Applications Manager

Cast UK Limited; City Of London; Remote; GBP 60,000 - 70,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Bonus

Job summary

Cast UK Limited is seeking an experienced Applications Manager to own the application landscape and lead a technology transformation across ERP, warehousing integrations, reporting and e-commerce platforms.

You will shape the roadmap, balance day-to-day delivery with strategic projects, and develop a capable team while ensuring secure, integrated systems aligned with business priorities.

Qualifications

• Experience leading an applications/enterprise systems or application support team.
• Experience owning a multi-system portfolio and developing a strategic roadmap.
• Strong understanding of enterprise applications, SaaS, integrations and data flows.
• Experience in distribution/retail or supply chain environments with ERP/WMS exposure.
• Proven track record delivering continuous improvement and service evolution.
• Strong supplier management including contracts, SLAs and budgets.

Responsibilities

• Lead the team responsible for the performance, support and strategic development of the business's application portfolio.
• Own the application roadmap, ensuring systems remain reliable, secure, integrated and aligned with business priorities.
• Translate business requirements into a clear, prioritised plan that balances day-to-day service delivery with longer-term improvement and transformation initiatives.
• Oversee application support, incidents, problems, requests and changes, ensuring systems remain reliable, secure and fit for purpose.
• Work closely with business leaders, process owners and delivery teams to understand requirements, agree priorities and ensure technology improvements deliver measurable benefits.
• Manage strategic technology suppliers against contracts, service-level agreements, performance expectations, risk and cost, supporting procurement and investment decisions.
• Work with architecture, infrastructure, data and security teams to maintain a coherent application landscape, with appropriate standards for integration, access, testing, change and compliance.
• Identify opportunities to simplify the application landscape, reduce duplication, address legacy constraints and improve efficiency, resilience and long-term sustainability.
• Monitor and elevate application, cyber security, continuity and supplier risks, providing clear recommendations and ensuring appropriate controls are maintained.

Skills

Leadership

ERP

SaaS platforms

Integrations

Data flows

Application lifecycle management

Supplier management

Stakeholder management

Job description

Applications Manager
UK, Remote£60,000 - £70,000 per annum + Bonus

A leading distribution business is looking to appoint an Applications Manager to take ownership of its application landscape and support its ongoing technology transformation.

With a complex portfolio of business-critical systems supporting operations across multiple businesses, the organisation is focused on improving system integration, operational efficiency and the overall customer experience.

This is an opportunity to take a leading role in shaping the application strategy, developing a capable team and ensuring technology continues to meet the evolving needs of the business.

About the Role

Lead the team responsible for the performance, support and strategic development of the business's application portfolio.

You will own the application roadmap, ensuring systems remain reliable, secure, integrated and aligned with business priorities. Working closely with senior stakeholders, technical teams and external suppliers, you will translate business requirements into a clear, prioritised plan that balances day-to-day service delivery with longer-term improvement and transformation initiatives.

This role requires a combination of strategic thinking, hands-on leadership and strong commercial awareness, with responsibility for application lifecycle management, supplier performance, service quality and continuous improvement.

Key Responsibilities

• Application Strategy & Ownership: Take responsibility for the application portfolio, including ERP, warehouse management integrations, finance, transport, forecasting, reporting, document management and e-commerce platforms.
• Roadmap & Transformation: Develop and maintain a prioritised application roadmap, balancing business demand, system upgrades, transformation projects, operational resilience and technical debt.
• Team Leadership: Lead, coach and develop the applications team, including implementation and ERP consultants, establishing clear accountability, service standards and development objectives.
• Service Delivery: Oversee application support, incidents, problems, requests and changes, ensuring systems remain reliable, secure and fit for purpose.
• Business Stakeholder Management: Work closely with business leaders, process owners and delivery teams to understand requirements, agree priorities and ensure technology improvements deliver measurable benefits.
• Supplier & Commercial Management: Manage strategic technology suppliers against contracts, service-level agreements, performance expectations, risk and cost, supporting procurement, renewals and investment decisions.
• Systems Integration & Governance: Work with architecture, infrastructure, data and security teams to maintain a coherent application landscape, with appropriate standards for integration, access, testing, change and compliance.
• Continuous Improvement: Identify opportunities to simplify the application landscape, reduce duplication, address legacy constraints and improve efficiency, resilience and long-term sustainability.
• Risk Management: Monitor and elevate application, cyber security, continuity and supplier risks, providing clear recommendations and ensuring appropriate controls are maintained.

What We're Looking For

• Proven experience leading an applications, enterprise systems or application support team within a complex business environment.
• Experience owning a multi-system application portfolio and developing a strategic application roadmap.
• A strong understanding of enterprise applications, SaaS platforms, integrations, data flows and application lifecycle management.
• Experience within a distribution, retail or supply chain environment, with exposure to ERP and warehouse management systems. Sage X3 experience would be particularly relevant.
• A track record of improving application service delivery, managing technology change and delivering continuous improvement.
• Strong supplier management experience, including contracts, SLAs, service performance, budgets and commercial negotiations.
• The ability to balance strategic planning with operational priorities, ensuring business-critical systems continue to perform effectively.
• Excellent leadership and stakeholder management skills, with the confidence to influence senior business leaders and work collaboratively across technical and non-technical teams.

The Opportunity

This is an opportunity for an experienced Applications Manager to make a significant impact within an established distribution business, taking ownership of a complex technology landscape and helping shape its future direction.

You will have the scope to influence application strategy, develop your team and drive improvements across systems, processes and supplier relationships, playing a key role in supporting the wider business transformation agenda.

About Cast UK

Cast UK is a leading executive consultancy, providing national recruitment solutions to both clients and candidates. Specialising in HR, Procurement, Buying, Supply Chain, and Logistics, each member of our specialist team has a professional background specific to their recruiting sector. With this unique insight and knowledge, our consultants are able to place individuals from trainee through to main board.