Job Title: Head of IT Transformation
Department: IT
Location: Telford
Reports to: Chief Executive Officer
Direct Reports: Transformation Team
Key Relationships: Internal Departments; Members of the Organisation
Role Overview
As the Head of IT Transformation, you will play a pivotal role in leading the modernisation of the organisation’s IT systems, driving a comprehensive shift to a next-generation, cloud-based infrastructure. This is a strategic position where your leadership will be crucial in aligning IT innovation with the organisation's broader business goals. The role is designed for an experienced IT leader who has successfully managed large-scale transformation projects and who can navigate the complexities of working with multiple stakeholders, senior leadership, and a diverse team of IT professionals.
This role offers an exciting opportunity to shape the technological future of the organisation, and you'll be responsible for ensuring that every step of the transformation aligns with long-term business objectives while staying on track in terms of scope, timelines, and budget. You'll not only manage the technical aspects but also drive innovation, inspire change, and help the organisation move forward into a fully modernised IT landscape.
Key Responsibilities
As the Head of IT Transformation, you will take full ownership of the IT transformation project from start to finish, ensuring it aligns with the organisation’s strategic objectives. You’ll develop a strong project strategy and lead the execution, making sure that key milestones are hit on time and within budget. This transformation will touch every part of the organisation, and your role will be to optimise business processes while modernising the technical infrastructure.
You will be responsible for identifying where inefficiencies lie and how technology can address these gaps. Working closely with Business Analysts, IT professionals, and department heads, you’ll implement innovative solutions that increase operational efficiency and effectiveness across the business. Your strategic insights will not only focus on IT infrastructure but also on how technology can streamline core business functions.
One of your major responsibilities will be overseeing the selection and implementation of new cloud technologies. You will work with key vendors to ensure that the tools and platforms selected meet the highest standards of quality and performance, always with an eye on scalability, security, and cost-effectiveness. In this capacity, you’ll be managing relationships with external partners to ensure that all deliverables are met on time and within the agreed scope.
Cross-functional collaboration will be a key component of your role. You’ll work with various teams across the business to ensure that the technology transformation is fully aligned with operational needs. You’ll conduct in-depth analyses of current business operations, identifying gaps and opportunities, and propose innovative solutions to address them.
A significant portion of your role will focus on cloud infrastructure and containerisation. You will lead the migration of core systems to the cloud, ensuring that this new environment is flexible, secure, and scalable. Implementing containerisation strategies using technologies like Docker and Kubernetes, you will drive efficiency and flexibility in the organisation's IT architecture.
Stakeholder engagement will be crucial to your success. You will serve as the main point of contact between the IT department and business leaders, ensuring that there is constant, clear communication about progress, risks, and outcomes. You will regularly update senior management and the board, providing insights and feedback on the project's trajectory.
Managing risks effectively will be another critical aspect of your role. You will need to foresee potential challenges, especially with the adoption of new technologies, and develop contingency plans to address them. This includes keeping the project within budget and ensuring that timelines are met, even as new risks arise.
Part of your responsibility will also involve training and change management. As new systems are implemented, you will ensure that training programs are in place to enable staff to adopt the new technologies smoothly. You’ll be leading the development of change management strategies that will support the organisation through this period of transformation, minimising disruption and maximising adoption.
Finally, you will establish and maintain robust governance and reporting frameworks. You’ll be responsible for creating and maintaining structures that allow for regular review of project progress, addressing risks, and escalating issues when necessary. Regular reports to senior leadership will be a key part of this governance, providing clear updates on project status, risks, and performance.
You will also be tasked with overseeing the project’s financials, ensuring that the project stays within budget. Collaborating with HR and recruitment, you’ll secure the right talent for the project, balancing internal and external resources to ensure the team’s success.
What We Are Looking For
To succeed in this role, you’ll need extensive experience in IT project management, with a focus on large-scale transformation projects. At least 10 years of experience in the field is essential, including 5+ years in senior positions where you’ve successfully led significant IT overhauls. Your track record should show that you can deliver complex projects on time and within budget.
You’ll need a deep understanding of cloud-based architectures, with hands-on experience using platforms such as AWS, Azure, or Google Cloud. You should also have strong technical knowledge of system integration, software development lifecycles, and IT infrastructure management.
Exceptional leadership skills are crucial, as you’ll be leading a diverse team in a fast-paced, dynamic environment. You should have a proven ability to inspire and guide teams, as well as influence senior stakeholders across the organisation. Strong communication and interpersonal skills are essential for engaging both technical teams and business leaders alike.
Experience in risk management and change management is also key. You will need to show that you can not only identify and mitigate risks but also lead an organisation through significant technological and operational changes.
A strong background in managing budgets and resources is also required, as you’ll be overseeing a multi-million-pound project budget and ensuring efficient use of both internal and external resources.
Qualifications
- Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science, Information Technology, Business Administration, or a related field.
- Certifications in project management (e.g., PMP, PRINCE2), IT service management (e.g., ITIL), or cloud-specific certifications (e.g., AWS Certified Solutions Architect) are highly desirable.
Additional Requirements
This role will require occasional travel for stakeholder meetings and project oversight. Familiarity with the agricultural or livestock industry is a plus but not essential.
This position offers an exciting chance to make a significant impact on the organisation’s future through technology, leadership, and innovation. If you're ready to lead a transformative project that will shape the future, we want to hear from you!
