Head of IT

JLA Resourcing Ltd; Henfield; Hybrid; GBP 75,000 - 80,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading firm in West Sussex is seeking a Head of IT to drive strategic IT initiatives as they embark on a growth journey. This hands-on leadership role involves operational oversight, vendor management, and ensuring compliance while fostering a collaborative team environment. The position offers a competitive salary, flexible working arrangements, and the chance to shape the future of IT within the organization.

Benefits

Pension scheme with up to 10% employer match

Hybrid working: 3 days a week in the office

New office refurbishment underway

Qualifications

• Proven experience in a senior IT leadership role, ideally in an SME or mid-sized organisation.
• Strong technical foundation across infrastructure, networking, systems, and service delivery.
• Experience managing budgets, third-party vendors, and group-level IT relationships.

Responsibilities

• Driving and delivering the IT strategy in line with the company’s growth ambitions.
• Leading IT operations, infrastructure, and service delivery across the business.
• Owning IT compliance, governance, GDPR, and business continuity planning.

Skills

Strategic thinking

Operational capability

Technical leadership

Education

Relevant certifications (e.g. ITIL, ISO 27001, TOGAF, PRINCE2)

Tools

ERP software

HR software

Job description

Job Title: Head of IT
Location: West Sussex (Hybrid – 2/3 days in office)
Contract Type: Permanent
Salary: £75,000–£80,000 base + up to 10% matched pension
Start Date: July/August 2025

The Opportunity:
We’re working with a well-established firm based in West Sussex who are about to enter an exciting period of growth and digital transformation. Backed by global parent company but proudly independent in culture and operations, this is a family feel environment with strong values, long staff tenure, and a reputation for delivering high-impact projects.
As the current Head of IT leaves their role, the business is looking for a commercially minded, strategic IT leader to take ownership of the IT function. Your task will be to define and deliver a roadmap that supports scale, modernisation, and operational excellence.
This is a hands-on leadership role where you’ll be the face of IT across the business, working closely with senior leadership, vendors, and the groups centralised IT teams.

The Role:
You’ll take full ownership of the IT operations and their strategic direction, leading a small internal team, engaging with the business, and coordinating with Group on infrastructure, procurement, and security.
Key responsibilities include:

• Driving and delivering the IT strategy in line with the company’s growth ambitions
• Leading IT operations, infrastructure, and service delivery across the business
• Owning IT compliance, governance, GDPR, and business continuity planning
• Managing vendor relationships, contracts, and budgets
• Providing direct support and hands-on technical leadership where needed
• Working closely with senior leadership to advise on risk, innovation, and digital transformation
• Championing continuous improvement and high levels of end-user satisfaction
• Leading software rollouts, systems integration, and business applications adoption
• Collaborating with internal teams to understand and support department-level needs
• Acting as the point of contact between company and Groups IT/security teams

The Person:
We’re looking for someone who combines strategic thinking with operational capability. You’ll be confident in leading conversations at senior level whilst building a collaborative and approachable relationship with your team.
You’ll need:

• Proven experience in a senior IT leadership role, ideally in an SME or mid-sized organisation
• Strong technical foundation across infrastructure, networking, systems, and service delivery
• Experience managing budgets, third-party vendors, and group-level IT relationships
• Confidence engaging at senior leadership level and contributing to wider business discussions
• Hands-on experience in areas like hardware rollouts, platform adoption, and support
• Understanding of IT governance, GDPR, and compliance frameworks

Bonus points for:

• Relevant certifications (e.g. ITIL, ISO 27001, TOGAF, PRINCE2)
• Experience in the construction, engineering, or infrastructure sectors
• Familiarity with ERP, HR, or industry-specific software

Additional context about the company and role

• 200+ employees, with plans to double/triple in the coming years
• Hybrid working: 3 days a week in the West Sussex office
• New office refurbishment underway, creating a modern open-plan environment
• Occasional travel to overseas locations
• Pension scheme with up to 10% employer match (starting at 3.5%)
• Close-knit team culture, well-respected IT function, long tenure among staff
• First interviews in person with MD and current IT lead
• Second stage with Senior Leadership (likely via Teams)