Head of IT

Supermercados Guanabara; Henfield; Hybrid; GBP 75,000 - 80,000; Full time

Job summary

A well-established firm based in West Sussex is on the lookout for a Head of IT to shape their IT strategy during a critical growth phase. This hands-on leadership role involves engaging with senior leadership and overseeing IT operations, ensuring compliance and high levels of service delivery amidst planned company growth.

Benefits

Pension scheme with up to 10% employer match

Hybrid working environment

Modern open-plan office

Occasional travel to overseas locations

Qualifications

• Proven experience in a senior IT leadership role.
• Strong technical foundation across infrastructure, networking, and service delivery.
• Experience managing budgets and third-party vendors.

Responsibilities

• Driving and delivering the IT strategy in line with the company's growth ambitions.
• Leading IT operations, infrastructure, and service delivery.
• Managing vendor relationships, contracts, and budgets.

Skills

Leadership

Strategic Thinking

IT Governance

Vendor Management

Compliance

Team Collaboration

Education

Relevant Certifications (ITIL, ISO 27001, TOGAF, PRINCE2)

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)