VP IT & Digital

Smithsgroup2; Slough; On-site; GBP 150,000 - 230,000; Full time

Job summary

John Crane, part of Smiths Group, seeks a strategic VP IT & Digital to lead global technology and digital innovation. This role shapes business strategy, drives ERP, data and AI initiatives and aligns investments with priorities to deliver measurable growth and improved customer outcomes.

As a member of the Smiths Enterprise Digital Leadership Team, you will build capabilities, manage risk, and foster an inclusive culture while delivering a modern, secure technology landscape across the business.

Responsibilities

• Partner with the President and Senior Leadership Team to shape business strategy and translate it into a focused digital and technology plan.
• Ensure technology, digital, data and AI investments align to priorities and bring external insight to challenge conventional thinking.
• Build sponsorship and shared accountability for change across the business.
• Lead John Crane's digital agenda, identifying how technology, data and AI can improve customer value, productivity and growth.
• Collaborate with Commercial, Engineering, Operations and Innovation leaders to develop digital products and data-enabled services that improve operations and performance.
• Build digital capability across John Crane, enabling teams to experiment responsibly with new technology.
• Own the ERP, Data and AI agenda, simplifying processes and improving visibility across the business.
• Accelerate adoption of data, analytics and AI to improve decision-making and outcomes.
• Own the digital and technology roadmap, portfolio and business results.
• Ensure services are secure, resilient, scalable and cost-effective while modernising the technology landscape.
• Provide leadership on cybersecurity, resilience and technology risk.
• Serve on the Smiths Enterprise Digital leadership team and help shape enterprise strategy and value.
• Build and lead a diverse, high-performing technology and digital organisation with an inclusive culture.

Job description

The VP IT & Digital is the senior technology and digital leader for John Crane, reporting to the Group CIO and serving on the John Crane Senior Leadership Team. The role is responsible for harnessing technology, ERP, data and AI to accelerate growth, improving operational execution and customer outcomes, and creating competitive advantage.

As a member of the Smiths Enterprise Digital Leadership Team, the successful candidate will shape both John Crane and Smiths priorities, bringing external insight, challenging established thinking and accelerating delivery of John Crane's business strategy through technology and digital innovation.

Protect the business. Improve the business. Help create new value for the business.

Key Responsibilities

The VP IT & Digital role has five core areas of responsibility as outline below:

Business Leadership

• Partner with the President and Senior Leadership Team to shape business strategy and translate it into a focused digital and technology agenda
• Ensure technology, digital, data and AI investments are aligned to business priorities and bring external insight to challenge conventional thinking
• Build strong sponsorship and shared accountability for change across the business

Digital & Growth

• Lead John Crane's digital agenda, identifying where technology, data and AI can materially improve customer value, productivity and growth
• Partner with Commercial, Engineering, Operations and Innovation leaders to develop digital products and data-enabled services that drive measurable improvements in operational execution and business performance
• Build digital capability across John Crane, enabling teams to experiment responsibly and apply new technology effectively

ERP, Data and AI Leadership

• Own the John Crane ERP, Data and AI agenda, ensuring capabilities are leveraged to simplify processes, improve execution and provide greater visibility across the business
• Accelerate adoption of data, analytics and AI, identifying high-value opportunities that improve decision-making and customer outcomes

Technology & Risk

• Own the John Crane digital and technology roadmap, investment portfolio and associated business outcomes
• Ensure services are secure, resilient, scalable and cost-effective whilst simplifying and modernising the technology landscape
• Provide clear leadership on cybersecurity, operational resilience and technology risk

Enterprise Leadership

• Serve as a member of the Smiths Enterprise Digital leadership team, contributing to enterprise strategy whilst championing solutions that create value and strengthen risk management
• Build, lead and develop a diverse, high-performing technology and digital organisation, fostering an inclusive culture where people can thrive

As the VP for IT & Digital you will need to be able to demonstrate the following:

• Executive-level technology and digital leadership in a global industrial, engineering or manufacturing environment
• Proven success leading large-scale ERP implementation and value realisation programmes in complex industrial settings
• Direct partnership experience with business presidents and executive leadership teams
• Demonstrated track record of translating emerging technologies, data and AI into tangible business value

The successful candidate will be a business leader who happens to come from technology, combining strong business judgement with deep digital and technology leadership. They will be:

• Recognised for bringing fresh thinking and translating emerging technologies into practical business outcomes
• Commercial, curious and motivated by meaningful business results
• Credible with customers, engineers, commercial leaders and technology specialists
• An inclusive leader who creates clarity, develops talent and enables others to succeed
• Collaborative by instinct, with the courage to challenge constructively and make clear decisions
• Comfortable navigating complexity and building alignment across a global, federated organisation

Planning and Decision Making:

• Defines and delivers the technology and digital strategy for John Crane, ensuring alignment with business priorities
• Realises business value from technology, data and AI investments, balancing cost, risk and return
• Provides clear leadership on cybersecurity, resilience and technology risk
• Identifies and evaluates digital growth opportunities to drive competitive advantage

Diversity & Inclusion:

We believe that different perspectives and backgrounds are what make a company flourish. All qualified applicants will receive equal consideration for employment regardless of race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, economic status, disability, age, or any other legally protected characteristics. We are proud to be an inclusive company with values grounded in equality and ethics, where we celebrate, support, and embrace diversity.

At no time during the hiring process will Smiths Detection, Smiths Group, nor any of our recr