Head of IT Operations

The Organisation

Plan International is an independent development and humanitarian organisation that advances children’s rights and equality for girls. We believe in the power and potential of every child but know this is often suppressed by poverty, violence, exclusion and discrimination. And it is girls who are most affected.

Working together with children, young people, supporters and partners, we strive for a just world, tackling the root causes of the challenges girls and vulnerable children face. We support children’s rights from birth until they reach adulthood and we enable children to prepare for and respond to crises and adversity. We drive changes in practice and policy at local, national and global levels using our reach, experience and knowledge.

For over 85 years, we have rallied other determined optimists to transform the lives of all children in more than 80 countries.

We won’t stop until we are all equal.

About the Role

We are seeking an experienced Head of IT Operations to lead the day-to-day delivery of global technology services at Plan International. This pivotal role ensures the stability, security, and efficiency of our IT infrastructure, enabling 10,000 staff across multiple regions to connect, collaborate, and deliver programmes that advance children’s rights and equality for girls.

You will oversee the global IT service desk, infrastructure operations, and service management processes, ensuring seamless support for enterprise applications such as SAP, HRIS, Sponsorship, and collaboration tools. With a budget of approximately £3.5m and a team of 10 across three time zones, you will drive innovation, optimise service delivery, and ensure compliance with global standards.

Key Responsibilities

• Oversee global IT infrastructure (hosting, storage, connectivity, security).
• Lead the Global Service Desk and IT Service Management processes.
• Deliver infrastructure upgrades, migrations, and enhancements.
• Drive innovation, compliance, and cost efficiency.
• Represent Plan in global forums (NetHope, UN Emergency Tech Cluster).

About You

You are an experienced IT leader with a strong technical foundation and a proven ability to deliver results in complex, global environments. You bring:

• Deep knowledge of existing and emerging technologies and trends.
• Strong understanding of operational, business, and technical needs.
• A track record of delivering IT systems development and technology projects, including budget management and business case development.
• Extensive experience managing global IT infrastructure and 24/7 operations, including cloud hosting.
• Hands-on experience with cloud-based services such as Microsoft SharePoint, Power BI, ERP systems (D365 and SAP), and HR platforms.
• Exposure to a wide range of technologies including SAP, Azure, AWS, Office365, and security solutions.
• Strong leadership and interpersonal skills, with experience managing dispersed teams and working with third-party suppliers.
• Excellent financial acumen and commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion.

Please respond to the requirements of the role in your cover letter.

Only CVs and cover letters in English will be accepted.  

For more information, please click the link here - Head_of_IT_Operations-Nov24 .docx

Location: This role will ideally be based in the UK, employed from the Global Hub for Plan International which is based in Woking, Surrey where we are hybrid working however other locations where Plan International has an office* that can employ on behalf of the Global Hub and you have the pre-existing right to work and live may be considered.

Type of role: Permanent or maximum fixed term contract as per employing office’s standard terms and conditions.

Salary: We will be happy to disclose the salary and applicable benefits to applicants as part of this process, however, please kindly note that the salary and employment benefits will be set according to your location and therefore it is not possible to include full details here.

Closing Date: 15th January 2026

*Applicable locations include: Australia, Bangladesh, Belgium, Benin, Bolivia, Brazil, Burkina Faso, Cambodia, Cameroon, Canada, Central African Republic, China, Colombia, Denmark, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Egypt, El Salvador, Ethiopia, Finland, Ghana, Guatemala, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Haiti, Honduras, Hong Kong, Indonesia, Ireland, Jordan, Kenya, Korea, Laos, Lebanon, Liberia, Malawi, Mali, Mozambique, Myanmar, Nepal, Niger, Nigeria, Norway, Paraguay, Peru, Philippines, Rwanda, Senegal, Sierra Leone, South Sudan, Spain, Sudan, Sweden, Switzerland, Tanzania, Thailand, Timor-Leste, Togo, Uganda, United Kingdom, US (some states), Vietnam, Zambia, Zimbabwe

Equality, diversity and inclusion is at the very heart of everything that Plan International stands for.

We want Plan International to reflect the diversity of the communities we work with, offering equal opportunities to everyone regardless of age, disability, gender reassignment, marriage and civil partnership, pregnancy and maternity, race, religion or belief, sex or sexual orientation.

Plan International is based on a culture of inclusivity and we strive to create a workplace environment that ensures every team, in every office, in every country, is rich in diverse people, thoughts, and ideas.

We foster an organisational culture that embraces our commitment to racial justice, gender equality, girls’ rights and inclusion.

Plan International believes that in a world where children face so many threats of harm, it is our duty to ensure that we, as an organisation, do everything we can to keep children safe. This means that we have particular responsibilities to children that we come into contact with and we must not contribute in any way to harming or placing children at risk.

A range of pre-employment checks will be undertaken in conformity with Plan International's Safeguarding Children and Young People policy. Plan International also participates in the Inter Agency Misconduct Disclosure Scheme. In line with this scheme we will request information from applicants previous employers about any findings of sexual exploitation, sexual abuse and/or sexual harassment during employment, or incidents under investigation when the applicant left employment. By submitting an application, the job applicant confirms their understanding of these recruitment procedures.

Please note that Plan International will never send unsolicited emails requesting payment from candidates.