Information technology has become the backbone of the modern financial services sector in the United Kingdom. Firms in London and elsewhere throughout the region cannot rely anymore on fax machines or land lines to provide top notch services to their clients. Instead, customers and corporate clients expect their financial service provider to have high speed networks and mobile phones. Financial services, in essence, require instant access and constant contact between consultants and clients. Computer networks, mobile services, and network security do not just pop in from thin air, however.
Financial service firms of all sizes are adopting IT departments in-house or developing exclusive relationships with consultancies in order to meet their technological needs. Entry level professionals like help desk workers, network consultants, and IT generalists are hired en masse in order to set up systems and keep them flexible over the long term. These professionals need guidance, whether on specific departmental goals or fulfilling the general goals of financial services. In this way, IT managers and experienced professionals who want to gain management experience should find their way to financial service leaders.
Financial service firms, like similar businesses in the stock trading and banking fields, have long been involved in developing proprietary IT solutions. These firms need to have data security methods that are unique to their corporate headquarters and regional offices. As well, financial service agents need to be trained on a variety of custom software programs that will help determine the best solutions for their clients.
IT managers are needed to implement these solutions and train professionals on how to get their jobs done. These managers are often involved in the planning stages of software development and updates, which help them train their employees. From there, they can develop training solutions that will combine corporate strategies with departmental goals. In addition to assisting IT professionals accomplish their own jobs, IT managers need to mind the goals of the larger firm. New IT managers are often surprised by the number of meetings that they have with sales management, accountants, and other management and supervisory staff. These meetings are meant to co-ordinate departmental efforts and ensure that every goal that a financial services firm sets forth is accomplish.
After all, even IT managers have to recognise that their goal is to improve the experience of individual customers. IT managers jobs, therefore, can be a juggling act between internal technological issues and a consideration of how their firm is competing in the larger industry.
Steve Bishop is the Managing Partner of Damia Group. The company specialise in information technology jobs and UK recruitment solutions as well as IT jobs in Europe.
