Head of IT

Head of IT

Final date to receive applications: 6 February 2026

Department: IT

Employment Type: Full Time

Location: HQ - Leatherhead

Reporting To: Operations Director

As Head of IT, you will lead the organisation's technology and digital strategy, ensuring that the team deliver exceptional service and operational excellence. This is a hands‑on leadership role, requiring a balance of strategic vision and hands‑on management, ensuring IT systems underpin design, engineering, production and all support functions within the organisation, combining technical expertise with a strong focus on people development, collaboration, and innovation within vona tight budget.

You will lead our established Service Delivery, Infrastructure & Security and Application teams and seek to continuously improve the in‑house IT function by identifying new and improving processes and initiatives to support our growing organisation.

Your remit will include developing and maintaining the organisation's IT strategy, aligning technology initiatives with business goals, and driving innovation to optimise processes and deliver business value. You'll act as a strategic partner to other departments, identifying and implementing digital solutions that support their operations.

The role involves managing the evolving design, implementation, and maintenance of IT infrastructure, including networks, servers, and databases, while ensuring systems are scalable and reliable to support future growth. You'll also be responsible for hardware and software asset management, cybersecurity strategy, governance and regulations.

You'll manage the IT budget, oversee vendor relationships, and lead IT projects from planning through to execution. Collaboration with cross‑functional teams will be key as you implement organisation‑wide software solutions and systems, identify challenges and opportunities, and execute change management strategies.

Regular management information reporting on performance, system uptime Bird ticket volumes, security incidents, and project progress to senior leadership is expected. You'll also play a vital role in coaching and developing rising talent within the IT team, fostering a culture of continuous learning and high performance to keep the team up to date with the latest technologies and industry trends.

Our organisation operates with high demands on service availability, high security and compliance and therefore this position requires a blend of technical knowledge, leadership ability, and strategic insight to navigate the complexities of the digital age, in line with our organisation.

• Strategic Planning:
  Develop and Execute IT Strategy – Define and implement a comprehensive IT strategy aligned with business objectives, driving operational efficiency and innovation across the organisation.
• Stakeholder Management:
  Partner with key stakeholders to support the delivery of transformational change initiatives.
• People Leadership:
  Lead and develop a high‑performing team – Inspire, manage, and mentor a multidisciplinary IT team, fostering a culture of innovation, accountability, and continuous improvement. Ensure that the team is equipped to meet the organisation's technology and stakeholder needs.
• Governance, Compliance &
  
  Risk Management:
  
  Establish IT policies, maintain regulatory compliance, oversee cybersecurity, disaster recovery and business continuity planning.
• Budget Management:
  Oversee the IT budget, ensuring that resources are allocated effectively to support strategic initiatives while maintaining cost efficiency.
• Overall management of day‑to‑day IT operations across the organisation; ensuring projects are delivered, day‑to‑day operations run smoothly and excellent levels of service are maintained.
• Overall management of IT infrastructure, enterprise systems, cloud services, networks, cybersecurity and data management, ensuring high availability, security and performance.
• Drive transformation initiatives:
  Lead large‑scale IT projects, including system upgrades, process improvements and automation, balancing hands‑on delivery with strategic oversight.
• Collaborate with stakeholders:
  Partner with…