Head of IT

We’re driven by our purpose to build real communities, which enhance the lives of our residents every single day. If you’re looking for a career which means more and gives you more, personally and professionally, there’s a place for you here at Inspired Villages.

In partnership with Legal & General PLC and NatWest Pension Trustee Limited, with hugely ambitious (and very achievable) growth plans, we are seeking a Head of IT to lead our expanding information technology team.

The Head of IT is responsible for setting the strategic direction and leadership of the organisation’s technology and digital landscape to ensure that the IT environment is fit for purpose with a mix of outsourced and in-house resource to support our villages and our corporate requirements. You will ensure that IT initiatives align with business objectives, drive innovation, while supporting long-term growth.

If you’re looking for a career which means more and gives you more, personally and professionally, there’s a place for you here at Inspired Villages.

The Role

• Developing and leading our long-term digital and information strategy, aligning with overall business objectives.
• Championing innovation and digital transformation initiatives that enhance service delivery, operational efficiency, and user experience.
• Providing strategic oversight of IT governance, risk management, and compliance.
• Leading, mentoring, and developing the IT function fostering a high-performance culture.
• Promoting collaboration and knowledge sharing across teams to build digital capability throughout the organisation.
• Leading the relationship with external IT service providers.
• Designing, implementing and maintaining of IT infrastructure required for our retirement villages.
• Overseeing the design and implementation of enterprise-wide digital solutions, ensuring scalability, security, and sustainability.
• Ensuring robust data governance, analytics, and reporting frameworks are in place.
• Chairing IT steering group to ensure the organisation’s IT strategy, projects, and resources are aligned with its overall business goals and priorities.
• Acting as the primary liaison between IT and senior leadership, translating complex technical concepts into strategic insights.
• Representing the organisation in external forums, partnerships, and vendor negotiations.
• Setting and managing the strategic IT and digital budget, ensuring value for money and alignment with organisational priorities.
• Overseeing procurement and vendor management at a strategic level, ensuring high-quality service delivery and innovation.
• Ensuring the organisation has robust cybersecurity, data protection, and disaster recovery strategies in place.
• Leading the response to major incidents and ensure continuous improvement of resilience planning.
  
  

Key Requirements

• Previous experience working within a multi-site commercial and service led business with locations throughout the UK
• Extensive experience in senior IT leadership roles in organisations that run 24/7 operations, often safety critical services e.g. registered provider, retirement communities, local authority, healthcare, hotels, retail, etc
• Proven experience of creating and implementing IT strategy ideally in a complex environment with multiple stakeholders including legal entities and customers
• Experience in digital transformation, enterprise systems and significantly contributing to the design of the technology infrastructure and interfaces of large buildings, including in a residential setting
• Strong ability to communicate technical information in a clear, consistent way to nontechnical colleagues.
• Bachelor’s degree in Information Technology, Computer Science, or a related field.
  
  

The Benefits

• Competitive salary (based on experience) + annual bonus
• 33 days annual leave (inclusive of bank holidays, pro-rated to your contracted working hours)
• Holiday buying scheme (up to a week's extra leave)
• Big birthdays off (those ending in a 0)
• Bupa Health Cashplan (including employee assistance program)
• Private Medical Insurance (individual cover)
• Life Assurance at x4 your annual salary
• 5% matched pension scheme
• Access to SMART tech
• Retail discounts on a variety of outlets
• Wellbeing hub and resources; including discounts related to wellbeing interventions
• Cycle to work scheme
• Electric car scheme
• Access to an incredible workspace, with a gym, social areas, and parking with the option of hybrid working. The role could also be based from our London HQ in Farringdon.
  
  

At Inspired Villages, we invite everyone, regardless of background, to join our thriving community. Here, you'll be included, involved, and inspired to contribute your unique talents. We are committed to creating a culture of belonging, where uniqueness is celebrated and you’re inspired to be your best, every day.

We encourage you to submit your application as early as possible and not wait until the published closing date as application will be reviewed and interviews may be arranged before this date. We reserve the right to remove this advert or close it to further applications at any point during the recruitment process.

First stage interviews for the role of Head of IT are scheduled to take place on W/C 18 August.

More enjoyment. More satisfaction. More like one big family. If you’re looking for a career that means more and gives you more, hit that apply button!