Salary: £64,473

Working Pattern: 35 hours per week. Monday-Thursday in our Head Office in Lancaster, work from home on Fridays (flexible working options will be considered)

Contract Types: Permanent

Location: Head office, Lancaster (hybrid working patterns can be considered)

The role

We’re looking for a strategic, hands on Head of IT and Digital to shape and deliver our technology vision. Reporting to the Director of Compliance & Quality Assurance, you’ll lead IT strategy and digital transformation, drive automation and AI adoption, and ensure secure, resilient infrastructure. You’ll manage supplier partnerships and budgets, oversee systems integration and data flows, and develop a high performing IT team that enables growth and efficiency.

You’ll bring a strong record in organisation wide strategy and project delivery, excellent stakeholder communication, and deep Microsoft expertise (Microsoft 365, Azure, Azure AD/Entra ID, SQL Server). If you love turning business goals into simple, scalable, secure solutions and can lift performance across people, process and platforms then we would love to hear from you!

The full Job Description can be found by clicking here.

So, what are you waiting for?

If you like the sound of the role and the organisation, and you think the below attributes describe you well, then we would love to hear from you.

• Proven experience in IT strategy leadership and largescale project delivery

• Strong team leadership and people management skills

• Expertise in Microsoft 365, Azure and related technologies

• Excellent communication and stakeholder engagement

• Ability to deliver outcomes across multiple workstreams and meet deadlines

If you have the following attributes, then we’d be even more impressed:

• Microsoft Certified Systems Engineer or similar IT qualification

Further information

Closing date: Monday 6th October 2025

Interview date(s): 13th October 2025/15th October 2025

If you have any questions or would like to discuss this opportunity further, please contact Andrew Lord, Director of Compliance & Quality Assurance at [email protected].  

We reserve the right to close the job vacancy early if we find an appointable candidate or receive a high volume of applicants.

This job may meet the eligibility requirements to qualify for visa sponsorship. 

About Us

We are proud to be one of the UK’s leading educational charity groups, encompassing an awarding organisation, a provider of dyslexia intervention software and an online training organisation. Our enthusiastic people bring genuine passion and natural energy to everything that they do and through their infectious energy they transform the lives of thousands of people each year through the power of education. It has never been a more exciting time to join The Ascentis Group as we continue our journey of growth across the UK and overseas.

We are market leading in the education sector and the specialist areas we operate within, maintaining the #1 provision for ESOL (English for Speakers of Other Languages) and Access in the UK. We are based in Lancaster but have a national reach and hold top positions in all areas we operate within and have a dominant market share in London. We recently won two awards at the FAB 2024 Awards - Innovation of the Year and Awarding Organisation of the Year.

The Ascentis Group is made up of brilliant people, unique in terms of background, personality, characteristics, experience and skill. We value our people for the differences they bring to the table and believe this diversity is powerful. We are an equal opportunities employer, and we are determined to ensure that no applicant or employee receives less favourable treatment on the grounds of gender, age, disability, religion, belief, sexual orientation, marital status, or race, or is disadvantaged by conditions or requirements which cannot be shown to be justifiable.

To find out what our employees have to say about working at Ascentis watch the video found here.

So, what are you waiting for?

If you like the sound of the role and the organisation, and you think the above attributes describe you well, then we would love to hear from you.

Benefits at Ascentis

• 25 days annual leave plus 8 public holidays, birthday day off, closure days gifted during the festive period, increased annual leave with long service and an Annual Leave Purchase Scheme (up to a maximum of 43 days)
• Competitive pension benefits, including a salary sacrifice scheme
• Access to Informal Flexibility, allowing you to flex your working times and location where viable
• Incremental service benefits as a family-friendly employer, including enhanced Maternity, Neonatal, Paternity, Shared Parental, Adoption Leave and Pay, Sick Pay, Life Insurance, and Paid Compassionate Leave
• Access to state-of-the-art office and break facilities, such as bean-to-cup coffee machine, vending machine, pool table, Xbox, outdoor seating, dressing room (with access to hair dryers, straighteners, airers, shower facilities), Harry Potter reading room, employee library and more
• Free parking, paid electricity charging points, locked bike storage shed
• Tailored learning and development opportunities
• Cycle to Work Scheme
• Home and Tech Scheme
• Discounted gym membership at 3-1-5 Health Club
• 24-hour employee helpline and a proactive focus on wellbeing
• Aviva DigiCare+ health app with access to virtual GP appointments, annual health check and more
• Reward and recognition scheme, regular team building and communication activities

Do you like the sound of The Ascentis Group, but think your skills might suit another role?

We also have other vacancies available. Take a look at our website for more! www.ascentis.co.uk/jobs