Service Operations Lead

Salary: £38,000 - 78,000 per year

Requirements

• Proven leadership in mission-critical technical environments.
• Experience delivering complex engineering projects on time and to standard.
• Expertise in team building, recruitment, and operational planning.
• Strong stakeholder engagement and supplier management skills.
• Desirable: experience in telecoms or IT engineering service operations.
• Desirable: knowledge of timing and frequency systems.
• Desirable: familiarity with telecom standards and protocols.
• Desirable: understanding of ITIL principles.
• Desirable: proficiency with service management tools.
• Desirable: strong IT skills, including automation and efficiency solutions.
• We require BPSS security clearance.
• We require Developed Vetting (DV) clearance with no restrictions, or the ability to obtain it.

Responsibilities

• Define operational requirements and work with our NTC Leadership Team, scientists, and engineers.
• Recruit, lead, and develop a high-performing team across science, IT, networks, and cyber.
• Establish and manage our Service Management Centre to ensure KPIs and SLAs are met.
• Implement robust processes and tools for ITSM, ITIL, and cyber security.
• Play a key role in risk management and technical design forums.
• Drive strategy and collaboration across the National Timing Centre programme.

Technologies

• Support
• ITIL
• ITSM
• Security
• Backbone
• C++
• Embedded

More

We are our world-leading Time & Frequency department, part of the National Physical Laboratory (NPL), a world-leading centre of excellence in measurement science, engineering, and technology. We are delivering a government-backed National Timing Centre programme with £180 million of investment to create a resilient, world-first time distribution capability that will support critical UK digital infrastructure and essential services. We offer a culture built on diversity, inclusion, flexible working, social activities, health and well-being, and a broad range of rewards, benefits, and recognition. We welcome applications from candidates of all backgrounds and are committed to reasonable adjustments and equal opportunities in our recruitment process.

last updated 29 week of 2026