Head of Business Technology

This is a significant opportunity to shape how technology, automation and AI are used across the organisation’s Business Services functions. The successful candidate will help establish the technical vision and roadmap while building the internal capability needed to turn that strategy into working solutions.

This role will suit someone who combines strong technical judgement with the ability to think strategically. Previous experience within Legal or professional services is advantageous but not essential, and candidates from other complex environments will be considered.

The opportunity

The organisation has an established technology function and has already made progress in the adoption of new technologies within its core professional teams. The next significant opportunity is across Business Services.

Across functions including Finance, HR, Business Development and Operations, there are processes that remain manual and time-consuming, alongside a landscape of core business systems with differing approaches to integration and automation.

Importantly, the organisation isn’t prescribing a particular technology or methodology. This person will play a central role in determining the right approach.

That could mean improving an underlying system, connecting platforms through APIs, introducing workflow or low-code automation, applying AI, developing a bespoke solution - or recognising when technology isn’t the answer.

You’ll have the opportunity to establish the principles, engineering standards and technical capability behind that decision-making., Working closely with senior Technology and Business Services leaders, you will:

• Develop the Business Technology vision, strategy and roadmap, translating business priorities into a pragmatic technical agenda.
• Identify and prioritise opportunities to improve and automate processes across Business Services.
• Assess problems from both a business and technical perspective and determine the most appropriate solution.
• Establish a more consistent approach to systems integration, APIs, data flows and automation.
• Define the engineering standards, practices and toolchains required to build reliable, scalable and maintainable solutions.
• Build an internal capability that can understand processes, design solutions and increasingly deliver technology in-house.
• Explore practical applications of AI and automation, focusing on genuine business outcomes rather than technology for technology’s sake.
• Work alongside existing systems teams to improve how core business platforms support the organisation.
• Make informed build-versus-buy decisions and work effectively with selected technology partners where external capability makes sense.
• Develop and prioritise a pipeline of technology opportunities according to value, feasibility and organisational readiness.
• Establish meaningful measures of adoption, efficiency, ROI and benefits realisation.
• Influence senior stakeholders and bring together multidisciplinary teams to turn ideas into delivered outcomes.

This isn’t a role for someone who has only governed technology programmes from a distance.

We’re looking for someone with real technical credibility who can understand a business problem, get underneath the systems and processes involved, evaluate the options and make sound architectural and technology decisions.

You’ll bring experience across areas such as business systems, integration, automation, software engineering, workflow and data, together with enough understanding of emerging AI capabilities to recognise where they can create genuine value., * Strong technical and architectural judgement across complex business technology environments.

• Experience designing and delivering automation or technology-enabled process improvement.
• The ability to evaluate different technical approaches rather than defaulting to a preferred platform or tool.
• Experience connecting and integrating systems of record, with an understanding of the implications for data, architecture and maintainability.
• Evidence of establishing or improving engineering standards, technical practices or internal delivery capability.
• The ability to move between technical detail and strategic thinking, turning individual opportunities into a coherent roadmap.
• Strong commercial judgement around technology investment, vendors and build-versus-buy decisions.
• The credibility to influence senior business and technology stakeholders.
• Experience delivering through cross-functional or matrix teams, particularly where you don’t control every resource directly.
• A pragmatic, curious and outcome-focused approach to emerging technology.

Sector experience is not the defining factor. We are interested in candidates who can demonstrate relevant technical complexity, strong business understanding and the ability to operate effectively with senior stakeholders ideally within regulated environments.

You’ll have genuine scope to influence what the organisation builds, how it builds it and which technologies it uses.

Initially, the role will operate extensively through matrix relationships rather than a large directly reporting team, giving you the opportunity to influence across the organisation. There is scope to recruit and build additional capability as the function develops.

For someone who enjoys combining architecture, engineering, automation and strategy, this is an opportunity to create a capability rather than simply maintain one.