Pre-sales Operations Manager, UK's Top IT Employer, Oxfordshire

An opportunity for an operations manager with IT experience to move into the richly rewarding educational IT sector and lead a team of network designers / technical pre-sales who help turn RM’s sales orders into suitable solutions.

Based at the Oxfordshire HQ and reporting directly to the Head of BSF (Building Schools for the Future) within our Services Division, you’ll lead a team of office / field based technical designers that work closely with both sales and customers to capture requirements and use detailed design rules to translate these into orders which drive business fulfilment processes. Designs encompass school networks (c. 1500 designs in FY07 with a £60m total value) and increasing support activity in large, complex BSF, college and academy bids. Key outputs are deliverable solutions which are technically and financially accurate.

The dynamic work environment is continually changing so it is critical that the you ensure that processes are constantly developed and refined. In addition, the breadth of solutions means that you’ll liaise with all RM Divisions, thus demanding 1st class relationship building and influencing skills, but offering a very visible business-critical role with strong career prospects.

Key Responsibilities

• Core Design function: Lead office and field staff to provide a design service to sales for RM network solutions. Develop tools and processes to ensure ‘right first time’ implementations
• BSF Bid support: Provide resource and tools to support the BSF Solution Architects in designing school side solutions as part of the overall local authority design.
• Manage an ongoing Improvement programme: Build and implement a portfolio of operational improvements that deliver customer and business benefits in a fast changing environment. Own the design rules and look to reduce bid costs
• Bid cost model inputs: Provide accountants with accurate, systems driven quotes for bid cost modelling purposes.
• Interface Management and SLAs: Manage broad internal interfaces with other divisions (sales, implementations, network development, strategic projects etc) and agree SLAs
• Manage Design Team: Line manage 7 core staff with an additional 8 contactors for half of the year to support peak activity. Create annual cost centre plan and identify pipeline demand

The Individual

• Of graduate calibre with an extensive operations background and experience of effectively line managing a technical team, ideally in a customer facing environment.
• Strong process orientation, exceptional communication and interpersonal skills, ability to influence broadly and at all levels. Creative, driven and a proactive problem solver.
• Previous education sector experience, exposure to sales or a pre-sales background could all be useful but are not essential

Why you should consider this role

• Visible role is right at the very core of RM provides the ability to very quickly build market & company knowledge, build broad internal relationships and prove delivery ability
• Educational ICT is a buoyant, fast-changing sector where you can really make a valuable direct contribution to teaching and learning
• Established in 1973, RM is the market-leading supplier of ICT solutions to the education sector with 2000 staff globally and revenues exceeding £260m. The company really does live and breath its core values: Customer success, high standards, respect for others, innovation, openness and enjoyment at work

To apply online visit rmcareers.co.uk using job reference ‘2145‘. Relocation assistance could be provided.