Arriva is a leading European passenger transport partner, operating in 11 countries across the UK and Europe. The company employs around 35,000 people, delivering more than 1.5 billion passenger journeys connecting people and communities safely, reliably and sustainably. We have strong roots dating back to 1938, an ambitious growth and sustainability agenda, and a continuously developing relationship with I Squared Capital – a global infrastructure investment fund manager - who acquired Arriva in 2024. As Cor p orate IT S e r v i c e s Dir e c t o r at Arri v a, y ou w ill r e p ort d i r e ctly to t h e Ch i e f I n f orma t ion O ff i c e r a n d b e an i n tegral p a r t of t h e n ew ly e s t ab li sh e d G r o u p IT Lea d e r sh ip Te a m. In t h is p i v ot a l p o s iti o n, y ou w ill p r ov i d e gro u p -w i d e s tr a te g ic l e a d e r sh ip a n d v i s ion f or t h e S e r v ice Ma n age m e n t, Pla t f orms & O p e rati ons, a n d Pr o du ct team s, e nsu ri n g t h e d e li v e ry of r e lia b l e, s e c u r e, an d e ff i ci e n t I T s e r v ic e s th at s upp ort Arri v a ’ s bus i n es s ob je c ti v e s. Y ou wi l l b e r e sp o ns i b le f or t h e e n tire Pr odu ct ca p a b ility w it h in Arri v a gro u p I T, e nsu ri n g t h e d e li v e ry of i nn o v a t i v e, r e lia b l e, s e c u r e, a n d eff ic i e n t IT s e r v ic e s t h at su p p ort Arri v a ’ s b u s i n es s o b je c ti v e s. T h e Dir e ct o r w ill b e e x p e cted to s e r v e as a r o le m o d e l f or acco un t ab ility a n d o w n e r sh i p, c u lti v a t i n g th e s e be h a v io u rs wit h in th e I T o rga n i s a t ion an d a cro s s a ll t e am s. Direct responsibilities: • Fin an cial a n d R e s o u rce Ma n a g e m e n t: A c co un t ab le f or ~ £ 2 0m I T sp e nd, w h ich is e x p e cted to grow s ign i f ica n t l y as m ore s tr a teg i c gro u p IT s e r v ic e s are d e v e lo p e d come und e r gro u p l e a d e r sh i p, a n d a g e ogra ph ically d i sp e r s e d team of 85 F T E. T a k e f u ll r e sp o ns i b ili t y f or t h e p e r f orma n c e, bud g e ti n g, a n d r e s o u rce all o ca t ion o f t h e team s, w ith a co n ti n u al f oc u s on co s t o p tim is a t ion a n d eff ici e n cy i m p r ov e m e n t. T h is r o le r e q u ir e s s tr a teg i c o v e r s ight of f i n a n cial a n d r e s o u rce m a n age m e n t acr os s m u lti p le d e p artm e n t s, e nsu ri n g alig nm e n t w ith Arri v a ’ s lo n g - term bus i n e s s g o al s. • Co m p r e h e ns i v e Pr odu ct Ma n age m e n t: Build a n d e s t ab li s h a n ew, h ig h - pe r f o r m i n g p r odu ct team, cr e a t i n g a ca p a b il i ty t h at m a x i m i s e s bus i nes s v al u e f r o m Arri v a ’ s i nv e s tm e n t in IT a n d d e li v e r s t h e r e qu ir e d b u s i n e s s o u t c o me s. Ch a m p ion t h e e n tire p r odu ct li f e c y cl e, f r o m i d e a t ion to r e ti r e m e n t, ensu ri n g t h at p r o d u c t s supp ort bus i n es s growth a n d c us t o me r s a t i s f ac t io n. D e s ign a n d i m p l e m e n t p r odu ct d e li v e ry p r o c e ss e s, e nsu ri n g t h at p r odu cts are d e li v e r e d ef f ici e n tl y, d e li v e r t h e r e qu ir e d bus i n e s s o u tc o me s, m a x i m i s e bu s i n e s s v a l u e, a n d are ef f e cti v e ly a d o p ted a n d c o mm un icated w it h in t h e or g a n i s a t io n, d ri v i n g u s e r e n gag e me n t a n d s a t i s f ac t io n. T h is r o le i n clu d e s f u ll r e sp o ns i b ility f or t h e e n tire Pr odu ct ca p a b ility w it h in Ar r i v a, d ri v i n g i nn o v a t ion a n d e xc e l l e n ce in p r odu c t d e v e lo p me n t a n d ma n ag e m en t. • A dv a n c e d S e r v ice Ma n ag e m e n t: Lead a n d i nsp ire t h e S e r v ice Ma n ag e me n t, Pla t f orms & O p e rati ons, a n d Pr odu ct team s, d ri v i n g h ig h - qu ali t y IT p r odu ct s, p la t f or m s, s e r v ic e s, a n d s ol u t io n s alig n e d w ith t h e orga n i s a t io n ’s n ee ds. E n su re all IT s e r v i c e s a n d p r o je c ts align w ith Arri v a ’ s s tr a teg i c d ir e ctio n, i ndus try s t and ar d s, a n d r e g u la t ory r e qu ir eme n t s. Impl e me n t, m o n it o r, a n d co n ti n u o us l y i m p r ov e r obus t s e r v ice d e li v e ry m o d e ls a n d b e s t p ractic e s, e nsu ri n g co ns i s tency a n d h igh s t and ar d s. T h is r o le r e qu ir e s a dv a n c e d e x p e rti s e in s e r v ice m a n ag e me n t, w ith a foc u s o n s tr a teg i c a lig n me n t a n d c on ti nu o u s impr ov e me n t. • E x e c u ti v e Lea d e r sh ip a n d Colla b orati on : W o rk colla b orati v e ly w it h in t h e G r ou p IT Lea d e r sh ip Te am to sh a p e a n d i m p l e m e n t IT s tr a tegy in d ir e ct p art n e r sh ip w ith t h e CIO. M od e l a n d d ri v e a c u lt u re of i nn o v a t io n, colla b o r a t io n, a n d co n ti n u o u s i m p r ov e m e n t, p r o m oti n g a c c o un t ab ility a n d o w n e r sh ip at e v e ry l e v e l. Pr ov i d e e x p e rt a dv ice a n d i ns ight t o s e n ior s t a ke h ol d e rs on IT s tr a tegy, tech n olo g y i nv e s tm e n t s, a n d i n d us try t r e nds. T h is r o le r e qu ir e s e x e c u ti v e - l e v e l l e a d e r sh ip a n d colla b orati on, w ith a f oc u s on s tr a t e gic d e ci s io n -m a ki n g a n d s t a ke h ol d e r e n gag e me n t. • Str a teg i c C o m m e rcial Pe r f o rma n c e : Dri v e s tr on g co m me rci a l p e r f orma n c e, s ee ki n g o n goi n g o pp ort u n ities to r e du ce t h e co s t of IT s e r v ic e s w h ile d e li v e ri n g e nh a n c e d v al u e a n d qu ali ty. D e li v e r e ff e cti v e I T s e r v i c e s t h r ou gh a b r o ad e co sys tem of p art n e r s, m a n a gi n g r e la t io nsh i p s to e nsu re s e r v ice e xc e l l e n c e a n d r e s ili e n c e. D e v e lop a n d tr a ck KPIs a n d p e r f orma n c e me tr i cs to me a s u re s e r v i c e o u tc o me s a n d team e f fe c ti v e n e ss. Cul t i v a t e s tr on g r e la t io nsh i p s w ith b o t h i n ter n al bus i n e s s p art n e rs a n d e xt e r n al v e nd ors to sup p ort colla b orati v e, bus i n e s s -f oc us e d IT d e li v e r y. T h is r o le r e qu ir e s s tr a teg i c o v e r s ight of co m me r c ial p e r f orma n c e, with a foc u s o n v al u e crea t ion an d p art n e r sh i p ma n age m e n t. Knowledge, skills and experience: • E xt e ns i v e e x p e ri e n c e in a se n ior IT l e a d e r sh ip r o le w it h i n Arri v a ’ s s e ct o r or a r e la t e d i ndus tr y, w ith a p r ov e n u nd e r s t and i n g of i ndus t r y - sp e ci f ic c h alle n g e s a n d o pp ort un itie s. T h is role r e qu ir e s a s tr a teg i c l e a d e r w ith a b r o ad s co p e o f i n f l u e n ce an d a cc o un t ab ilit y. • A dv a n c e d e x p e rti s e in I T i n f ra s tr u ct u r e, s e r v ice m a n a g e m e n t, a n d p r odu ct li fe c y c l e m a n age m e n t, w ith a tr a ck r e cord of e s t ab li sh i n g a n d l e a d i n g h ig h - p e r f o r m i n g team s. T h is r o le i n clu d e s full re sp o ns i b ility for t h e gr ou p P r odu ct ca p a b ility wit h in Ar r i v a. • D e m o ns tr a ted co m me r c ial ac u me n, w ith e x p e r i e n ce o p tim i s i n g co s ts a n d d e li v e ri n g i n cr e a s e d v al u e t h r ou gh IT se r v ic e s a n d supp li e r p art n e r sh i ps. T h is r o le r e qu ir e s s tr a teg i c o v e r s ight o f c o m m e rcial p e r f o rma n ce an d p art n e r sh ip ma n age m e n t. • Str on g p art n e r m a n ag e m e n t s kill s, w ith a h i s t o r y of d e li v e ri n g ef f e cti v e s e r v i c e s t h r ou gh d i v e r s e i n ter n al a n d e xt e r n al p art n e r s. T h is r o le r e qu ir e s s tr a teg i c o v e r s ight of p art n e r m a n age m e n t a n d c o lla b orati on. • Str a teg i c T h i n ki n g: T h e a b il i t y to s e e t h e b ig p ict u r e, p lan f or lo n g - term i m p ac t, a n d ali g n e v e ry p r odu ct d e ci s ion to b us i n e s s go a l s. T h is r o le r e qu ir e s s tr a teg i c o v e r s ight of p r odu ct m a n age m e n t a n d d e v e lo p m en t. • Lea d e r sh ip a n d Peo p le M a n age me n t: T h e ca p a b il i ty to i nsp ire a n d g u i d e gro u p -w i d e p r odu ct team s. T h is role r e qu ir e s ex e c u ti v e - l e ve l lea d e r sh ip an d c o lla b orati on. • AI a n d Da t a Literac y : U nd e r s t and i n g h ow AI t o ols w ork, w h at d a t a i s n ee d e d, a n d h o w alg o rit h m s af f e ct t h e us e r e x p e ri e n c e. T h is r o le r e qu ir e s a dv a n c e d e x p e rti s e in AI a n d d a t a literac y. • Cu s t o me r E m p a thy : Mai n t a i n i n g a s tr on g co nn e ction w ith t h e us e r a n d u nd e r s t and i n g t h e ir n ee ds. T h is role r e qu ir e s adv a n c e d ex p e rti s e in c us t ome r e m p a th y an d e n gage me n t. • E xc e l l e n t Co m m un icati on : Th e a b il i ty to artic u la t e v i s ion a n d s tr a tegy cl e arly acr os s t h e orga n i s a t io n. T h is r o le r e qu ir e s e x e c u ti v e - l e v e l c o m m un icati o n a n d s t a ke h ol d e r e n gag e me n t. • E xc e l l e n t l e a d e r sh ip a n d com m un icati o n a b il i tie s, w ith a p r ov e n r e cord of f o s teri n g c u lt u r e s of acco un t ab ilit y, o w n e r sh i p, a n d co n ti nu o u s i m p r ov eme n t. T h is r o l e r e qu ir e s e x e c u ti v e - l e ve l lea d e r sh ip an d c o lla b orati on. • Str a teg i c t h i n ker w ith e x p e r i e n ce alig n i n g I T s e r v i c e s a n d p r odu cts to b u s i n e s s go a ls a n d o u tc o me s. T h is role r e qu ir e s s tr a teg i c ov e r s ight o f I T s e r v i c e s an d p r o du ct m a n age me n t. • D e e p k n o w l e d g e of c u rr e n t a n d eme r g i n g tech n olog i e s, i ndus try r e g u la t io ns, a n d IT b e s t p ractic e s. T h is r o le r e qu ir e s a dv a n c e d e x p e rti s e in tech n o logy a n d i ndus t r y r e g u la t io n s. • Si g n i f ica n t e x p e r i e n ce in a se n ior IT l e a d e r sh ip r o le w it h in Arri v a ’ s s e ct o r or a r e la t e d i ndus tr y, with a p r ov e n u n d e r s t and i n g o f i nd u s tr y - sp e ci f ic c h alle n g e s an d opp ort un itie s. • Bac h e lor ’ s d e gr e e in I n f o r m a t ion Te c hn olog y, Co m pu t e r Sc ie n c e, or a r e la t e d f i e l d (Ma s ter’s d e gr e e p r e fe r r e d ). • R e l e v a n t c e rtif i ca t io n s in Pr odu ct Lea d e r sh i p, Pr o j e ct Ma n age m e n t, IT S e r v i ce Ma n age m e n t ( e .g., I T I L ), or r e la t e d d i s cipli n e s a re h ighly d e s ira b l e. T h is p o s iti o n r e p orts to t h e G r ou p Chief I n f orma t ion O f f i c e r ( C IO) a n d is p art of t h e w i d e r IT lea d e r sh ip t e am und e r t h e d ir e ction o f th e CIO. This j o b d e s cri p ti o n s e t s o u t t h e m ain du ties a n d r e sp o ns i b ilities of t h e j o b - h ol d e r. It d o e s n ot co ns ti t u te an e x h a u s ti v e or compr e h e ns i v e d e s cri p ti o n of du ties a n d t h e j o b h ol d e r w ill b e r e qu ir e d to carry o u t a n y a dd iti on al t a s ks a s a n d w h e n r e qu e s t e d to d o s o b y t h e ir m a n ager. R e sp o ns i b ilities a n d du ties m ay al s o c h a n ge in lig h t of f u t u re bus i n e s s n ee d s a n d pe r s o n al d e v e lo p me n t. The closing date for this vacancy is Wednesday 17th September 2025. Arriva Group reserves the right to close this vacancy early.