Head of IT & Cybersecurity
Location: Stockport (onsite)
Package: Circa £75k Car Allowance Bonus (Market Leading Pension) Benefits
Opportunity Overview
Our client is seeking an accomplished Head of IT & Cybersecurity to lead and manage the strategic direction, security and IT infrastructure. This is a high-impact role responsible for safeguarding critical systems, driving innovation, and ensuring operational excellence across IT and cybersecurity functions. The ideal candidate will be a strong leader with technical expertise, capable of balancing security, IT performance, and team management. You will oversee internal teams, manage third-party vendors, and implement cutting-edge technologies, including AI, automation, and cloud solutions to enhance efficiency and mitigate risks.
Key Responsibilities
Build, mentor, and develop a high-performing IT team, fostering a culture of innovation and accountability.
Assess internal capability gaps and engage third-party experts, consultants, and managed service providers to deliver specialised solutions.
Develop and execute a comprehensive cybersecurity strategy, ensuring alignment with business objectives and regulatory requirements (ISO 27001, NIST, GDPR).
Proactively monitor, detect, and respond to security threats, vulnerabilities, and breaches, leading incident response and forensic investigations.
Conduct regular security audits, penetration testing, and risk assessments, implementing corrective actions to strengthen defences.
Oversee firewalls, IDS/IPS, endpoint protection, encryption, and secure access controls to safeguard data and systems.
Ensure compliance with data protection laws and industry best practices, maintaining robust security policies and staff training programs.
Design, optimise, and maintain scalable, high-performance IT infrastructure, including LAN/WAN, cloud environments (Azure/AWS), and hybrid networks.
Lead network upgrades, hardware/software deployments, and disaster recovery planning to ensure maximum uptime and resilience.
Evaluate and integrate emerging technologies (AI, automation, zero-trust frameworks) to drive operational efficiency and cost savings.
Identify and implement technology-driven business improvements, reducing manual processes through automation and intelligent system design.
Partner with leadership to align IT transformation initiatives with long-term organisational goals.
Manage ERP systems, cloud migrations, and enterprise software solutions, ensuring seamless integration and ROI.
Negotiate and oversee vendor contracts, SLAs, and procurement, ensuring cost-effectiveness and service excellence.
Experience & Qualifications
Proven track record in an IT leadership/management role, with expertise in cybersecurity, infrastructure, and preferably digital transformation.
Network security (firewalls, VPNs, SIEM, zero-trust architecture).
Cloud security (Azure, AWS, hybrid environments).
Compliance frameworks (GDPR, ISO 27001, NIST).
Experience managing ERP systems, IT budgets, and projects.
Industry certifications (CISSP, CISM, CCNP, CEH, ITIL). Preferred.
Strategic thinker with the ability to translate technical concepts into business value.
Proactive problem-solver, adept at managing risks and driving continuous improvement.
Strong stakeholder engagement skills, capable of influencing at board level.
Commercial acumen, with a focus on delivering cost efficiencies and ROI.
TPBN1_UKTJ