Head of IT

Head of IT | Trafford Park, Manchester | Hybrid, 3 days on-site

Ever wanted to build an IT function from the ground up and actually own all of it? This is that role.

I'm working with a family-owned manufacturer and retailer with 40+ years behind them, strong northern roots and a growing international footprint across the Globe. They've grown fast and organically, and they've reached the point where technology needs to move from keeping the lights on to driving the next stage of growth. That's where you come in.

This is a newly created Head of IT role reporting straight to the COO, with the autonomy to set the strategy, shape the team and show the business what great IT can really do.

Why it's a great one

• A blank canvas. You'll define the identity and value of IT here, not inherit someone else's playbook.
• A clear path to CTO over the next 3 to 5 years as the function and the business grow together.
• Real commercial impact, including helping scale ecommerce from 10% to 30% of revenue.
• Full ownership of strategy, budget and the supplier and MSP relationships.
• A proper seat at the table, influencing at board level and trusted to push back when it matters.

What you'll actually be doing

• Owning IT strategy and the roadmap, and maturing the function from where it is today.
• Leading a small, capable team across multiple sites and countries, backed by third parties where it makes sense.
• Keeping the estate stable, secure and well run, and staying hands-on when delivery or escalations call for it.
• Getting real value out of the ERP (there's a live Sage X3 implementation) and improving data and integration across systems.
• Owning security, risk and compliance, and working towards Cyber Essentials and ISO 27001.
• Building the commercial case for investment and making sure every pound spent earns its place.

Who it's for

This one is all about fit. It suits someone who has led IT in an SME or mid-market business and thrives there, rather than someone who needs the structure and budgets of a big corporate. You'll be comfortable in a smaller, fast-moving world where processes are still forming and not everything is neatly defined yet, and you'll be as happy talking strategy with the board as you are rolling your sleeves up with the team.

You'll likely bring:

• A track record of leading and maturing an IT function, ideally multi-site or international.
• Strong stakeholder skills and the confidence to challenge when plans drift off track.
• Broad technical grounding across infrastructure, cloud, security and business systems.
• Experience managing MSPs, suppliers, budgets and contracts.
• Bonus points for Sage X3, Microsoft 365 and Entra, ecommerce integration, EDI, and data or BI tooling.

This is a proper build-it role in a business that's ready to grow and ready to back the person who helps them do it. If that sounds like your kind of challenge, or you know someone who'd be brilliant at it, drop me a message.