Head of IT & Cybersecurity

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.