Head of Financial Services Technology Operations

Job description

Are you an experienced technology leader who thrives on transforming complex operations, building high-performing teams and delivering exceptional outcomes for customers?

We're looking for a Head of Financial Services Technology Operations to play a pivotal leadership role within our growing Financial Services business. As part of the Technology and Transformation leadership team, you'll be responsible for shaping and delivering technology services that support some of our most important client relationships, while driving operational excellence, innovation and business growth.

This is an exciting opportunity to join a business with ambitious growth plans and significant investment in digital transformation, automation and AI-enabled services. You'll lead the evolution of technology operations, influence strategic direction and build strong relationships with clients, partners and internal stakeholders to ensure services consistently deliver value.

We can offer excellent career progression opportunities, a collaborative and supportive environment, flexible benefits, and the opportunity to help shape the future of technology operations across a growing Financial Services portfolio. This is a hybrid role, with travel to customer and Sopra Steria locations as required for leadership meetings, governance activities and client engagement.

What you'll be doing:

• Leading the technology strategy, operational performance and technical infrastructure transformation roadmap across Financial Services accounts, delivering improved customer experiences and business outcomes.
• Building, developing and inspiring high-performing technology teams, creating a customer-focused culture that supports growth, innovation and operational excellence.
• Overseeing the delivery of technology services, service transitions and operational change programmes, ensuring commitments are achieved across budget, quality, risk and performance measures.
• Managing commercial performance, including budgeting, forecasting, cost optimisation, contract performance and contribution to business growth objectives.
• Ensuring effective governance, service management, risk, security, compliance and operational controls are embedded across technology services.
• Building trusted relationships with clients, suppliers and strategic partners, driving continual service improvement and resolving complex operational challenges.

What you'll bring:

• Proven leadership experience operating at CIO, or equivalent level within complex enterprise technology environments.
• Strong expertise in technology operations, IT service delivery, operating models and service management best practice.
• Experience managing large technology budgets, contractual commitments, service performance, KPIs and third-party delivery partners.
• A track record of building high-performing teams, developing capability and delivering sustainable operational improvement.
• Strong commercial awareness and the ability to balance customer, client and business objectives in a fast-paced environment.
• Experience acting as a trusted adviser to senior stakeholders, with the ability to shape strategy and influence decision-making.

It would be great if you had:

• Experience working within regulated financial services environments.
• Experience leading technology delivery, transformation or continuous improvement initiatives.
• Strong customer experience management and operational transformation expertise.
• Professional membership of a recognised technology industry body.
• Qualifications such as ITIL, service management certifications or equivalent industry-recognised credentials.

If you're interested in this role but not sure if your skills and experience are exactly what we're looking for, please do apply, we'd love to hear from you!

Employment Type: Full-time, Permanent.
Location: Newcastle or Durham - Hybrid with frequent travel to client sites across the UK.
Security Clearance Level: SC Level, or eligible for SC Level
Internal Recruiter: Ross

Although this role is advertised as full-time, we believe that flexibility at work can promote work/life balance, increase your motivation, reduce stress and improves performance and productivity. We support different ways of working and can offer a range of flexible working arrangements. So, if you're interested and need to work flexibly, we encourage you to apply and talk to us about what might be possible.

We embrace difference as a source of creativity, innovation and competitive advantage and are striving to become a more diverse organisation. We welcome applications from people with a diverse variety of backgrounds and identities. We are committed to equality of opportunity for all and do not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, colour, gender, age, disability, sexual orientation or marital status. We havepartnered with Vercida , the UK's largest diversity and inclusion focused careers site, where all our vacancies are available in an accessible format.
If you require any adjustments to the recruitment process, to enable you to perform to the best of your ability, please let us knowwhen completingyour application. We participate in the Disability Confident scheme and are committed to offering an interview to any candidate with a disability, who meets the minimum criteria for the role. If you believe this could apply to you, please let us know when completing your application.