Why Southwark?

Please note:

External candidates: If you are interested in applying for this position, please apply via our recruitment partner, Allen Lane, using the microsite link below.

Click here to apply

Please do not use the ‘Apply Now’ button on this page, as external applications are being managed by Allen Lane and applications submitted through this button will not be accepted.

Internal candidates: If you are a current council employee, please continue to apply using the ‘Apply Now’ button on this page.

This is a rare opportunity to help build something new at one of London’s most ambitious boroughs. Southwark is establishing a brand new Digital and Resident Experience Service, and as Head of Operations, you’ll be one of the people shaping it from the ground up, building a team, a culture and a way of working that keeps services running smoothly for residents, communities and colleagues.

You’ll join at a genuinely exciting time for the council, as we invest in our people and technology to better serve more than 300,000 residents across Southwark’s diverse communities. This is your chance to build and grow a talented operations team, develop their skills and give them a real sense of purpose, while working alongside colleagues who care about the difference technology makes to people’s everyday lives. If you’re an operations leader who wants to build something new, develop people and make a genuine impact on the communities we serve, we’d love to hear from you.

What You'll Be Doing

As Head of Operations, you will:

• Build and lead a multidisciplinary operations team within Southwark’s Digital and Resident Experience, growing capability, developing people and creating a culture the team is proud to be part of.

• Lead the delivery of technology operations across cloud platforms, networks, infrastructure and end user computing, so that colleagues across the council can rely on the tools they need.

• Lead the council’s IT service delivery functions, including the Service Desk, so that residents and colleagues experience a responsive, high-quality service.

• Maintain and test arrangements for service continuity, disaster recovery and major incident response, keeping our services resilient and dependable.

• Own the operational technology budget and lead the performance of technology suppliers and managed service providers, always with an eye to the experience of the people who rely on our services.

What We're Looking For

We’re seeking an experienced and credible operations leader who brings:

• A strong track record of leading and building technology operations within a large, complex organisation, ideally within local government or the public sector.

• Strong working knowledge of ITSM principles and modern technology platforms, and a track record of improving service quality and resilience.

• Experience of managing significant budgets, supplier relationships and workforce planning to deliver reliable outcomes.

• A genuine passion for developing people, building inclusive teams and creating a culture where colleagues can do their best work.

• A commitment to using technology to protect and improve outcomes for Southwark’s residents and communities.

For detailed qualifications and requirements, please review the job description and person specification located at the bottom of the advert.

To be considered for interview, you will be asked to submit your CV and a supporting statement (no more than two sides of A4) demonstrating how you meet the key criteria outlined in the attached Job Description and Person Specification.

Contact Information:

For an informal discussion about the role, please contact Naseem Golamgouse via email at .uk

Additional Information:

• Working Hours: 36 hours per week (Monday to Friday)
• Location: 160 Tooley Street, London SE1 2QH
• Type of contract: Permanent

Benefits and more information:

https://jobs.southwark.gov.uk/why-us/

Recruitment Timeline

• Advert close date: 11:59pm on Monday 28th September 2026
• Shortlisting date/s: week commencing 5th October 2026
• Technical Interview date/s: week commencing 12th October 2026
• Final Panel Interview date/s: week commencing 19th October 2026

The closing date is given as a guide. We reserve the right to close this vacancy once a sufficient number of applications has been received. We strongly advise you to complete your application as soon as possible to avoid disappointment.

We are an organisation who is passionate about our people and understands that richness of diversity is a requirement to provide the best possible services to our communities. This is demonstrated through our council-wide ambitious commitment to tackle racial inequality in our communities and workforce through our Southwark Stands Together initiative. We particularly welcome applications from members of the black, Asian and ethnic minority communities to increase representation at senior management level in the Council.

Guaranteed Interview Scheme:

As part of our commitment to inclusion, we offer guaranteed interviews for specific groups of people. To qualify, you'll need to meet the minimum requirements for the role, and identify with one of the below criteria:

• Members of the Armed Forces and veterans
• Are currently in care, or have previously been in care
• If you consider yourself to be disabled or if you have a long-term health condition

Please note:

External candidates: If you are interested in applying for this position, please apply via our recruitment partner, Allen Lane, using the microsite link below.

Click here to apply</stro