based platforms to deliver its statutory functions effectively.

About the Competition and Markets Authority

The CMA is an independent non-ministerial UK government department and is the UK’s principal competition and consumer protection authority. We help people, businesses, and the UK economy by promoting competitive markets and tackling unfair behaviour.

We are fully committed to being a flexible, respectful and inclusive employer. It is a priority to make our workforce as diverse as possible, and we welcome applications from under-represented groups.

Open the role profile to learn more about the role, and more about the CMA in our candidate pack.

Job description

You will be accountable for the operational delivery of the CMA’s digital and technology agenda, ensuring IT services are reliable, resilient and aligned to organisational priorities. This includes leading multidisciplinary teams across Service Desk, End User Computing (EUC) and Digital Products and Services (DPAS) - ensuring seamless service delivery across multiple locations.

You will also act as the IT lead for property related projects, ensuring technology considerations are embedded in workplace design and change programmes. You will build capability, drive service excellence and foster a culture of continuous improvement across the IT Operations function.

For full role responsibilities, please review the attached role profile.

Person specification

It is essential that you can provide evidence and examples for each of the following selection criteria in your application. For tips on how to make the most your application, please have a look at our guidance document

For the first stage, you will be required to draft a personal statement of no more than 750 words providing evidence and examples that you have the knowledge and experience for each of the first three essential criteria.

An initial sift based on the first criteria point (Lead Criteria) may be held if a large number of applications are received. If your application progresses to a full sift, the remaining two elements will then be considered.

Criteria (Assessed at Application):

1. Proven leadership of a business-critical technology function in an organisation of comparable scale and complexity, with the ability to set direction, inspire teams and build high performing, multidisciplinary capability at pace (Lead Criteria).
2. Significant programme delivery experience, delivering major technology or digital transformation, including organisational redesign, service modernisation, capability uplift and adoption of new operating models.
3. Strong stakeholder engagement and influencing skills, with the ability to build trusted relationships at senior levels, communicate complex issues clearly and shape strategic decisions.

The below criteria will be assessed at interview only:

Criteria (Assessed at Interview):

4. Strategic Technology Leadership: ability to set direction, lead multidisciplinary teams to drive a culture of continuous improvement and high performing, service focused culture ensuring operational resilience.

5. Supplier and Commercial Management: ability to manage contracts, optimise value, and ensure suppliers deliver high quality, reliable services.

Behaviours

We'll assess you against these behaviours during the selection process:

• Leadership
• Making Effective Decisions
• Delivering at Pace
• Communicating and Influencing

Technical skills

We'll assess you against these technical skills during the selection process:

• Operational Service Excellence.
• Digital and Technology Transformation.
• Technical Breadth Across Modern IT Environments.

Benefits

Alongside your salary of £76,400, Competition & Markets Authority contributes £22,133 towards you being a member of the Civil Service Defined Benefit Pension scheme. Find out what benefits a Civil Service Pension provides.

You’ll also get:

• 25 days leave (increasing to 30 days over five years), plus 8 public holidays and an additional day off for the King’s birthday. In addition, you’ll be able to access a wide range of other types of leave as and when you need it, including generous maternity, paternity, shared parental leave and adoption options, as well as paid special leave for volunteering
• Season ticket loans, cycle to work scheme, flu vaccinations and eye tests
• Access to the Civil Service Sports & Leisure, giving discounted gym membership, high street discounts, free access to UK wide attractions and a free Tastecard
• A range of wellbeing benefits, including an employee assistance programme, flexible working options and family friendly policies, regular networking events and professional learning opportunities at work

You can read more about our benefits in our candidate pack.

Our Values

We are Ambitious and Evidence-based, and always strive for Excellence.​ We treat everyone with Respect and are Collaborative and Inclusive.​

Everything we do is underpinned by the Civil Service values: Honesty, Integrity, Impartiality and Objectivity.

You can read more about life at the CMA in our candidate pack.

Things you need to know

Artificial intelligence

Artificial intelligence can be a useful tool to support your application, however, all examples and statements provided must be truthful, factually accurate and taken directly from your own experience. Where plagiarism has been identified (presenting the ideas and experiences of others, or generated by artificial intelligence, as your own) applications may be withdrawn and internal candidates may be subject to disciplinary action. Please see our candidate guidance (opens in a new window) for more information on appropriate and inappropriate use.

Selection process details

This vacancy is using Success Profiles (opens in a new window), and will assess your Behaviours, Experience and Technical skills.

Application and sift stage

• As part of the application process you will be asked to complete a CV, personal statement and an online application form. Further details about application requirements are listed on the application form.
• The selection process will comprise of the sift (CV & application review), and an interview.
• Please note that it is essential that your personal statement is aligned to provide evidence that you have the knowledge and experience for each of the essential criteria (as included on the role profile attached and listed above under 'Person Specification') in your application. Your personal statement should be no more than 750 words.
• An initial sift based on the first criteria points (Lead Criteria) may be held if a large number of applications are received. If your application progresses to a full sift, the remaining two elements of the essential criteria listed under Person Specification will then be considered.
• We may raise the score required at sift stage, to progress to interview if we receive a high number of applications and take through the highest performing candidates to the interview stage.
• Successful candidates at sift will be invited to an interview which will be conducted either in-person or via Teams.

Interview stage

• At the CMA we apply a blended interview technique, allowing us to find out more about you and we use the Success Profiles framework assessing the Behaviours, experience and technical skills listed in the advert and attached role profile.
• The interview will be a 45 minute-one hour panel interview where you will be asked questions based on the Behaviours, Experience and Technical skills outlined in the role profile.
• At the start of the interview, you will be asked to give a short presentation based on the Technical element 'Operational Service Excellence' and will be provided a topic to prepare from, if invited to interview.

• Technical elements we will assess at the interview:

  Operational Service Excellence, Digital and Technology Transformation, Technical Breadth Across Modern IT Environments.

• A reserve list may be held for up to 12 months from which further appointments may be made for the same or similar roles.

Timeline (the dates outlined below are indicative and may be subject to change)

• The advert closing date is Tuesday 3rd March 2026 (23:55). We are not able to accept late applications.
• The sift is scheduled to take place between 4th and 11th March 2026.
• Interviews will be held 24th & 25th March 2026.

Reasonable adjustments

Our recruitment process is fully inclusive and we can make adjustments to provide you with the opportunity and support to bring your best self to the recruitment process. This could include having an interview buddy, extra time at interviews/assessments, or receiving interview questions in advance. We will be happy to discuss any person-centred adjustments you’d like us to make to the process and you can contact us by emailing our dedicated mailbox at adjustments@cma.gov.uk.

Feedback will only be provided if you attend an interview or assessment.

Security

Successful candidates must undergo a criminal record check.Successful candidates must meet the security requirements before they can be appointed. The level of security needed is security check (opens in a new window).

See our vetting charter (opens in a new window).People working with government assets must complete baseline personnel security standard (opens in new window) checks.

Nationality requirements

This job is broadly open to the following groups:

• UK nationals
• nationals of the Republic of Ireland
• nationals of Commonwealth countries who have the right to work in the UK
• nationals of the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein and family members of those nationalities with settled or pre-settled status under the European Union Settlement Scheme (EUSS) (opens in a new window)
• nationals of the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein and family members of those nationalities who have made a valid application for settled or pre-settled status under the European Union Settlement Scheme (EUSS)
• individuals with limited leave to remain or indefinite leave to remain who were eligible to apply for EUSS on or before 31 December 2020
• Turkish nationals, and certain family members of Turkish nationals, who have accrued the right to work in the Civil Service

Further information on nationality requirements (opens in a new window)

Working for the Civil Service

The Civil Service Code (opens in a new window) sets out the standards of behaviour expected of civil servants.

We recruit by merit on the basis of fair and open competition, as outlined in the Civil Service Commission's recruitment principles (opens in a new window).The Civil Service embraces diversity and promotes equal opportunities. As such, we run a Disability Confident Scheme (DCS) for candidates with disabilities who meet the minimum selection criteria.The Civil Service also offers a Redeployment Interview Scheme to civil servants who are at risk of redundancy, and who meet the minimum requirements for the advertised vacancy.

Diversity and Inclusion

The Civil Service is committed to attract, retain and invest in talent wherever it is found. To learn more please see theCivil Service People Plan (opens in a new window) and the Civil Service Diversity and Inclusion Strategy (opens in a new window).

Apply and further information

This vacancy is part of the Great Place to Work for Veterans (opens in a new window) initiative.Once this job has closed, the job advert will no longer be available. You may want to save a copy for your records.

Contact point for applicants

Job contact :

• Name : Becky Smith
• Email : recruitment@cma.gov.uk

Recruitment team

• Email : recruitment@cma.gov.uk

Further information

If your application has not been treated in accordance with the Recruitment Principles and you wish to make a complaint, you should contact Recruitment@cma.gov.uk in the first instance. If you are not satisfied with the response you receive you can contact the Civil Service Commission http://civilservicecommission.independent.gov.uk.

Attachments

Head of IT Operations - Role Profile CMA3214 Opens in new window (pdf, 136kB)