Group Head of Infrastructure, Service

Job Description Dunnes Stores is Ireland's leading retailer positioned at the cutting edge of food and fashion retailing. We have over 130 stores throughout Ireland, Northern Ireland and Spain and we are expanding our service and product offering all the time. We are known for offering a wide range of high-quality products and for continuously improving our customer experience. The Opportunity Dunnes Stores has embarked on a large scale multi-year strategic transformation programme that is modernising our Business capabilities and Technology landscape. This role plays a key part in developing and implementing this roadmap and affecting change across the organisation. We are a customer-focused business that embraces technology to drive innovation. Initiatives such as Scan & Go and queue-busting checkouts, intelligent digital displays, smart shelves, smart trolleys and mobile device integration are reshaping retail. Modern IT infrastructure allows rapid onboarding of new stores, product lines and technologies while maintaining security and compliance Job Summary: The Group Head of Infrastructure, Service & Vendor Management will oversee and transform the day-to-day service operating model of the IT department and core infrastructure, ensuring the efficient and effective delivery of IT services to support the organisation's business objectives. Reporting to the Co-CEO & dotted line to our Chief Digital Officer, the executive responsible for driving the Group's digital transformation and change agenda, this role directly supports that agenda by managing a team of IT professionals, maintaining IT infrastructure, services & 3rd party vendors, and designing and implementing new IT policies and procedures to cater for change. Key Success Factors Demonstrate experience in developing and implementing an IT transformation strategy encompassing IT Operating Model and Service Operating Model structures of a similar organisation. Experience building and enabling a service/vendor management strategy that can support existing on-prem and cloud infrastructure including Cisco, AS400, Oracle EBS, Oracle Retail, Microsoft, Linux etc Have a track record of managing and holding to account multiple service providers (Data Centre, Cloud, Security, Managed Services, SaaS vendors etc.) Success transforming core technology and delivering large scale change (Infra, Datacentre, Network etc.) Must be able to manage a diverse set of stakeholders including Business and Technical stakeholders, third party suppliers and large change programme delivery teams. Must understand and be able to demonstrate deep experience in the best practices of running a complex enterprise IT organisation including experience of operating large enterprise IT estates in domains such as identity and access management, observability, backups and resiliency, business continuity. Key Responsibilities: Team Management: Lead, mentor, and manage a team of IT professionals, including cross functional heads of departments, system administrators, network engineers & program managers. IT Infrastructure: Oversee the transformation of and ensure the availability, reliability, and security of the organisation's IT infrastructure, including servers, networks, and other hardware. Service Delivery: Oversee the design and delivery of IT managed services & 3rd party vendors, ensuring high levels of service and support for internal users/customers. Project Management: Plan, execute, and oversee IT projects, ensuring they are completed on time, within scope, and within budget. Vendor Management: Manage relationships with external IT vendors and service providers, negotiating contracts and ensuring service levels are met. Compliance and Security: Ensure IT operations comply with relevant regulations and standards, and that security measures are in place to protect organisational data. Budget Management: Develop and manage large program budgets and resourcing plans Continuous Improvement: Identify opportunities for process improvements and proactively implement best practices to enhance the efficiency and effectiveness of IT operations organisation at large. Qualifications: Education: Bachelor's degree in Information Technology, Computer Science, or a related field. Experience: At least 15 years of experience in Enterprise IT operations & strategy, with a minimum of 5 years in a senior leadership managerial role preferably Head of department and above. Enterprise Retail experience a bonus. Certifications: Relevant certifications such as ITIL, PMP, or CISSP are preferred. Skills and Competencies: Technical Expertise: Strong knowledge of IT infrastructure, including servers, networks, and cloud services. Leadership: Proven ability to lead and manage a team of IT professionals. Problem-Solving: Strong analytical and problem-solving skills, with the ability to troubleshoot complex IT issues. Communication: Excellent verbal and written communication skills, with the ability to explain technical concepts to non-technical stakeholders. Project Management: Experience managing IT projects from inception to completion. Customer Service: Strong focus on customer service and user satisfaction. Vendor Management: Experience managing relationships with IT vendors and service providers. Budgeting: Experience developing and managing departmental budgets. Compliance: Knowledge of IT compliance and security standards. Retail Experience: Ideally have experience of working in ecommerce, retail and fast paced environments. If this sounds like the perfect role for you, then please apply now Dunnes Stores is an Equal Opportunities Employer