Royal College of Music - IT Operations Manager and the Head of IT

Welcome

The Royal College of Music is one of the world’s greatest conservatoires, training gifted musicians from all over the world for international careers as performers, conductors and composers. We are ranked the Global No. 1 institution for Performing Arts for the fourth year running in the 2025 QS World University Rankings by Subject.

We welcome and support students from all over the world. Our international reputation is matched by our commitment to students who benefit from world-class facilities, amazing performance opportunities and exceptional professors. With more than 900 students from more than 50 countries studying at undergraduate, masters or doctoral level, the RCM is a vibrant community of talented musicians. RCM professors are musicians with worldwide reputations, accustomed to working with the most talented students of each generation to unlock their artistic potential.

In recent years, the RCM has invested heavily in its IT infrastructure, including by moving as many systems as possible into the Cloud, but still has more to do. A key priority is to further develop and keep up-to-date with cyber-security as threats evolve. The College is also looking to establish a new IT strategy with a focus on areas such as business automation and AI, improving support for students and professors, including for our creative technologies. We are in the midst of implementing a project for a new Student Record System and looking to develop new approaches across the range of our business applications. The postholder will have a significant role in many of these areas.

If this sounds like you, please contact our search partners (details below) for a confidential conversation. We are very keen to hear from a diverse range of candidates. Thank you again for your interest in the Royal College of Music.

Rachel Harris
Director of Finance and Technology

About RCM

About Us

The Royal College of Music is one of the world’s greatest conservatoires, training gifted musicians from all over the world for international careers as performers, conductors and composers. We are ranked the Global No. 1 institution for Performing Arts for the fourth year running in the 2025 QS World University Rankings by Subject.

We welcome and support students from all over the world. Our international reputation is matched by our commitment to students who benefit from world-class facilities, amazing performance opportunities and exceptional professors. With more than 900 students from more than 50 countries studying at undergraduate, masters or doctoral level, the RCM is a vibrant community of talented musicians. RCM professors are musicians with worldwide reputations, accustomed to working with the most talented students of each generation to unlock their artistic potential.

Our Mission

The Royal College of Music provides specialised musical education and professional training at the highest international level for performers and composers, within an environment that stimulates innovation and research. This enables talented students from all backgrounds to develop the musical skills, knowledge, understanding and resourcefulness which will equip them to contribute significantly to musical life in this country and internationally.

A contemporary ethos: innovation that builds on tradition
The Royal College of Music has a relationship with people throughout their lives and is committed to life-long musical relationships with all who have a link with us, notably alumni. We believe in the power of people to enrich the student experience with passion and commitment. The finest music from the best musicians in the world harnesses innovation and the potential it unleashes. Everyone is welcome at the RCM, whatever their background; indeed, accessibility and diversity define the College and all its activities. Global leadership is based at our newly reimagined South Kensington campus and extends online throughout the world. A new era of connectivity binds the community together.
Innovative, ambitious, distinctive and accessible since its foundation
The Royal College of Music provides world-class music education that nurtures future generations of performers, composers, creative leaders and thinkers, allowing them to enjoy significant global careers in all areas of the music industry and beyond. Our iconic campus is in the heart of London’s cultural area of South Kensington and our distinguished staff, alumni and unmatched performance opportunities demonstrate excellence of the highest order. Innovation is central to the RCM and has been since we were first founded. An illustrious heritage, coupled with state-of-the-art digital technology, provides an unparalleled, dynamic learning environment. Our values anchor our mission, and access and inclusivity are at the heart of this strategy as we extend our reach and engage with a global audience in new and expanded ways.

Our Strategic Plan

The Royal College of Music provides music education and professional training at the highest international level, through commitment to the transformative power of music and its own founding principles of excellence, advocacy and access.

As a natural first choice for the most talented students from around the world, the RCM is consistently recognised as an international leader in developing versatile and innovative creators, communicators and curators within the world of music and beyond. It embraces the ideals of an inclusive, open and just society, supporting students from diverse social, economic and ethnic backgrounds. It fulfils its obligation as a relevant, persuasive and world-leading advocate for the future of music, as an agent for positive and meaningful cultural change.

By 2027:

A core curriculum blending theory and practice fosters critical appreciation and understanding of music as an art and a science, offering a transformative, holistic education, tailored to individual needs and supported by world class learning resources. New insights are generated through performance, research, community initiatives and global collaboration based on a dynamic sharing of both explicit and tacit knowledge. The RCM is a driving force within the music profession, in which its students are readily employable.
Artistic performance both mirrors and leads professional activity. Opportunities are provided for students both to develop the skills necessary for successful careers within existing models, and also as leaders and innovators, extending reach, diversity and representation, and challenging and refreshing our artforms.
Online artistic and educational activity enables the RCM to reach a world-wide audience, further redefining membership of the College across all age groups, including integrated pre-tertiary programmes and community engagement.
World-class faculty, staff and visiting artists play a critical role within a working environment that provides an invaluable connection to the profession.
The interactive RCM Museum and Library special collections are fully integrated into the curriculum, as well as being an established destination for the general public and international researchers.
The student experience and public interaction are further cultivated within a wide-ranging estates plan, inflected by a commitment to a responsible and ambitious environmental policy.
The RCM collaborates with its community of alumni and supporters to cultivate lifelong relationships with the College. The development of imaginative and tailored opportunities for philanthropy ensures the College’s sustainability in this area.

View our full strategic plan here.

Our commitment to Equality, Diversity and Inclusion

We will work together to create and sustain a community where diversity is recognised, valued and celebrated. We will pro-actively advance equality and inclusive practice in our staff and student recruitment and admissions processes, in our research activity, in our teaching and our artistic programme, and the College’s working environment. We will endeavour through effective and collaborative action to create a culture which values diversity, and in which students, staff and visitors give due respect to other people and their work or ideas.

What we mean by:
Equality – A fundamental part of a fair society in which everyone can have the best possible chance to succeed in life.
Diversity – Recognising that everyone is different in a variety of visible and non- visible ways, and that those differences are to be recognised, respected and valued.
Inclusion – The active creation of a learning, working and social environment that is welcoming, which recognises and celebrates difference, and that this is reflected in its structures, practices and attitudes.

View our full EDI policy here.

Our Sustainability Strategy

“We will be the UK’s most sustainable conservatoire, embedding leading environmental and social practices in everything we do.”

Sustainability in teaching and research
As a higher education provider, integrating sustainability into the mission of the RCM means to educate new generations of musicians and sustainability stewards to carry on the institution’s core values.
Support music, culture and diversity
The long-term success of the RCM’s mission is underpinned by the ability to continue to foster talent, ensure equitable access to opportunity and inspire sustained enthusiasm for classical music.
Sustainable operations
In adopting a sustainability strategy, the RCM must take responsibility for the College’s environmental and social impacts and place sustainability at the centre of all operations.
Sustainable partners and suppliers
Tying sustainability into the terms and conditions for collaborating with others signals the RCM’s commitment to environmental and social responsibility and helps promote good practices elsewhere.
Health and wellbeing
Caring for the safety and ongoing wellbeing of students, staff and alumni is fundamental to sustaining a resilient, passionate and supportive environment in which no- one is left behind.

View our full sustainability strategy here.

Organogram

The roles

IT Operations Manager (AQ3241)

Apply now

JOB DESCRIPTION

Job title IT Operations Manager
Department IT
Grade 8
Hours of work Full Time (1FTE)

Salary £46,220 – £52,867
Contract type Permanent
Responsible to Head of IT
Responsible for Technology Systems Administrator, Technology Service Desk Engineer (x 3), Technology Projects Engineer, Technology Administrator
Liaises with Internal: Head of IT, IT Delivery Manager, Business Applications Manager, other IT colleagues, Digital Learning Manager, Creative Performance Technologies team, Professional Services Managers
External: Hardware, Software and Service Suppliers

Job overview

The IT Operations Manager is responsible for providing up-to-date and resilient ICT services and support to staff and students, with day-to-day responsibility for the ICT infrastructure, operational contracts, cyber security and the help desk. The IT Operations Manager leads a team of six and is a key member of the IT management team, reporting to the Head of IT alongside the Business Applications Manager and the IT Delivery Manager.

Main Duties & Responsibilities

Resolution of problems, including the ICT Service Desk and the service management process e.g. incident, problem and change control, managing the delivery of appropriate service levels.
Systems administration, including ensuring cyber resilience, ensuring that effective Disaster Recovery and Breach Response procedures and testing schedules are in place.
Responsible for operational contracts e.g. Microsoft 365, Azure AD, including supplier negotiations and contracts, budget management, and maintaining a contract database.
Manage and monitor the rolling programme of software and hardware updates for the ICT infrastructure e.g. laptops, servers, storage.
Cyber training and compliance, and other IT training as required for staff and students.
Monthly reporting including KPIs relating to systems compliance, cyber security and training, help desk support and projects where applicable.
Maintain IT policies and procedures, including for incident management, change control and business continuity.
Ensure RCM’s compliance with software licensing, data protection and other relevant legislation.
Maintain technical knowledge and keep up to date through appropriate training & development.
Manage a team of six, facilitating support from team members of that team to the ICT Delivery Manager as agreed with the Head of IT, and ensuring they undertake appropriate training & development.

PERSON SPECIFICATION

All of the following criteria are considered essential unless otherwise noted.

Qualifications

Educated to degree level in a relevant subject areas or equivalent professional experience.
ITIL Manager Certified. (Desirable)

Experience, Skills & Knowledge

Experienced IT professional.
Experienced team manager with strong team management skills and effective delegation.
Organised and able to effectively prioritise resources.
A high-level of experience in Microsoft Windows and Network Maintenance, Administration and Troubleshooting.
Experience of Microsoft Office 365 Maintenance, Administration and Troubleshooting.
Experience of Desktop Hardware Maintenance, Administration and Troubleshooting.
Experience of Cloud technologies.
Experience of Apple Macintosh network maintenance, administration and troubleshooting (Desirable)
Experience of SQL Server Maintenance, Administration and Troubleshooting.
Able to work collaboratively with other IT managers, and with Colleagues from other teams with strong communication skills.
Experience of negotiating and managing operational contracts and budgets and of KPI reporting to senior management.
Experience of a disciplined IT Service Management environment and working with SLA’s, with a customer service mindset.
Experience and good understanding of cyber security challenges and how to minimise the risks and impact.
Good project management skills and experience.
Excellent problem solving skills.

Technical Skills

Microsoft Certified. (Desirable)
Active Directory / Group Policy Management. (Desirable)
CCNA or equivalent switching certification. (Desirable)
Mitel or similar VOIP Administration. (Desirable)
Azure Cloud Backup. (Desirable)
Microsoft HyperV. (Desirable)
McAfee E Policy Orchestrator. (Desirable)
Microsoft System Centre Configuration Manager (SCCM). (Desirable)
PowerShell / Scripting. (Desirable)
Asimut Administration (Desirable)
PaperCut Administration (Desirable)
Experience of call-logging tools (e.g. CA Service Desk Management or similar) (Desirable)

Personal Attributes

A confident personality demonstrating resilience and adaptability.
An appreciation of the arts, particularly music, in education.
A commitment to recognising, valuing and celebrating diversity and to proactively advancing equality and inclusive practice in all areas of College life.

The duties and responsibilities assigned to the post may be amended by the Head of IT within the scope and level of the post.

Apply now

Head of IT (AQ3240)

Apply now

JOB DESCRIPTION

Job title Head of IT
Department IT
Grade 10
Hours of work Full Time (1FTE)

Salary £63,911 – £71,343
Contract type Permanent
Responsible to Director of Finance and Technology
Responsible for IT Operations Manager, IT Delivery Manager, Business Applications Manager
Liaises with Internal: Heads of Professional Services Departments, Head of Creative Technologies, Digital Learning Manager, Directorate members of the Digital Steering & Implementation Committee, the Audit and Risk Assurance Committee
External: Jisc, Hardware and software manufacturers, Technology suppliers and service providers, network of other Heads of IT

Job overview

The Head of IT provides leadership for the delivery of IT services for the College, including the development of the College’s IT strategy and its implementation and the provision of IT Services. The role ensures the IT infrastructure is resilient, efficient and capable of supporting the needs of the College. The post-holder takes a leadership role in influencing other senior managers to improve digital capability and skills on their teams and to look for digital opportunities to improve business models.

The role also has responsibility for the Cyber Security of the College and the protection of College data, IT systems, and digital assets. The role defines appropriate policies and standards, cyber security strategy and improvement initiatives to ensure the College remains resistant to cyber-attack and hostile activity. The post-holder is responsible for risk management and regulatory compliance in this area, and leading incident response efforts in the event of security breaches, including incident investigations. They work closely with other senior managers to promote a culture of awareness and manage resources to effectively safeguard the organisation’s information infrastructure.

This role reports to the Director of Finance & Technology, is a member of the Digital Steering and Implementation Committee (DSIC) and is an active member of the wider senior management of the College.

As a senior leader accountable for all aspects of IT, the role holder is expected to work with autonomy and minimal supervision. security.

Key Responsibilities

IT services and infrastructure

Leading, managing and developing the RCM IT team of 10 staff. Providing advice and guidance, ensuring the team have the support they need to provide quality service, fulfil their roles and balance different priorities.
Work collaboratively with colleagues across the institution, proactively seeking to explore and understand the needs of stakeholders with a view to anticipating changes in organisational needs and future requirements.
Responsible for managing operating and capital budgets, ensuring value for money and making the case for investment.
Responsible for the IT and communications infrastructure including:
- Network hardware and software
- IT and communications hardware and software (servers, PCs, printers, telephones etc)
- Software and hardware support for RCM systems and applications
- External connections to RCM
Accountable for the design and implementation of IT infrastructure improvements ensuring the right initiatives are budgeted and prioritised, and that systems and cyber defences remain resilient and up to date.
Overall responsibility for IT support for students and staff, setting and maintaining standards for the provision of IT helpdesk support working to agreed KPIs where appropriate.
Proactively seek to identify IT training needs for staff and students and work with the IT Operations Manager to identify solutions and implement training initiatives
Building long-term strategic partnerships with external suppliers and service providers through service level agreements.
Working collaboratively with the Head of Creative Technologies who has primary responsibility for certain related areas such as AV provision and the Apple Mac labs.

Cyber security

Implement and drive policy changes to promote business resilience and security of operations.
Responsible for ensuring the timely delivery of Cyber Security training, working with the IT Operations Manager to monitor and report on completion rates and effectiveness.
Through overall leadership of the IT function, ensure the cyber security environment conforms to our policies, principles, and standards, and mitigates risks and vulnerabilities.
Provide leadership and direction to ensure threats to students, staff and suppliers are addressed effectively and expeditiously. Ensure appropriate response to security incidents and drive continuous improvements by learning from them.
Direct and guide decision making during IT and Cyber Security incidents, serve as the primary point of escalation, involving external support agencies if appropriate to ensure outcomes and lessons learnt are documented for future events.
Ensure IT infrastructure reflects best practice, maintaining organisational resilience in light of potential cyber threats that is dynamic and evolving. The role holder will be expected to remain knowledgeable and informed by engaging with peers in the sector and with Jisc to exchange views and learnings. Foster a culture of security awareness, education and best practices throughout the College.
Liaise with functions outside IT, including the DPO, Finance and HR teams as well as external bodies such as Jisc to ensure the organisation maintains a robust security posture and works collaboratively.

Strategy and Governance

Plan and facilitate an appropriate IT strategy and governance structure, and provide regular reporting to the DSIC, and the Audit and Risk Assurance Committee.
Responsible for developing and implementing the IT Strategy for the College, ensuring that the IT Strategy is aligned with the College’s Strategic Plan and facilitates the work of other key areas of College
To act as a member of the Digital Steering and Implementation Committee (DSIC), Professional Services Committee and contribute as an active member of the wider senior management of the College.

PERSON SPECIFICATION

All of the following criteria are considered essential unless otherwise noted and will be assessed by both application form and interview.

Qualifications

Degree/postgraduate qualification in a relevant discipline or equivalent professional experience

Experience, Skills & Knowledge

IT professional with significant skills and experience committed to continued professional development and looking to further develop through a challenging, influential and broad role within Higher Education.
Evidence of deep and broad knowledge of the whole functional work area and of setting the overall standards for service across an IT department of similar function.
Experience of setting and maintaining service levels in line with KPIs.
Confident working autonomously with minimal supervision.
Significant professional experience in a senior management role with demonstrably strong team management skills and effective delegation.
Able to manage and prioritise effectively operational and investment needs across a large team.
Strong IT skills and significant understanding of commercial IT technologies including networking, server technology, hardware, software, cloud technologies and infrastructure planning.
Able to develop and advise senior management on IT strategy demonstrating full working knowledge and proficiency of their own area of expertise and acting as a point of reference for others.
Committed to continuous professional development, acquiring and refining skills and expertise in new or related areas through undertaking and encouraging internal or external development activity.
Experience of managing large capital and operational budgets.
Experience of managing large contracts and partnerships with suppliers.
Experience of managing cyber security incidents and a thorough understanding of the challenges posed by cyber security and how to manage the risks and impact.
Understanding of the current cyber security threats faced by the Higher Education sector. (Desirable)
An understanding of the role of IT in a Higher Education setting, including learning, teaching and research. (Desirable)
Excellent communication skills and a demonstrable ability to work with and influence senior Colleagues across the College.

Personal Attributes

Ability to cope calmly under pressure and demonstrate senior management ability in management, leadership, and decision making.
Good communication skills and the ability to work with senior Colleagues across all areas of the College.
A customer service mindset, supporting both staff and students.
A driven individual with the ability to implement a compelling long-term vision for the IT function, aligning it with organisational goals.
A commitment to recognising, valuing and celebrating diversity and to proactively advancing equality and inclusive practice in all areas of college life.

The duties and responsibilities assigned to the post may be amended by the Director of Finance and Technology within the scope and level of the post.

Apply now

Terms of appointment

6 month probation
3 month notice period (7 days during probation)
35 days annual leave (we close over Christmas for the three days between Christmas and New Years and these days come from the annual leave entitlement) plus bank holidays. Our leave year is from August to July.
Normal working hours are 9am-5pm with a one hour lunch break. Some variation such as 9.30am-5.30pm would be possible.
Minimum of three days a week onsite.
USS pension scheme, salary sacrifice optional. 6.1% employee contribution, 14.5% employer contribution
Employee Assistance Provider, CiC, provides support 24 hours a day, 7 days a week and access to a range of resources including counselling
Interest free season ticket loan, interest free cycle loan
There is a range of concerts taking place at the RCM throughout the weeks, staff are entitled to one free ticket per charged concert (excluding Opera and non-RCM promotions), and unlimited tickets for non-charged concerts.

How to apply

Anderson Quigley is acting as an advisor to the College; an executive search process is being carried out by Anderson Quigley in addition to the public advertisement.

The closing date for applications is noon on 29 June 2025.

Applications should consist of:

A full CV.
A covering letter (maximum of two pages) outlining your motivations to apply for this role, your relevant experience and how you meet the criteria of the person specification.
Please include details of two referees on your CV, though please note that we will not approach your referees without your prior consent and only should you be shortlisted.

Should you wish to discuss the role in strict confidence, please get in touch with Grace Tattersall at grace.tattersall@andersonquigley.com or +44 (0)7510 384 761 or Aino Betts at aino.betts@andersonquigley.com or +44 (0)7743 934 723.

The RCM is committed to nurturing diverse and inclusive environments for all staff and students to work and learn. We positively encourage applications from suitably qualified and eligible candidates from diverse backgrounds, including race, disability, age, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, religion and belief, marriage and civil partnership, pregnancy and maternity, and caring responsibility.

Appointment of the IT Operations Manager and the Head of IT

Welcome

About RCM

Organogram

The roles

IT Operations Manager (AQ3241)

Head of IT (AQ3240)

Terms of appointment

How to apply