Head of Enterprise Applications & Data Strategy

United Kingdom National Nuclear Laboratory; Warrington; On-site; GBP 90,000 - 130,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Family‑Focused Policies

Pension plans

Annual Leave

Gym membership discounts

Company Bonus

Learning Opportunities

Employee Assistance

Cycle to Work

Life Assurance

Sick Pay Benefits

Mydiscounts

Health Care

Job summary

United Kingdom National Nuclear Laboratory is seeking a Head of Enterprise Applications & Data to lead the strategic direction and operating performance of all enterprise applications and data platforms in a heavily regulated environment.

You will drive application rationalisation, manage sourcing and onboarding of new applications, ensure data quality and regulatory compliance, and partner with senior stakeholders to maximise value and resilience.

Qualifications

• Senior leadership experience managing enterprise applications and/or data in a complex, regulated organisation.
• Direct leadership experience of developing a business case and implementing a new ERP in a large organisation.
• Proven experience of application portfolio management, including rationalisation and value optimisation.
• Strong understanding of application sourcing models (SaaS, COTS, bespoke, cloud) and associated risks.
• Experience operating within regulatory, risk, and compliance frameworks.
• Demonstrable ability to translate business strategy into technology outcomes.
• Strong stakeholder management skills, with experience influencing at executive level.
• Focus on business operations and value drivers as opposed to purely technology focus.
• Ability to obtain SC level security clearance (UK residency required).

Responsibilities

• Own the end-to-end lifecycle of enterprise applications, including core business systems, line-of-business applications, and supporting platforms.
• Lead application rationalisation to reduce duplication, technical debt, and cost while improving usability and value.
• Establish clear principles for application selection, configuration, customisation and retirement.
• Maximise return on investment from existing applications through improved adoption, configuration optimisation, and process alignment.
• Define and track benefits realisation for application investments, working with business owners to ensure value is delivered and sustained.
• Challenge demand for new applications where existing capabilities can meet business needs.
• Lead the evaluation, sourcing, and onboarding of new applications, ensuring a robust business case and clear value proposition.
• Ensure all new applications meet architectural standards, data requirements, security controls, and regulatory expectations.
• Oversee due diligence of suppliers, including financial stability, data protection, resilience, and exit arrangements.
• Provide senior accountability for enterprise data platforms and data management practices.
• Work with data owners, governance bodies, and compliance teams to ensure data quality, integrity, availability, and appropriate use.
• Support the effective use of data and analytics to drive insight and decision‑making, within regulatory constraints.
• Ensure applications and data platforms comply with regulatory, legal, and internal policy requirements.
• Partner with risk, security, and assurance functions to manage operational, cyber, and third‑party risks.
• Lead remediation of application and data risks, including audit findings and regulatory actions.
• Build strong relationships with senior business stakeholders, acting as a trusted advisor on application and data capabilities.
• Manage strategic supplier relationships, contracts, and performance, ensuring value for money and service quality.
• Represent the application and data domain in governance forums, investment boards, and regulatory interactions as required.

Skills

Senior leadership

ERP implementation

Application portfolio management

Regulatory compliance

Stakeholder management

Security clearances

Job description

United Kingdom National Nuclear Laboratory is seeking a Head of Enterprise Applications & Data to lead the strategic direction and operating performance of all enterprise applications and data platforms in a heavily regulated environment.

You will drive application rationalisation, manage sourcing and onboarding of new applications, ensure data quality and regulatory compliance, and partner with senior stakeholders to maximise value and resilience.