IT Technical Lead

Company: Cansford Laboratories (part of Phenna Group)

Location: Cardiff, fully onsite

Contract: Permanent, full-time

Reports to: Head of Laboratory Operations

Cansford Laboratories is a specialist drug and alcohol testing laboratory based in Cardiff. Accredited to ISO/IEC 17025, we provide toxicology testing that people rely on to make important decisions in family law, social care and the workplace, so accuracy, impartiality and service are at the heart of everything we do. Cansford is part of Phenna Group, a leading testing, inspection and certification group, which gives us the backing of a larger organisation with the pace and personality of a growing SME.

Cansford Laboratories is looking for an IT Technical Lead to take local ownership of our IT environment and help drive its modernisation. You will make sure our infrastructure, systems, integrations and technology services are reliable, secure and joined up, working in partnership with Phenna Group IT, Group cybersecurity and our managed service and specialist suppliers.

It is a broad, hands‑on role covering infrastructure, architecture, integration, security, suppliers and technology enablement, working alongside our IT Software Developer.

• Own the effectiveness and resilience of the local IT environment, including infrastructure, servers, endpoints, access and integrations
• Coordinate and recommend the technology roadmap, working within Phenna Group standards
• Manage our managed service provider and other suppliers, owning escalations, root‑cause resolution and service improvement
• Act as local technical lead for cybersecurity, information security and data protection controls
• Own technical implementation and integration for approved business projects
• Enable reliable management information through data and reporting infrastructure, Power BI and automation
• Own IT continuity, backups and recovery arrangements
• Maintain IT policies, asset and refresh planning and documentation, and reduce technical debt

• Broad, hands‑on IT experience covering infrastructure, systems, suppliers, security and problem solving
• Strong knowledge of Microsoft‑centric infrastructure and cloud, identity and access, networking, endpoints, backup and recovery, and cybersecurity controls
• Experience managing MSP and service‑desk performance, escalations and third‑party suppliers
• The ability to translate business needs into coherent technical solutions and manage implementation risk
• A structured, pragmatic and service‑oriented approach, with the ability to explain technical issues clearly

• Experience as an IT lead or generalist in an SME, laboratory, healthcare or regulated organisation
• Power BI and data integration, Cyber Essentials, Microsoft Access or LIMS environments
• Experience moving from internal support to a managed‑service or group support model
• API and integration architecture, automation and technical project delivery
• Experience through significant technology change or modernisation

This is a genuine opportunity to join Cansford at an important point in its growth, in a role that has been shaped around where the business is heading. You will have real ownership, a visible impact on how the business performs, and the support of Phenna Group behind you.

Cansford Laboratories and Phenna Group are equal opportunities employers and welcome applications from all backgrounds.

Phenna Group is an Equal Opportunities Employer