Job title: Graduate IT Lead
Hours: 37.5
Location: Havant Leisure Centre (with regular travel to Waterlooville, Guildford and the Wellbeing Hub)
Salary: £35,000-£38,000
Looking for a workplace that ignites your passion, values respect, encourages innovation, and embraces being dynamic? Look no further! This role offers you the opportunity to join a team that believes in empowering its colleagues to unlock their full potential with Horizon.
The Trust:
Horizon Leisure Centres is a leisure trust operating since 1997, with centres in Waterlooville, Havant and Guildford. We are passionate about health and wellbeing and are committed to making an outstanding positive impact on our customers and within our local community. Our mission is to support and inspire our local communities to live healthier and happier lives by providing affordable access to sport and leisure facilities to all.
The Role:
This is a graduate-level development role with clear progression opportunities. This role offers a unique opportunity to shape how Horizon Leisure uses technology to support its services, staff and customers. As IT Lead, you will play an integral role in strengthening day-to-day IT operations, improving system reliability and supporting future growth. Working closely with Horizon’s external IT partner and internal teams across all sites, you will take the lead in coordinating IT support, managing core systems and helping to build Horizon’s internal digital capability.
The postholder will work closely with a range of software providers to ensure Horizon’s systems remain stable, secure and fit for purpose, supporting effective service delivery and business continuity across all sites. A key focus will be on the effective use and integration of the Legend CRM system and associated hardware, including tills, kiosks, scanners and access gates. This will help reduce pressure on super users, improve uptime and ensure core systems are aligned with customer needs.
Over time, the role will help shape a clear and deliverable IT strategy that strengthens system security, improves integration and supports Horizon’s wider ambitions. The postholder will also identify practical technologies, such as automation and AI, to improve customer journeys and streamline internal processes. They will be expected to monitor developments in the leisure and wellbeing sectors, benchmark approaches and recommend relevant improvements.
Interested? Want to know how you can join our team? Take a look at this great opportunity!
We are looking for a Graduate IT Lead to join us in transforming our business from 'good' to 'great'! This is a thrilling time for our company, and we need a key team member like you to help us achieve unprecedented success.
IT Operations
- Act as Horizon’s internal IT lead, coordinating with Horizon's external IT provider to ensure reliable service delivery across all sites.
- Monitor infrastructure performance, cloud-based services and system uptime, escalating technical issues where required.
- Oversee the issue, configuration and secure disposal of laptops, desktops and other IT equipment.
- Maintain accurate inventories of hardware, software and user licences
- Provide day-to-day support for staff, coordinating with Horizon's external IT provider to resolve technical queries.
- Maintain visibility of Horizon’s cloud platforms, ensuring appropriate access controls and performance monitoring.
- Support Horizon’s environmental goals by promoting green IT practices, including low-energy equipment, paperless processes and responsible recycling.
Legend CRM and System Management
- Own the setup, testing and maintenance of Legend-connected hardware, including tills, scanners, kiosks and access control devices
- Log, track and escalate system issues or outages, working with Horizon's external IT provider and Legend support to manage fixes, updates and workarounds
- Help reduce the day-to-day support burden on operational super users by proactively managing configuration and system reliability
- Work with sales, membership and marketing teams to optimise customer journeys within Legend
- Monitor automated workflows and communications to ensure they are configured correctly and function smoothly
Cyber Security and Risk
- Develop and implement a practical Cyber Security Strategy, aligned to organisational risk and regulatory requirements.
- Lead Horizon’s preparation for Cyber Essentials Accreditation, including documentation and supplier coordination.
- Promote good practice in password protection, patching, system access and endpoint security.
- Support GDPR compliance through secure handling of personal and sensitive data across platforms.
- Deliver internal cyber awareness training and support development of incident response and recovery plans.
Systems Administration and Integration
- Act as lead user or administrator for Horizon platforms, including Legend, Gladstone, booking, HR, finance and facilities systems.
- Act as a point of contact for Horizon’s HR, payroll and finance systems, supporting system administration, access permissions, and ensuring data is managed securely and accurately.
- Liaise with software providers and internal leads to coordinate updates, troubleshoot issues and support reporting or configuration needs.
- Maintain an understanding of how these systems interact with each other and with wider business processes, identifying opportunities to streamline workflows or improve usability.
- Manage user access, onboarding and offboarding, and ensure regular system updates are carried out effectively.
- Support platform integration and system improvements using APIs or other automation tools.
- Work with suppliers and Horizon's external IT provider to maintain platform stability and coordinate enhancements.
Strategy and Development
- Contribute to a clear, deliverable IT strategy that supports Horizon’s operational requirements and future service developments.
- Support digital planning for new sites, partnerships and contracts.
- Identify relevant technologies that could enhance operational efficiency or customer experience.
- Benchmark Horizon’s digital performance against sector standards and support evidence-based recommendations to senior leaders.
Skills and competencies:
- Able to diagnose and resolve IT issues and communicate clearly with users and suppliers.
- Working knowledge of data protection principles and good digital governance
- Proficient in Microsoft 365 and cloud-based tools.
- Interest or experience in digital innovation relevant to the leisure, health or wellbeing sectors.
- Practical, reliable and methodical in approach.
- Strong communicator who builds trust with technical and non-technical colleagues.
- Self-motivated and able to manage competing priorities.
- Curious and improvement-minded, with a focus on problem-solving.
- Committed to delivering a smooth and effective user experience.
Your Experience:
- Experience supporting CRM platforms, bookings, HR or finance systems.
- Experience managing IT hardware, inventories and user account setups.
- Knowledge of IT infrastructure, cloud services, device management and system access controls.
- Understanding of cyber security risks and controls, including endpoint protection and data handling.
- Awareness of system integration methods, including use of APIs.
- Familiarity with leisure management systems such as Legend or Gladstone is desirable.
Your Qualifications:
- Degree or other recognised qualification in Information Technology, Computer Science, Cyber Security, Digital Systems or a related discipline (essential).
What you can expect from us:
- A comprehensive induction and training programme; you don’t need to have worked in the leisure industry before. We will teach you all you need to know!
- Support from the wider team who have a great deal of combined knowledge and experience and who are eager to help you succeed!
- Variety; no two days is the same!
- An environment that encourages innovation and free thinking, surrounded by really dynamic, empowered individuals.
Benefits:
- Free access to our award-winning gym’s and exercise classes for you and a +1
- Employee discounts and wellbeing platform
- Healthcare Cash plan
- Free 24/7 access to GPs using our SmartHealth plan
- Employee Assistance Programme - support for when you need it most
- 23 days annual leave + 8 days bank holiday
- Holiday purchase scheme
- Internal recognition schemes
- Opportunities for training, development and progression
- Free onsite parking - subject to availability
- Hybrid and family friendly policies
- Generous company sick pay scheme
- Employee referral scheme
- Company pension scheme
- Death in service benefit
- And much more....
This role will be based at Havant but will be expected to travel to other company site as the need requires.
Interview Process:
The recruiting manager will review your CV and if shortlisted, you will be invited to a formal interview/assessment process where we will evaluate your suitability for the role.
There may be times when due to the volume of applicants to need to close a vacancy early to avoid disappointment, be sure to get your application in as soon as possible!
If you are a recruitment agency, please note we operate a PSL and do not take cold calls.
