Technical Lead - SmartOps

Whitbread PLC; Dunstable; Hybrid; GBP 80,000 - 100,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Healthcare (BUPA)

Pension 10% matched

Discounts: Premier Inn

Restaurant discounts

Annual incentive up to 30%

Job summary

Whitbread PLC is seeking an experienced Smart Operations Technical Lead to shape and lead the technical direction across Navigator, housekeeping and automation technology. This senior role combines delivery and architecture, overseeing the full development lifecycle and translating business needs into clear, buildable technical requirements.

You will set technical standards, manage risks, and provide oversight of integrations, while coaching engineers and aligning delivery with strategic goals.

Qualifications

• Deep knowledge of the Microsoft technology stack and experience with Microsoft-based products, platforms or services.
• Extensive experience in software development, technical architecture, solution design or a closely related technical discipline.
• Experience making or overseeing significant technical and architectural decisions.
• A strong understanding of the development process and the complete technology delivery lifecycle.
• Experience owning and managing major incidents, including stakeholder communications and restoration of critical services.

Responsibilities

• Set the technical direction across Navigator, housekeeping and automation, translating requirements into clear designs and plans.
• Oversee the full delivery lifecycle, guide architectural decisions, and manage technical risks.
• Provide technical oversight of systems integration partners and suppliers, coaching engineers.
• Bridge delivery and architecture to ensure solutions are strategically aligned and deliverable.

Skills

Microsoft stack

Software development

Technical architecture

Major incident management

Job description

Here at Whitbread, We’re looking for an experienced Smart Operations Technical Lead to shape and lead the technical direction across our Navigator, housekeeping and automation technology.

This is a senior technical leadership role that brings delivery and architecture together. You’ll oversee the design and technical quality of solutions throughout the full delivery lifecycle, making sure user and operational needs are translated into clear, buildable technical requirements.

Working alongside a Tech Specialist who will focus on detailed implementation, you’ll establish the technical standards and direction required to deliver secure, resilient and supportable technology across our hotel and restaurant operations.

Role: Technical Lead - SmartOps

Contract Type: Full time, Permanent

Location: Whitbread Court, Dunstable (Hybrid, 3 days per week)

Why You’ll Love It Here

• Healthcare: Family BUPA healthcare


• 10% matched pension


• Discounts: Up to 60% discount on Premier Inn stays and 25% discount on our Restaurant brand


• Annual Incentive of up to 30% Bonus

Check out all our benefits here: https://www.whitbreadcareers.com/about-us/benefits/

What you’ll be doing:

You’ll set the technical direction across Navigator, housekeeping and automation, ensuring solutions meet business, user and operational needs. Working closely with product, delivery, architecture and engineering teams, you'll translate requirements into clear technical designs, delivery plans and quality standards.

As the technical lead, you'll oversee the full delivery lifecycle, guiding key architectural decisions, managing technical risks and ensuring solutions are secure, resilient and supportable. You'll also provide technical oversight of systems integration partners and suppliers, while coaching technical colleagues and maintaining high engineering standards. Finally, you'll bridge delivery and architecture, helping resolve complex technical challenges and ensuring solutions are both strategically aligned and practically deliverable.

What you’ll need:

• Deep knowledge of the Microsoft technology stack and experience working across Microsoft-based products, platforms or services.


• Extensive experience in software development, technical architecture, solution design or a closely related technical discipline.


• Experience making or overseeing significant technical and architectural decisions.


• A strong understanding of the development process and the complete technology delivery lifecycle.


• Experience owning and managing major incidents, including stakeholder communications and the restoration of critical services.

Be part of our Technology Team at Whitbread

Through collaboration, passion and hiring the smartest minds, our Technology team builds products and services that are used by 38,000 of us at Whitbread and millions of guests. Everything from an eCommerce website that handles £2 billion in transactions per year, applications that are scalable across our 1,200 hotel and restaurants, devices that enable our teams and guests to have a seamless experience, all whilst keeping data secure. Together we’re building the hotel of the future.