Forward Institute
IT Systems Manager
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About the Role
We're looking for an IT systems manager to support us in this next stage of our growth and impact. There is a strong sense of possibility in what we are building, and we need the foundations of our business - our tools, our data, our systems - to be able to support us to get there.
We are looking for someone with strong operational instinct, a genuine care for detail, and a real interest in how good systems and clean data quietly enable everything else an organisation does. You will have experience managing IT platforms, service delivery and data governance, and the confidence to spot what's broken, fix it, and put something better in its place. You are as comfortable troubleshooting a laptop issue as you are tightening up a data protection process.
This is a role for someone who takes pride in the engine running well, not just in the things it powers.
This is a role designed to sit at the heart of our Engine, keeping the systems, data and platforms that the whole organisation relies on running smoothly. We are looking for someone with strong operational instincts, genuine curiosity about technology and AI, and a real belief in responsible leadership. In this position, you will play an active role in how the Engine itself develops, helping identify where we should invest, automate and strengthen our foundations.
These are the three core responsibilities, but this isn't a fixed job spec: we'll shape it with you, helping to develop your mastery and impact as you go.
Core Responsibilities
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IT support, access and service delivery
- Act as the first point of contact for technology requests, managing triage, resolution and escalation.
- Take day-to-day ownership of the external IT support relationship, including onboarding and offboarding, permissions, access reviews, licence management, and the rollout of a password management system.
- Administer Microsoft 365, SharePoint, Notion, Salesforce and any new systems we bring online, covering configuration, housekeeping and basic troubleshooting.
- Make platform recommendations, and work with internal and external teams to roll-out new capabilities.
- Where routine requests are repetitive, experiment with AI-assisted triage or self-serve tools to reduce the manual load over time.
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Platform administration, data quality and automation
- Set and maintain data standards across platforms, including deduplication and routine audits - testing where AI can take on parts of this work directly rather than just scheduling it.
- Design, build and maintain the automations that connect our systems and keep processes running, such as Zapier workflows, form logic and notifications.
- Own the operational cadence for DPIAs, retention routines and policy compliance, and maintain documentation for data processing terms, security schedules and partner due diligence requirements.
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- Data protection across the organisation
- Own how information and platforms are structured and maintained, including file structures, naming conventions, templates and reference documentation, so colleagues can find what they need and use our systems consistently.
- Lead a full readiness review of SharePoint & Notion, covering structure, permissions, metadata and suitability for AI-assisted knowledge retrieval - and use this as a live testing ground for how AI tools perform against real company data.
- As we launch new internal and partner-facing platforms, take responsibility for the operational side, including user support, testing, training, change communications and release coordination.
About You
Mindset
- Detail and systems oriented
- Practical and able to exercise judgement under ambiguity
- Proactive about improving how things work
- Curious about technology, automation and AI
- Collaborative and service minded, good at working with people
Capabilities
- Ability to manage IT support, access and supplier relationships
- Strong systems administration across multiple platforms
- Ability to implement, improve and communicate operational workflows
- Strong data management and documentation discipline
- Ability to recommend and support technology change and user adoption
Experience
- ~5+ years’ experience in IT operations, systems administration or digital operations
- Experience managing multiple business systems
- Experience implementing or migrating a core platform
- Experience setting up workflows, integrations or automations
- Experience working in a small, growing organisation
About us
Our offer to you
This is a rare opportunity: real ownership over the systems and infrastructure that power a growing organisation, at a level most places won't offer this early. Work alongside genuinely impressive people. Get exposure to real scale and complexity, and the chance to shape how we work, not just support it. Development we take as seriously as our partners' impact. And a team that cares, and knows how to enjoy the work too.
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We are pragmatic idealists
- Responsible leadership is the most important lever in shaping the future. We pair moral ambition with the discipline to follow through, and measure ourselves by outcomes, not intentions.
- We Care
- For the work, the people we work with, and the leaders we support. Care without courage is just comfort, so we take the work seriously, in a way that is deeply human.
- We build from multiple perspectives
- We work with leaders from across business, government, and civil society, and from a range of backgrounds, because difference drives better thinking.
- We challenge assumptions
- We ask the questions other's don't. Clarity starts with curiosity, and courage means acting on it; we would rather ask the hard questions than settle for received wisdom.
Benefits
How to Apply
To apply, please send over to us:
- Your CV and covering letter
- and an additional covering video (maximum 90 seconds) answering the following question: What do you think responsible leadership looks like in the age of AI?
We are an equal opportunities employer and are committed to fair and inclusive recruitment practices. We welcome applications from people of all backgrounds, identities, and lived experiences.
We want to make this process as inclusive and accessible as possible. If you have any access needs or specific requirements, please get in touch
About us
Shaping a better future through responsible leadership.
We believe a better future is possible, and how we get there begins with leaders. The choices they make will determine the years to come.
Responsible leadership is the courageous and creative use of power to shape a better future. It is a choice, and we help leaders choose it.
Through breakthrough leadership programmes, advisory interventions and our 1,500+ strong leader community we equip leaders with the mindsets, capabilities, insight and tools to transform their organisations.
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