Head Of IT

Carlisle, Cumbria
Six Degree’s
About Our Client

Our clients are one of the UK’s most recognised players in their field, who work on a National basis supplying construction businesses and DIY retailers

Located in Cumbria, home of the English Lake District, we operate a next day service, nationwide and beyond. Our client are passionate about our products, people, and customers.

Purpose of the role

As the Head of I.T., you will work within a dynamic team, and will lead the development and implementation of software solutions, ensuring seamless integration with business processes and contribute to the overall success and growth of the organisation.

You will be involved with the site and local implementation of group systems, bringing your expertise to ensure implementations are smooth and risk managed. You will give leadership and support to the local helpdesk and software development teams ensuring the business is appropriately supported.

Within the group I.T., you will provide insight into local issues affecting the group I.T. KPIs, addressing issues in a proactive way before they occur or cause major problems.

Your role as part of the Management Team owns the development, maintenance and reporting of all local I.T. work schedules, ensuring security, compliance and performance within our infrastructure to provide customer service excellence to our business and customers. Monthly reporting to the I.T. steering group is chaired by this role.

Key responsibilities

• Strategic I.T. Leadership:
  • Developing and executing a local I.T. strategy aligned with our client’s business goals and the broader I.T. strategies. This will encompass hardware, software, security, resources, and other aspects that support the achievement of the business plans.
  • Driving digital transformation initiatives to enhance operational efficiency.
  • Overall management of website hosting including the development and monitoring of service level performance from 3rd party resource partners.

• Team Management:
  • Leading and inspiring a dedicated, skilled and experienced I.T. team. o Fostering a collaborative and innovative team culture.
  • Day to day management of helpdesk resources and performance including reporting and improvement programmes.
  • Day to day management of the software development function. Providing direction to the development activities and being a vital link between the business and development team as part of the software development life cycle.

• Infrastructure, Application & Hardware Management:
  • Overseeing the design, implementation, and maintenance of I.T. infrastructure lead by group Infrastructure teams
  • Owning and managing the development, deployment, and maintenance of business applications include our “in-house” developed software.
  • Developing local business specific Service Level Agreements (SLA) and subsequently ensuring that I.T. service meets or exceeds agreed targets.
  • Managing the hardware estate for the business units including:
    • Physical servers, switches, and other associated hardware
    • Local PCs & printers/MFDs
    • Telecoms: fixed line, broadband, mobile phones & devices, wifi, scanners ? Video conferencing assets

• Information Security and Compliance:
  • Enforcing group security policies and procedures.
  • Ensuring compliance with relevant regulations and standards.
  • Assist with development of and roll-out of I.T. policies across all locations, periodic maintenance and enforcement.

• Vendor & Budget Management:
  • Collaborating with vendors and third-party service providers.
  • Negotiating contracts and managing vendor relationships effectively.
  • Developing and managing the I.T. budget, ensuring cost-effectiveness and efficiency.

• Collaboration and Communication:
  • Collaborating with other departments to understand their I.T. needs. o Communicating I.T. strategies and updates to senior management.
  • Project planning and management of infrastructure maintenance and development projects including engagement and management of 3rd party contractors and service providers as and when required.
  • Ownership of Disaster Recovery Plans covering all aspects of I.T. resources and service including periodic testing and subsequent updating. This includes from minor incidents such as theft of mobile phones to larger scale issues such as downtime on main systems.

Skills, competencies and personal experience required

• Proven leadership experience in I.T. within a dynamic organisational setting.
• Strong understanding of I.T. infrastructure, systems, and software development.
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills.
• Strategic thinking with the ability to align I.T. initiatives with business goals.
• Experience and/or recognised qualifications in project management and successful implementation of I.T. projects.
• Intrinsic knowledge of cybersecurity best practices.
• Familiarity with industry trends and emerging technologies.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
• The ability to manage multiple priorities and deadlines.
• A mind-set for continuous improvement.
• Strong organisational & administrative skills.
• The ideal candidate will be flexible and able to support where required on out of hours support for the business.
• Experience with MWARE, Windows Server, Linux, Veeam & other similar relevant systems as and where required.

What’s on offer

Basic salary of up to £70k dependant on experience

5% ER/5% EE salary sacrifice pension

25 days annual leave plus bank holidays

Staff discount scheme

Employee Benefits Hub

WeCare EAP scheme

Holiday Flex scheme to buy/sell/carry over

Cycle to Work Scheme