Head of Technology

About:

It was over a hundred years ago that the Walker family started baking shortbread in the Speyside village of Aberlour where they remain to this day.

Joseph Walker founded the company when he opened his village bakery in 1898; now it is his grandchildren and great-grandchildren that continue the tradition of fine baking that he started. In fact, the founder’s personal guarantee is still marked on every pack to confirm that Walker’s products are Scotland at its finest.

The business is still family owned and run, with Nicky Walker (4^th generation) recently taking over as Managing Director following a natural transition from the 3^rd generation.

The business’ past successes have been well documented with growth being sustained through recent decades.  To support future success the business has invested in its leadership team in recent years and continues to do so with the creation of this role.

Norman Ross, Finance Director, has taken stock of the IT function over his tenure and identified the requirement for a more strategic and innovative approach to data, information and technology that will support the business’ longer-term aspirations, resulting in the Head of Technology vacancy.

The Opportunity:

This newly created role of Head of Technology will be a key member of the wider leadership group and will manage and work with the existing IT Manager to design and develop the business’ future fit IT strategy, whilst overseeing the day-to-day activities of the IT department ensuring the team is motivated, effective, efficient, resilient and focussed on the internal customer.

First and foremost, you will be responsible for developing & implementing an IT strategy and leading key digital projects that will sit across all business-as-usual activity.  The current team maintains and develops a multi-faceted infrastructure; primarily physical and virtualised with some recent additions to cloud-based services, with multiple competing technology stacks and tools in need of rationalisation and improvement.  The business uses many systems to operate and this role will support their ongoing review and appraisal.

In addition to driving improvements and efficiencies in the BAU, the Head of Technology will be responsible for reviewing, designing and presenting on a future fit IT strategy. This will involve assessing and challenging the status quo, building the business case for potential investment requirements and evidencing the ‘why’ related to any potential technology and data led development programmes.

The business has already invested significantly in exciting innovations, including robotics, across the wider business however the back-office and where future data-led processes could interlink between manufacturing and commercial, and where more real time management information could also lead to improved decision making, will be the focus of this role going forward.

This role will really suit someone looking to develop in their career and make a difference to a market leading business as they bring further modernisation and innovation to life alongside their proven recipe for success in their 125^th year of trading.

Requirements:

• A genuine passion for ‘all things IT’ from PCs (Windows and MacOS) to cloud services, and security, you get excited by the latest developments, technologies and best practice, and have a strong desire to provide end users with a first-class IT service
• You have demonstrable previous ownership of a business IT environment and a variety of IT infrastructures
• You have relatable experience in developing and implementing transformational IT strategies and the scaling up of IT environments / infrastructures in FMCG type environments
• Experience developing a digitalisation strategy and roadmap, with a proven track record in delivering multiple simultaneous projects across a variety of business functions, from the most basic to more advanced future business cases and projects
• Excellent understanding of business processes, diagnostics and improvement
• You should be an IT professional, educated to degree level or equivalent through years of experience in IT leadership roles
• Experience of leading through change, with a patient and resilient leadership and influencing style
• Experience within a manufacturing, engineering or production business would be advantageous but not essential

Skills

• Ability to communicate complex IT issues clearly, simply and with appropriate tone – verbally, in writing and when presenting to groups
• A “can do” attitude aimed at delivering personal objectives, driving team accountability and performance
• Excellent interpersonal, influencing and negotiation skills
• Excellent data analytical skills and judgement
• A true self-starter – happy to work highly autonomously – flexible, adaptive and collaborative
• Organisational skills including the ability to manage a diverse and busy workload, to plan effectively and work consistently to deadlines
• Advanced user of IT
• A creative / innovative thinker with the confidence to take forward new ideas and concepts systematically
• Ability to work well as part of the leadership team providing support and motivation to team members, acting as a positive role model at all times
• Decisive and realistic in approach

How To Apply

For further information, to request the detailed candidate brochure or to arrange a confidential discussion regarding this position or similar, please contact Michael Dickson on:

cv@fwbparkbrown.com

Or alternatively, you can contact our Edinburgh office by phone on +44 131 539 7087.