Head of IT Operations

Join our growing Jardox team as our newly created, Head of IT Operations.

Our Head of IT Operations will manage the daily IT operational delivery across our food manufacturing sites in Otford, Kent and Wincanton, Somerset. The role will be based in Kent with occasional travel to Wincanton.

At Jardox, we are the "Taste Behind the Brands, supplying customised blends of culinary pastes, stocks and seasonings to most of the UKs leading food manufacturers and retailers.

With our long-term vision, we reinvest our profits to ensure sustainable success for the future. This strategy is true not only for the business, but also for our individual team members, where personal development is fostered. Our strong culture enables us to achieve great things together, supported by the security of stable, family ownership.

This new role for Jardox will ensure the sustainable, strategic and cost-effective delivery of our IT across the business, whilst in parallel ensuring that day to day operational IT support is executed.

With very strong technical skills, the successful candidate will align IT strategy with organisation goals, exercising strong interpersonal and leadership qualities, whilst being proactive in maintaining and developing our existing systems.

The successful candidate will on a day to day basis

• Optimise our core ERP system (SAP B1) and the interface with other systems.
• Oversee the design, implementation, and maintenance of robust and reliable IT infrastructure and controls, including networks, hardware, servers, and databases.
• Support our IT Manager to deliver a high-quality service, ensuring day to day support is provided across our factory and office settings.
• Protect Jardox from cyber-related attacks through systems risk minimisation, up-to-date security, fit for purpose resilience, and disaster recovery management.
• Implement and maintain robust cyber security measures to protect Jardox data, systems and intellectual property.
• Maintain compliance with Jardox policies, governance, procedures, and internal controls.
• Review our external IT service provision, ensuring value and excellence.

On a long term basis

• Develop and communicate the IT vision and strategy aligned with Jardox goals. We have big plans for automation and the associated IT interface, and this role is critical to our exciting plans.
• Collaborate with the senior team to understand their technological needs, drive effective change management, and lead future IT strategies for systems, technology, and automation to improve performance whilst enhancing customer service.
• Partner with the Jardox engineering function to utilise AI.
• Collaborate with key stakeholders to prioritise IT initiatives and allocate the appropriate resources.
• Manage IT budgeting, cost control, and investment decisions.
• Lead the planning, execution, and monitoring of IT projects to ensure timely, cost-effective delivery and high-quality implementation.
• Monitor industry trends and emerging technologies to ensure competitiveness and innovation.
• Develop data reporting systems to provide recommendations to enhance business performance and productivity, acting as a strategic business partner to Jardox.
• Challenge established thinking with new ways of working.
• Develop a solution-focused innovation approach in working collaboratively with external and internal stakeholders.

You will have

• Expertise in or previous exposure to developing a cost-effective ICT Strategy, with proven people and change management skills
• Awareness of market trends in the IT industry
• Proven project, resource and supplier management and development & maintenance of ICT systems
• Experience of working in a fast-paced environment
• Excellent understanding and proven knowledge and experience in Cybersecurity

We close between Christmas and New Year and contribute to your pension at a rate of up to 5.5%, on a matched basis. Holiday allowance is 25 days per year (plus bank holidays).

At Jardox your health and wellbeing are very important to us. We are very happy to share a variety of benefits with every team member. There is a free private GP service accessible 365 days a year for you and your immediate family, eight weeks of worth of bereavement counselling, expert support in relation to probate matters, and a free confidential support line that can provide immediate assistance with any financial, family, legal, or mental health concern you may have.

Here at Jardox there is a great team spirit. We work hard, and we love what we do. If this sounds like the opportunity for you, please do get in touch, with a covering letter explaining why you are interested in this role.