Head of IT & DevOps

Franklin Bates; Glasgow; Hybrid; GBP 120,000 - 150,000; Full time

Job summary

Franklin Bates Limited is seeking a strategic Head of IT & DevOps to lead cloud transformation, security and IT operations for a growing international software business. You will drive AI-enabled engineering practices and modernise infrastructure while maintaining close alignment with the CTO and senior leaders.

The role offers remote UK work with periodic visits to the Glasgow office, and a strong focus on SaaS delivery, cloud-native platforms and governance across the organisation.

Qualifications

• Experience leading DevOps, cloud, IT ops and security.
• Proven cloud migrations or infrastructure modernisation.
• Strong Azure and cloud-native tech knowledge.
• Security governance and ISO 27001 exposure.
• Budget, contracts and vendor management experience.
• Proactive AI adoption using tools like Claude or Copilot.

Responsibilities

• Lead DevOps & Cloud, IT operations and security strategy.
• Oversee ISO 27001 compliance and security partnerships.
• Shape cloud migrations and SaaS delivery modernisation.
• Manage budgets, vendors and supplier negotiations.
• Drive AI adoption to boost productivity and automation.
• Partner with CTO and leadership to align tech with business strategy.

Skills

Leadership

DevOps

Cloud infrastructure

IT operations

Security

ISO 27001

CI/CD

IaC

Azure

Cloud-native

Vendor management

Budget management

AI adoption

Stakeholder management

Tools

Claude

GitHub Copilot

Job description

Head of IT & DevOps

Salary: £120,000-£150,000 per annum

Location: Based remotely anywhere in the UK, you will spend a few days in the Glasgow office twice a month, building relationships with a close-knit local team

Type: Permanent

We are recruiting for an experienced Head of IT & DevOps to lead technology operations, cloud transformation and security within an established international software business. A key feature of this role will be an AI-driven mindset.

This is an opportunity to play a central role in the organisation's evolution towards a cloud-native SaaS model, modernising infrastructure, strengthening engineering practices and developing the technology capabilities needed to support future growth.

Working closely with the CTO and wider leadership team, you will have the autonomy to shape strategy, lead established technical teams and deliver meaningful change across DevOps, IT and Security.

The opportunity

The business is undertaking a significant programme of technology transformation, moving away from legacy infrastructure towards scalable cloud platforms and modern SaaS delivery.

You will take ownership of three core functions - DevOps & Cloud, Internal IT, and Security & Compliance - providing strategic direction while remaining technically engaged and commercially focused.

Key responsibilities will include:

• Leading the transition from on-premises infrastructure to secure, scalable cloud environments, supporting the wider evolution towards SaaS.
• Developing DevOps and cloud capabilities, improving CI/CD, automation, platform reliability and software delivery.
• Providing leadership across IT operations, infrastructure, service management and business continuity.
• Overseeing cyber security strategy, risk management and compliance, including ISO 27001, alongside the selection and management of external security partners.
• Leading and developing established technical managers and their teams, encouraging collaboration, accountability and continuous improvement.
• Managing technology budgets, supplier relationships and commercial negotiations, ensuring investment supports business priorities.
• Championing the adoption of AI and Agentic AI capabilities across technology teams, identifying opportunities to automate workflows, enhance engineering efficiency and improve productivity through intelligent tooling and AI-driven processes.
• Working alongside Product, Engineering and senior leadership to ensure technology platforms and operations support the organisation's long-term ambitions.

About you

We are looking for a commercially minded, proactive technology leader with experience operating within a software product or SaaS business, who can combine strategic leadership with technical credibility and a hands‑on approach to delivering change.

You will ideally bring:

• Senior leadership experience spanning DevOps, cloud infrastructure, IT operations and security, including managing experienced technical managers.
• A proven track record of delivering significant cloud migrations or infrastructure modernisation programmes.
• Strong understanding of Microsoft Azure, cloud‑native technologies and modern DevOps practices, including CI/CD and Infrastructure as Code.
• Experience owning security governance and compliance, particularly ISO 27001, alongside managing external technology or security suppliers.
• Commercial experience managing budgets, contracts and vendor relationships.
• A proactive and enthusiastic approach to AI adoption, with practical experience using tools such as Claude, GitHub Copilot or AI agents to improve personal and team productivity, automate processes and introduce new ways of working.
• Excellent stakeholder management skills and the confidence to lead change within a growing, evolving technology environment.

Experience transitioning traditional software products towards SaaS, implementing security operations partnerships or working across distributed international teams would be particularly valuable.

Why consider this opportunity?

This is a high‑impact leadership appointment offering the opportunity to shape a significant technology transformation within an established international software organisation.

You will have genuine ownership across three critical technology functions, the support of an experienced leadership team and the opportunity to introduce modern approaches to cloud delivery, security, automation and Agentic AI.

The role offers considerable autonomy, strategic influence and flexible working arrangements, alongside a competitive salary and benefits package.