Head of IT

Dnata; Greater London; Hybrid; GBP 90,000 - 140,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Free breakfast, lunch and dinner on‑S

Free tea and coffee

Simply health Plan

Refer a Friend Scheme

Discounted gym membership

Cycle to Work Scheme

Inhouse apprenticeship programme

Job summary

Dnata is seeking a Head of IT to lead both Technical Services (Infrastructure) and Business Systems, delivering IT services that align with business needs. The role requires strong leadership, strategic thinking, and hands-on delivery in a complex environment.

The Head of IT will drive IT governance, risk management and compliance, while managing budgets, vendor contracts and performance. This role supports Emirates’ global family and on-site operations at London Heathrow.

Qualifications

• Senior IT leadership experience in a large, multi-site business environment.
• Degree-level IT/CS or related field is required or equivalent experience.
• Certifications such as ITIL, Prince2, PMP, AWS or CISSP are desirable.
• Proven track record delivering strategic technology initiatives and operational excellence.

Responsibilities

• Provide strategic direction for IT services and ensure operational delivery when required.
• Lead Infrastructure and Business Systems, ensuring stability, security and compliance.
• Develop and manage IT budgets, forecasts and cost optimisation initiatives.
• Partner with executive stakeholders to translate business needs into technology solutions.

Skills

Leadership

IT Infrastructure

Security & Compliance

Strategy & Business Acumen

Budget & Vendor Management

Stakeholder Engagement

Education

Degree in IT / Computer Science / Business Systems

Certifications: ITIL, Prince2, PMP, Agile, Microsoft, AWS, CISSP

Job description

Head of IT

Department: Central Functions

Employment Type: Permanent - Full Time

Location: London Heathrow

Description

Who are we? Dnata is one of the world’s largest air and travel services providers. We provide a comprehensive range of inflight catering, onboard retail, supply chain and logistics services at all major and regional airports across the UK. Dnata Catering provide expertly crafted inflight catering services, delivering fresh and high-quality meals at major and regional airports across the UK. As the leading Halal caterer in the UK, we also provide tailored experiences to meet each customer’s unique needs. We’re a leader in VIP catering, offering bespoke inflight to private and charter clients.

The Role To deliver IT Services to a standard and at a cost that meets the business needs. The Head of IT should be an experienced technology leader who can provide strategic direction whilst remaining hands-on enough to support operational delivery when required. The role is responsible for both Technical Services (Infrastructure) and Business Systems, ensuring technology enables the business whilst maintaining stability, security and compliance.

Key Responsibilities

IT Leadership & People Management

Skills, Knowledge and Expertise

Leadership & Management

• Proven experience leading and developing high-performing IT teams within a complex business environment.
• Strong people leadership, coaching, mentoring and performance management capabilities.
• Ability to influence, engage and build credibility with executive stakeholders and cross-functional teams.
• Experience driving cultural and organisational change.

Technical & Operational Expertise

• Broad knowledge of enterprise applications, infrastructure, networks, cloud technologies and end-user computing environments.
• Strong understanding of IT service management principles, including incident, problem, change and release management.
• Experience managing business-critical systems and ensuring high levels of availability, resilience and performance.
• Knowledge of cybersecurity principles, identity and access management, data protection and IT governance frameworks.

Strategy & Business Acumen

• Demonstrated ability to develop and execute technology strategies that support business growth and operational excellence.
• Commercially focused with strong business partnering skills and the ability to translate business needs into technology solutions.
• Experience supporting customer bids, RFP responses and strategic business initiatives.
• Ability to identify and implement technology-enabled process improvement opportunities.

Financial & Commercial Management

• Proven experience managing IT budgets, forecasting expenditure and delivering cost optimisation initiatives.
• Strong commercial awareness with experience managing technology suppliers, contracts and service agreements.
• Ability to evaluate technology investments and develop compelling business cases.

Governance, Risk & Compliance

• Experience implementing and maintaining IT governance, risk management and compliance frameworks.
• Strong understanding of information security policies, controls and industry best practices.
• Knowledge of audit processes, regulatory compliance requirements and technology risk management.

Qualifications & Experience

• Significant senior-level IT leadership experience, ideally within a multi-site operational or logistics environment.
• Degree-level qualification in Information Technology, Computer Science, Business Systems or a related field, or equivalent experience.
• Professional certifications such as ITIL, Prince2, PMP, Agile, Microsoft, AWS, CISSP or equivalent are desirable.
• Demonstrable track record of delivering strategic technology initiatives and operational excellence.

Benefits

What's in it for you?

• An opportunity to be part of the Emirates global family.
• Free breakfast, lunch and dinner on site
• Free tea and coffee
• Simply health Plan
• Refer a Friend Scheme
• Discounted gym membership at over 2000 gyms nationwide
• Cycle to Work Scheme
• Opportunity to enhance your learning through our inhouse apprenticeship programme

If you're invited to interview, please let us know if there are any adjustments we can make to ensure you're cleared for takeoff and able to perform at your best. We’re committed to making the recruitment journey as smooth and inclusive as possible.