IS Apps Lead

Spirit Energy; Barrow-in-Furness; On-site; GBP 120,000 - 180,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Hybrid working arrangement

Barrow-in-Furness office

Job summary

Spirit Energy is seeking an IS Applications Lead to own delivery, governance and run activities for a broad applications estate with SAP at its core. You will manage outsourced resources, drive change, and oversee security, compliance and interfaces across multiple sites.

The role requires strong vendor and contract management, a deep understanding of SAP and cloud platforms, and a track record of coordinating audits and governance with business stakeholders.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in IT or business discipline.
• Experience delivering large-scale IS application estates with SAP at core.
• Strong governance, assurance and contract management skills.

Responsibilities

• Maintain IS applications processes, procedures and work instructions.
• Oversee SAP landscape, integration, performance and security.
• Manage third-party vendors, contracts and service levels.
• Coordinate change and release management across applications.
• Own test/UAL cycles and incident response for apps.

Skills

SAP

Governance

Vendor mgmt

Change mgmt

IT security

Audit liaison

Cloud

Azure

Power BI

MS365

Education

Bachelor's Degree in IT/Business

Tools

SAP

Azure

PowerBI

MS365

Job description

HAVE YOU GOT SPIRIT? In operation since 1985, Barrow Gas Terminal is a key piece of the UK’s energy infrastructure and supports the Morecambe Bay gas fields. The terminal has played a long‑standing role in processing and delivering natural gas, supporting both local employment and national energy supply. With a focus on safety, environmental sustainability and community engagement, we believe in operational excellence at every stage of production. If you are ready to take the next step in your career with a dynamic and energetic team, then we are keen to hear from you.

THE OPPORTUNITY – IS APPLICATIONS LEAD

The Information Systems (IS) Applications Lead is responsible for the overall delivery and performance of a broad internally and externally provisioned applications estate, with SAP at its core. The role is responsible for technical and commercial oversight, governance, assurance and outsourced service management and is expected to be hands‑on with the day‑to‑day direction of outsourced resources and decision making relating to key run and change activity.

Location: Barrow-in-Furness
Duration: 2-year contract
Contract Type: PAYE
Day Rate: TBC. For your application to be progressed, please ensure you provide a PAYE day rate banding expectation. Please note that there is no travel and accommodation allowance provided. Please only apply if you have existing right to work in the UK. Please outline notice period/availability to start. Spirit Energy currently have a non-contractual hybrid working arrangement for all office‑based workers. 4 days must be worked in the office with compulsory days being Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday. The fourth day worked in‑office (either Monday or Friday) is of the worker’s choosing but should be in keeping with what is most efficient and effective for their team. The office is open 5 days a week for full time, in‑office working if this is the contractor’s preference.

In role, you will be required to:

General

• Maintain (cross‑discipline) IS applications processes, procedures and work instructions (and drive compliance)
• Determine / maintain fit‑for‑purpose scalable and resilient integrated applications architecture, ensuring reliability, security, integrity and performance of the estate
• Act as applications focal point for (cross‑discipline) IS / IT / Cyber / Deloitte audits and external reviews
• Manage all third party application vendors, relationships and commercial agreements
• Classify, assess and assure third party / cloud / SaaS application services
• Execute application‑related control assurance attestations
• Undertake contract renewals / tenders in collaboration with Head of IS and the Supply Chain function
• Maintain secure password management (rotation, vault storage etc.)
• Manage Source‑to‑Pay processes for IS applications (in collaboration with team, business owners, Supply Chain and Finance)
• Project Manage / Deliver application projects (upgrades, changes, replacements, implementations etc.), drawing on outsourced support
• Co‑ordinate Test / UAT cycles
• Collaborate with the Head of IS and the IT Lead to evolve cyber control framework of Manage, Protect, Detect and Respond capability / controls, with ongoing maturity assessments
• Conduct security due diligence assessments on any new / changed IS services impacting the business
• Conduct Cyber Incident Response testing in collaboration with team
• Support cyber incident response / investigations
• Oversee service provisioning and hosting of internal LoB apps and associated integrations
• Oversee service provisioning and hosting of external / SaaS LoB apps and associated integrations
• Manage licensing, consumption and renewals for all applications
• Manage apps lifecycle (scope, source, design, build, test, commission, host, run, maintain, upgrade, retire, archive)
• Handle apps change / upgrade / release management
• Maintain apps (including SAP) build / support documentation (including Service Catalogue), drawing on outsourced providers
• Provide Master Data Management
• Handle major incident response (Apps, including SAP)
• Manage outsourced Apps support contract performance / resources, directing and supervising as required
• Act as the "glue" to connect external vendors and handle escalations related to integration / interfaces
• Any other associated duties as reasonably required

SAP‑Specific

• Oversee SAP landscape and associated integration - architecture, performance & security
• Oversee SAP hosting and core technical support and maintenance (external SAP RISE and internal SAP BW / PO on Azure) and associated interfaces
• Maintain and ensure operation of SAP‑specific controls aligning to shareholder requirements, drawing on outsourced support
• Co‑ordinate scoping / shaping / design of change activity between business and external service provider
• Handle SAP change / upgrade / release management, acting as Gate Keeper / Design Authority
• Manage outsourced SAP support contract performance / resources, directing and supervising as required
• Collaborate with Head of IS and Centrica over shared SAP journey (specific contract renewal needed in 2027)

About you

• Strong overall understanding of IS applications management in a technical multi‑site organisation
• Appreciation of infrastructure, networks and end user computing
• Good understanding of MS365, Azure and PowerApps / PowerBI
• Good understanding of core SAP principles around change and release management
• Ability to develop and maintain procedural, technical and architectural documentation and maintain a Service Catalogue
• Knowledge of software licensing models and consumption analysis
• Commercial skills to manage scope, specification and cost relating to applications
• Ability to interface with audit teams, acting as the bridge between outsourced delivery teams and auditors
• Deep and disciplined understanding of IT General Controls, specifically including those relating to SAP
• Solid understanding of key processes including incident, problem and change management as well as business analysis and PMO processes for project delivery.
• Effective contract management skills, with the ability to manage outsourced service providers and to connect vendors and navigate interfaces
• Ability to co‑ordinate (and in some cases execute) application testing
• Strong appreciation for cyber security and the Cyber Assessment Framework, covering Managing Security Risk, Protecting against Cyber Attacks, Detecting Cyber Security Incidents and Minimising Impact of Security Incidents.
• Ability to handle escalations, lead on significant incident response and manage outsourced resources as required
• Batchelor's Degree in an IT / business discipline (or equivalent experience)

In addition to technical knowledge and credibility, we are looking for someone who lives our values - Agility, Collaboration, Courage, Care, and Delivery. A person who embraces and supports change, while ensuring the safe and efficient operation of a mature asset.

We are a truly pioneering energy transition company with a portfolio and ambitions that span the breadth of the energy transition. We’re continuing to break new ground, collaborating and thinking differently. We’re proud of our heritage. With more than 30 years of production, we’re maximising the potential of our existing assets and substantial gas reserves in the UK and Netherlands. Above all, we live by our commitment to safety in everything we do. Our portfolio is predominantly gas (96%), providing vital, primary energy to fuel our homes and businesses in the UK and Europe. Our strategy is focused on: - Safely delivering production from our existing assets; - Meeting and de‑risking our decommissioning obligations, and - Exploring strategic energy transition opportunities from our existing assets.