Head of IT

Overview

Lead IT strategy, operations and security for a fast‑growing fire‑systems group.

Key Responsibilities

• it roadmap
• security
• cloud
• vendor management
• budgeting
• automation

Tasks

You’ll manage the day-to-day IT operations (largely delivered by partners), oversee vendors, work with internal stakeholders to prioritise projects, and guide continuous improvement across infrastructure, applications, and security. As we scale, we are strengthening our in-house IT capability. This role will take responsibility for defining and delivering our IT roadmap — ensuring that our systems, data, and services keep pace with business growth and support a great colleague and client experience. Set & deliver the technology strategy -Negotiate IT supplier contracts, SLAs and commercial terms that balance value, performance and risk. -Own the multi-year IT roadmap aligned to business goals (growth, M&A, European expansion), covering applications (ERP), data & analytics, infrastructure & cloud, end user experience, and service excellence. -Translate business goals (growth, M&A, European expansion) into clear IT initiatives and delivery plans. -Partner with Finance and Operations to enhance NetSuite and adjacent SaaS platforms. -Continuously optimise cost-to-serve, licensing and operational efficiency. -Track progress and communicate updates, risks, and investment needs to leadership. -Lead our security posture and drive ‘secure by design’ across identity, devices, data and SaaS applications. -Oversee connectivity, resilience, and the path to cloud first (where it adds value). -Direct line management of internal IT roles, including the IT & NetSuite Support Manager. -Build and manage the IT budget (opex/capex), forecast, and track ROI on change initiatives. -Ensure a great colleague experience with IT (clear SLAs, self-service, knowledge, training). -Lead change communications and occasional training for new tools and initiatives across the business. -Contribute to knowledge sharing and training to improve digital confidence across the business. -Line manage and grow the internal IT team - coach, mentor, set goals and foster a high trust, high standards culture. -Run risk management, change control, disaster recovery, incident response and supplier assurance. -Ensure IT services run smoothly and meet agreed SLAs, working closely with our IT & NetSuite Support Manager. -Support automation, integration, and reporting initiatives that improve efficiency and decision-making. -Coordinate MSPs and vendors to maintain uptime, connectivity, device lifecycle management, and user support. -Travel: Occasional travel to UK sites and, in line with growth plans, periodic travel within Europe.

Requirements

• itil
• prince2
• microsoft 365
• intune
• netsuite
• enterprise networking

What You Bring

This is a hands-on, delivery-focused role with direct visibility to the leadership team, ideal for someone who enjoys balancing strategy with execution. -Track record leading IT in a multi-site, service/engineering or industrial setting at Head of IT / IT Manager / CTO level. -Experience supporting technology change through business growth or acquisitions. -ITIL, PRINCE2/Agile, and relevant Microsoft/Security certifications. -Strong hands on knowledge and experience across: Microsoft 365/Entra/Intune/Defender; enterprise networking; identity & access; endpoint security; device lifecycle; backup/DR. -Mature our Microsoft 365 stack and uplift device management, collaboration, and information protection. -Exposure to industrial, engineering, or construction environments – strong project base. -Security & governance, vendor/commercial management, budgeting and Board engagement. -Strong communicator, able to translate technical issues into business language. -Experience with ERP/NetSuite or similar enterprise SaaS; data integration/reporting; process automation.

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Benefits

We’re proud to be recognised among The Sunday Times Best Places to Work (2025), reflecting our focus on wellbeing, values and a high performance, people first culture. -Hybrid working with meaningful flexibility, balanced with on-site collaboration. -Competitive salary (c.£60k DOE) plus benefits. -An award-winning workplace with strong leadership and a supportive, values led culture. -Hybrid: We offer flexibility in remote working; however, regular on-site presence at Bury is essential to succeed in this role (team leadership, Board engagement, site collaboration). -Industry leading benefits package.

About Alpine Fire Engineers Ltd

-Evolved into a trusted partner in mechanical fire suppression. -Their expertise spans design, estimating, project management, commissioning and 24/7 maintenance. -They’ve tackled complex projects across sectors including logistics, aerospace, automotive and pharmaceuticals. -Systems range from wet/dry pipe and deluge to foam, gas and water-mist—tailored to high‑hazard environments. -Notable assignments include Eurofighter hangars, massive DCs for H&M and DHL, plus ALDI and L’Oréal distribution centres. -They’ve integrated DAS Fire and appointed a new Group CEO in 2025 to drive strategic growth. -Their standout Alpine Campaign aims to reduce water waste during weekly system tests. -Financed by private equity since their MBO, they continue scaling through acquisitions and organic growth.

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