IT Transformation Director - Fixed Term

Astroscale UK is bringing in an Interim IT Transformation Director to lead and deliver a complex, business‑critical IT transformation during a period of organisational change and international separation. The role combines strategic leadership with hands‑on operational delivery, ensuring secure, compliant, cost‑effective and sustainable IT capabilities that support current operations and future growth. This role will provide clear direction, governance and momentum to a function that has experienced significant change, while also providing a mentorship role to the wider team.

Responsibilities

• IT Audit, Assessment & Maturity – conducting a comprehensive audit of the current status and make determinations around what should be updated and what should be maintained.
• IT operating model – understand business strategy, and design the future IT operating model, leading the separation of local IT from global function, including clear timelines, milestones, cost modelling and risk management/mitigation.
• Cloud, Tenancy and Infrastructure Strategy – defining and delivering a cost-effective, scalable tenant strategy, for commercial and UK Defence work, ensuring compliance with security and regulatory requirements.
• Systems and Process Strategy – As a key stakeholder in the end-to-end systems strategy, coordinating; operational processes, core systems, data flows/controls. The strategy will aim to eliminate manual work through automation, reduce duplication, and streamline systems.
• Cyber Security and Export Compliance – Embedding cyber security in all pillars of the business, ensuring the integration is consistent. Supporting progress on export control compliance, and driving behavioural change.
• Transformation Delivery – Ownership of short and long term delivery and impact, ensuring change is sustainable and acting proactively in advance of major contract wins.
• Leadership, Capability and Succession – Providing strong leadership to a team transitioning from global leadership to a local structure, mentoring and developing IT leadership, building confidence and resilience in the IT Team.

Essential Skills

• Senior IT transformation leadership experience in complex, regulated environments
• Demonstrable experience running large‑scale IT change programmes end‑to‑end
• Strong project and programme management capability
• Proven ability to balance strategy with hands‑on delivery
• Deep understanding of:
• Cyber security
• Data governance
• Access controls
• Awareness of Export or regulatory compliance environments
• Strong commercial mindset with a pragmatic, business‑first approach (80/20 where appropriate)
• Experience working with software development organisations or high‑criticality tech environments (e.g. defence, banking, high tech)
• Ability to engage, challenge and influence senior stakeholders internationally
• Active or eligible for UK security clearance

Desirable skills

• Experience with multi‑tenant cloud environments and complex migrations
• Background in defence, financial services, or similarly regulated industries
• Track record of mentoring senior IT leaders

Benefits

• Competitive base salary
• Opportunity to work with a highly talented, diverse & dynamic international team with cutting edge technology
• Flexible working around core hours in a friendly and supportive environment
• Optional 9/75 working pattern
• Hybrid working available (dependent on individual role requirements)
• 25 days holiday (increasing yearly up to a maximum of 28 days) + 8 days Bank Holiday
• Life insurance and long-term sick pay
• Private healthcare (taxable benefit)
• State of the art office and cleanroom facility
• Regular social events

Location

Astroscale UK (Harwell).

About Astroscale

Astroscale is the global leader in on-orbit servicing, dedicated to the secure and sustainable development of space. The company delivers a variety of innovative and scalable on-orbit servicing solutions, including life extension, refurbishment, upgrades, in-situ space situational awareness, end-of-life, and active debris removal. Since its first successful launch in March 2021, Astroscale has proven rendezvous and proximity operations technologies in orbit during the ELSA-d and ADRAS-J missions. Astroscale spacecraft have been selected for pioneering missions with JAXA, the U.S. Space Force, the European Space Agency, the UK Space Agency, and Eutelsat. As more satellite operators adopt on-orbit servicing to routinely inspect, relocate, remove, and extend the life of spacecraft, the potential of a circular space economy — and a future of no waste in space — is being unlocked. Headquartered in Japan, Astroscale has a global presence with subsidiaries in the United Kingdom, the United States, France, and Israel.

At Astroscale UK we pride ourselves on our inclusive culture. Our essential criteria are based solely on the requirements necessary to perform the role. If any criteria could present a barrier, we are open to discussing reasonable adjustments and are committed to ensuring an inclusive recruitment process. Astroscale UK is also open to supporting job share arrangements, to further our flexible working offering.

Note to recruitment agencies: Astroscale UK operates a preferred Supplier List, and we do not accept unsolicited agency approaches. Please do not forward candidate CVs or details in response to this advert, or to any Astroscale employee.