The Opportunity
Nigel Wright is delighted to be supporting Birtley Group in recruiting a dynamic and experienced IT Manager who will take strategic and operational responsibility for this multi-site business. 

You will be responsible for overseeing all aspects of IT operations, including business applications, infrastructure, and security. This role requires a hands-on leader who can manage a small team, ensure the stability and security of the IT environment, and drive technological advancements to support the business objectives.

Birtley Group is part of Hill & Smith plc, comprising of three main businesses: Birtley, Expamet, and Bowater. Birtley Group is committed to continuous improvement and modernisation, the guiding principle being “Good to Great”, encouraging innovation and dynamism.

The Role
Reporting to the Finance Director, you will have a broad role encompassing:

Strategic Planning: *Develop and implement IT strategies that support business objectives including the evolution of their ERP systems
*Recommend and implement technology solutions to improve efficiency and effectiveness.
*Stay current with emerging technologies and industry trends.
Team Leadership: *Manage, mentor, and develop a small team of IT professionals.
*Foster a collaborative and high-performance team culture.
*Conduct regular performance reviews and provide feedback.
Business Applications: *Oversee the development, implementation, and maintenance of all business applications.
*Ensure applications meet business needs and are aligned with company goals.
*Collaborate with stakeholders to understand requirements and deliver effective solutions.
Infrastructure Management: *Ensure the stability, scalability, and security of the company’s IT infrastructure.
*Oversee the maintenance and upgrade of servers, networks, and other IT infrastructure components.
*Manage relationships with third-party vendors and service providers.
Security: *Develop and implement comprehensive IT security policies and procedures.
*Ensure compliance with relevant regulations and standards.
*Monitor and respond to security incidents and threats.
*Conduct regular security audits and vulnerability assessments.
Budget Management: *Develop and manage the IT department budget.
*Optimize spending on IT resources and services.
*Track and report on IT expenditures.
Project Management: *Lead and manage IT projects from conception through to completion.
*Ensure projects are delivered on time, within scope, and within budget.
*Communicate project progress and issues to stakeholders.

The Person
You will be an experienced IT professional who track record implementing change initiatives within technology, to improve commercial decision making. Either with prior people management experience or aspirations to do so, you will have experience of:
*Setting and delivering an IT operations strategy; driving improvement.
*Change management and influencing.
*Managing IT operations across multiple sites, using in-house and external resources.
*Budget management and obtaining value for money from a supply chain.
*Implementing security by design
*Implementing business continuity and disaster recovery plans
*Managing 3rd party suppliers

Most importantly you will be comfortable with:
*Planning and prioritising competing priorities.
*Communicating and influencing senior and junior colleagues.
*Explaining technical concepts to non-technical people.

Experience of working in a manufacturing or industrial environment along with ERP systems will be beneficial