IT Systems Manager

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James Clay & Sons is the UK’s leading importer and distributor of world-class beers from Europe, the USA, and Japan. They aren’t just moving boxes-they are building brands, curating culture, and delivering flavour experiences that excite and inspire. With a turnover of over £35m, a 51,000ft² distribution centre and a further 4 regional sites for national distribution, a fleet delivering to over 1,250 accounts monthly, they’re scaling fast and staying true to their roots.

Rarter Bond is a subsidiary of James Clay & Sons and is a bonded warehousing powerhouse offering duty-suspended storage, ecommerce fulfilment, and freight forwarding from a secure site at Leeds Bradford Airport. A growing hub of innovation and efficiency.

Together, these businesses are guided by values that matter: Professional in our standards and delivery; Honest in our communication and relationships; Caring in how we support our people, customers, and partners; and Positive in our mindset and ambition.

About the opportunity

We are delighted to partner with James Clay & Sons in the search for a Business Systems Manager, an exciting opportunity and a stand-alone role taking ownership for digital systems and IT strategy of the organisation. This role will be responsible for analysing current processes and IT systems before implementing new technical solutions. You will also be required to help manage external vendors related to IT Infrastructure. This role is pivotal in helping the business utilise technology to achieve its goals and provide efficiency gains.

If you are interested in working for an SME where your contribution is valued, this is an exciting role for you.

Key Responsibilities

Strategy - Digital Systems and IT infrastructure

• Ownership of the systems infrastructure across the business
• Developing and executing a digital roadmap for the business, aligning digital initiatives with business goals
• Respond and support system development requests from departments while managing prioritisation with the board
• Champion opportunities to automate processes through digital solutions and lead the adoption of AI across the business

Digital Transformation and Project Scoping

• Analyse business needs from departments to understand problems, gather requirements and identify technology solutions
• Evaluate software providers to make recommendations for partnerships and investments where required
• Translate business requirements into clear, functional and technical specifications for developers.
• Formulate new, or enhance existing, systems to meet the identified business needs.

Project Management

• Manage projects to digitise business processes and improve systems to deliver efficiency and customer experience gains

Implementation & Maintenance

• Support department heads to align business processes with software and digital solutions
• Lead the relationship with third party technology providers to maintain, update and develop digital systems
• Manage IT budgets, forecasts and cost controls

Other duties

• Work with third party vendors to maintain security and infrastructure services

What you’ll bring

• Strong understanding of IT systems - such as ERP, CRM
• Ideally operated as a Business Systems Manager or IT Manager previously - or worked as a stand-alone Business Systems Analyst in an SME.
• Experience of project management
• Solutions orientated, self-starter
• Confident at relaying technical information to non-technical stakeholders

Why you’ll love the role

• Impact: Your ideas will shape the future of two thriving businesses.
• Culture: A family business with a big heart and bold ambitions.
• Challenge: No two days are the same.
• Growth: You’ll lead transformation and leave a legacy.

Competitive salary and benefits.

All 3rd Party CVs and applications will be forwarded to Nigel Wright

Seniority level

• Mid-Senior level

Employment type

• Full-time

Job function

• Information Technology and Management

Industries

• Information Services

• Strong understanding of IT systems - such as ERP, CRM
• Ideally operated as a Business Systems Manager or IT Manager previously - or worked as a stand-alone Business Systems Analyst in an SME.
• Experience of project management
• Solutions orientated, self-starter
• Confident at relaying technical information to non-technical stakeholders

James Clay & Sons is the UK’s leading importer and distributor of world-class beers from Europe, the USA, and Japan. They aren’t just moving boxes-they are building brands, curating culture, and delivering flavour experiences that excite and inspire. With a turnover of over £35m, a 51,000ft² distribution centre and a further 4 regional sites for national distribution, a fleet delivering to over 1,250 accounts monthly, they’re scaling fast and staying true to their roots.

Rarter Bond is a subsidiary of James Clay & Sons and is a bonded warehousing powerhouse offering duty-suspended storage, ecommerce fulfilment, and freight forwarding from a secure site at Leeds Bradford Airport. A growing hub of innovation and efficiency.

Together, these businesses are guided by values that matter: Professional in our standards and delivery; Honest in our communication and relationships; Caring in how we support our people, customers, and partners; and Positive in our mindset and ambition.