Global Vice President of IS - Industrial - Manufacturing

The Vice President of Information Systems (VPIS) will be accountable for defining and delivering the IT strategy and capabilities across the enterprise. This includes Enterprise ERP (ideally SAP), data analytics and business intelligence, development and support, infrastructure, security and technical services. Reporting to the VP Business Control , the VPIS will be responsible for providing oversight and direction to IT and Divisional Presidents on strategy, standards, and opportunities for shared services and economies of scale.

The VPIS is a highly qualified and experienced individual who is a key contributor to the company’s strategy and planning process and will be responsible both for IT operations and for technology and digital innovation. It is critical for the VPIS to build strong and productive relationships with all the  divisional Presidents and their management teams, acting as a true partner and making IT a business enabler. The VPIS will work closely with Group IT services to find synergies and leverage Group services, including economies of scale.

The VPIS will manage six direct reports on the IT leadership team; total headcount in the global IT organisation is approximately 104, and a budget of £35M.

Strategy

• As a member of the senior management team, make a key contribution to the formulation of the company’s business and digital strategies.
• Proactively advise the senior management team on the emerging technologies and digital trends that are most relevant to the company's goals and evolving needs.
• Help determine capital investment parameters, priorities and risks for enterprise-wide IT initiatives to maximise the return on investment.

Leadership

• Develop an IT vision, strategy, and a roadmap, and lead the IT team and its business partners in effective execution.
• Ensure, on an ongoing basis, that current and planned technical architecture, investments and solutions are aligned with business area and divisional objectives.
• Prepare and monitor IT operational budgets that meet prevailing objectives and constraints.
• Develop and execute an analytics program that will allow company business leaders to make data-based decisions.
• Build strong relationships with business groups and their leaders across the enterprise, and develop a detailed understanding of their issues, challenges and opportunities.
• Implement the most appropriate and effective IT organisational design to support and engage with the business.
• Ensure transparency and collaboration between the IT organisation and its business divisional partners.

Team Development

• Hire, develop, evaluate, reward, and retain a highly-qualified team of IT professionals.
• Foster a culture of innovation, transparency and accountability in IT.
• Promote a “business-first” mentality at all levels of the IT organisation.
• Ensure that the organisation has strong systems analysis and project management skills and the ability to execute business-critical projects.
• Develop and maintain a plan that provides for succession and continuity in the most critical IT management positions.

IT Operations

• Direct the design, planning, implementation, and maintenance of the computing infrastructure that supports the company’s operations and business applications. 
• Establish metrics for managing IT effectiveness and for measuring the impact of IT on the business.
• Establish appropriate service levels and the processes to ensure that KPIs are met.
• Maintain oversight of all IT projects, ensuring that commitments are properly planned, staffed, monitored and reported.
• Establish a comprehensive enterprise information security program to ensure the integrity, confidentiality and availability of relevant data.
• Lead the design and implementation of enterprise-wide disaster recovery and business continuity plan.

Establish and enforce IT policies, processes, portfolio management, development standards and methodologies.

Leadership and Communications

• Can create a clear strategic vision for information technology that supports business objectives and can execute on that vision.
• Able to work collaboratively in a decentralized organisation with diverse leaders, communicate an IT vision and strategy across all levels of the organisation, and build consensus around key initiatives and projects.
• Possesses exceptional interpersonal and communication skills, both oral and written; able to articulate ideas to both technical and non-technical audiences.
• Demonstrated ability to recruit, hire and motivate a high performing IT team that values transparency and accountability.
• Possesses exceptional business acumen, analytical and problem-solving abilities.
• Excellent negotiating skills with internal customers and external service providers.
• Comfortable with ambiguity; can handle the unexpected with flexibility.
• A team player who favours collaborative approaches when working with internal and external partners.
• Proven ability to build trust with others through a commitment to the highest ethical and professional standards.
• A high energy individual; tenacious and passionate about reaching the goal, while keeping ego in check.

Transformation

• Demonstrated experience driving digital transformation and business growth through innovation and the implementation of technology.
• Possesses solid knowledge in emerging technologies, and the ability to apply these in the service of the company’s key business area and divisional goals.
• Experience leading complex, major change initiatives; demonstrated skills in change management.
• Experience building an enterprise-level data analytics capability.
• An entrepreneurial mindset; able and interested to pursue new business opportunities.
• Customer-service oriented.
• Builder of strong technology vendor partnerships and able to manage multiple vendor relationships to ensure the best performance and financial return.
• Demonstrated experience with SaaS, cloud-based, and outsourced solutions through third-party providers

IT Operations

• Knowledge of a range of vendor technology solutions; able to select and integrate the most appropriate technologies to support the business
• Demonstrated ability to design and implement comprehensive approaches to cybersecurity and risk management.
• Experience designing and managing an effective IT governance framework across the spectrum of IT service delivery.
• Outstanding organisational skills, and the ability to manage multiple priorities in a fast-paced, high-pressure environment.
• A strong background in operational and capital finances and IT budget development
• Have knowledge and experience of working with Off-Shore service providers and understand cultural sensitivity and customs
• Understands ITIL and other service management frameworks and how to scale and implement them.

Professional Experience and Education

• Fifteen years of career experience in technology, including a minimum of 5 years in a leadership position.
• Experience in a VPIS or equivalent position is preferred/required.
• IT leadership experience in a global environment.
• Experience in High Tech Manufacturing or a related industry is preferred/required.
• Experience leading an agile development organisation.
• Experience managing a large outsourcing partnership.
• Experience in a federated structure with matrixed leadership responsibilities.
• Strong experience in running enterprise ERP systems such as SAP
• P&L leadership experience is preferred/required.
• A bachelor’s degree is required.
• An advanced degree in a related field, such as computer science, engineering and/or business (MBA) is preferred.