Chief Technology Officer

If you have ever booked a table in a restaurant or a room in a hotel, ordered and paid for food and drinks or received loyalty offers, then the chances are that you have used a Zonal product. Zonal’s technology solutions, mobile apps and EPoS systems are used by more than 16,000 businesses across the UK including pubs, bars, restaurants, nightclubs, hotels and leisure venues. For more than 40 years, Zonal has been working with clients to help increase their revenue and decrease costs, through a sophisticated suite of products, experienced people and a partnership approach to business.

Zonal has developed from a small Scottish family business to a company that now employs around 650 people, whilst maintaining its proud Scottish heritage and family roots. Still owned and led by the McLean family, Zonal now operate from a Head Office in Tanfield, Edinburgh, a Marketing Technologies Division in Staffordshire, Innovation Centre in Abingdon and Hotel Management Solutions base in Cardiff.

The success and financial stability of Zonal has enabled the business to invest heavily in product development and people. Zonal now lead the market in product innovation, particularly in the fields of customer engagement, guest management and optimising the power of digital marketing and data.

The opportunity has arisen to add to the existing strength of the Senior Leadership Team with the appointment of an outstanding Chief Technology Officer (CTO) to join the business. The CTO will play an integral role in strategy, product development and leadership initiatives across the business. Based in Edinburgh, with travel, and some flexibility for an element of home working as required.

Key responsibilities include:

• Leading and shaping a best-in-class technology strategy, vision and high performing team that enables the business to deliver its next period of growth, and beyond.
• Leading all development, innovation and technical aspects and resources of the Zonal Group for the purposes of providing market leading products and services that exceed customer and industry expectations.
• Positioning the technology function of the business as an enabler of change, ensuring the availability, reliability and continuity of all IT services, whilst ensuring strong controls and a robust infrastructure are in place.
• Developing and driving a culture of excellence within the function, with particular focus on coaching and leadership of team (c.200), being highly visible within the business and delivering excellent customer service to the business, third party platforms and all external stakeholders.
• The ability to take a strategic and sustainable approach to business systems, technologies, cybersecurity, GDPR and information risk management. The CTO will have an in-depth knowledge of IT best practice and a good understanding and passion for industry trends and developments, to mitigate against threat and future proof the business for growth.
• Support the CEO and other Directors in commercial decision making and the delivery of operational and strategic initiatives by providing technology and related subject matter expertise.

We are looking to appoint a suitably qualified, broad and outstanding IT professional, with excellent technical acumen and a clear track record of contributing to growing a business. We are open minded on the type of background this person might come from, but exposure to innovative, technology driven and customer facing environments will be valuable. Candidates should also come with a strong development background.

Candidates need not necessarily have operated at this level before, but should be able to demonstrate high potential, ambition and the ability to step up. Candidates should also live within a commutable distance of Edinburgh or be willing to relocate for this role.

To view the candidate brochure, please click here.

Interested candidates should send their CV, with full remuneration details, to Graham Burns of FWB Park Brown at applications@fwbparkbrown.com For a confidential conversation, please call 07738 182813.