At a Glance
- Tasks: Lead global IT strategy and build services for rapid international growth.
- Company: Join Cambridge Aerospace, a fast-growing defence tech company with a mission to eliminate existential threats.
- Benefits: Competitive pay, stock options, private medical, dental, and a cycle-to-work scheme.
- Other info: Diverse and inclusive workplace committed to professional growth.
- Why this job: Make a real impact in a mission-driven environment while developing your leadership skills.
- Qualifications: Experience in IT leadership, cloud environments, and enterprise systems is essential.
The predicted salary is between 99000 - 121000 £ per year.
Lead global IT through rapid international growth. You will build and run the services that help our engineering, manufacturing and business teams work effectively as we scale our people, sites and production. We are looking for a technically credible leader with experience in cloud-first environments, enterprise systems leadership, complex data handling and manufacturing, who has built support teams across countries and time zones. You will set direction, develop strong teams and stay close enough to delivery to make sound decisions and resolve difficult problems.
Responsibilities
- Set the IT strategy, roadmap and operating model for growth in headcount, countries and production.
- Establish repeatable onboarding and site-launch processes, with clear priorities, service ownership and delivery commitments.
- Develop a consistent employee technology environment across identity, devices, collaboration and SaaS services.
- Automate routine work, improve the user experience and ensure services can be operated and supported as demand increases.
- Lead enterprise systems strategy and delivery with Business Technology and functional owners, covering platforms such as ERP, MES, PLM, CRM and HRIS.
- Oversee selection, implementation, integration, data migration, adoption and lifecycle management, with clear accountability for delivery and business outcomes.
- Build and lead distributed teams and service partners.
- Combine local site support with global escalation and handovers, matching coverage to working hours, production shifts and service criticality.
- Translate requirements agreed with Information Security, Legal and business owners into practical IT services.
- Enable collaboration while managing data location, access, retention and supplier sharing, including contractual and export-control restrictions where applicable.
- Work with Manufacturing, OT and business system owners to support the IT services that engineering and production depend on.
- Plan changes around operations and establish clear support arrangements for sites, specialist users and application dependencies.
- Own IT service performance and major incident coordination.
- Agree availability and recovery objectives with the business, address recurring failures and test recovery arrangements with service owners and suppliers.
- Recruit and develop capable leaders, set clear accountability and plan capacity ahead of demand.
- Own the IT budget, supplier performance, contracts and licensing, balancing service quality with sustainable cost.
Requirements
- Leadership of IT services across multiple countries and time zones, with direct responsibility for teams, service delivery and operational outcomes.
- A record of scaling IT through rapid business growth.
- Experience running a cloud-first and SaaS-led IT environment, with a strong grasp of identity, endpoint management, collaboration, automation and service integration.
- Proven leadership of enterprise systems portfolios and major implementations or transformations.
- Experience managing implementation partners, budgets and cross-functional stakeholders, with measurable improvements to business processes and performance.
- Experience supporting manufacturing or another business that designs and produces physical products.
- Practical experience delivering IT services under complex data-handling requirements.
- Experience recruiting and leading geographically distributed teams.
- Strong judgement during major incidents and competing delivery demands.
- Ownership of budgets, suppliers and commercial decisions.
Preferred Qualifications/Experience
- Aerospace, defence, robotics, advanced manufacturing or another technically complex, regulated industry.
- Microsoft 365, Entra ID and modern endpoint management.
- Opening new international sites or establishing support services in a new country.
What We Offer
- Competitive compensation and stock options.
- Private Medical & Dental.
- Cycle to work scheme.
- Lunchtime catering on site.
About Us
The mission of Cambridge Aerospace is to eliminate the risk of existential war. We're building low-cost interceptors that defeat these threats, and the surveillance systems to detect and target them. We have immense backing from the world's best venture funds, we’re building a company for the scale and urgency of the mission and we’re one of the fastest-growing defence technology companies in history. If you want to build something that matters, join us.
Our Commitment to Inclusion
We’re committed to building a diverse and inclusive workplace. If you’re excited about this role but don’t meet every requirement, we still encourage you to apply.
Global Director of IT in Cambridge employer: Cambridge Aerospace
Cambridge Aerospace is an exceptional employer, offering a dynamic work environment that fosters innovation and collaboration in the aerospace and defence sectors. With a strong commitment to employee development, we provide ample opportunities for growth through training and mentorship, ensuring that our team members can advance their careers while contributing to cutting-edge projects. Located in the vibrant city of Cambridge, employees enjoy a rich cultural scene and access to a network of industry leaders, making it an ideal place for those seeking meaningful and rewarding employment.
StudySmarter Expert Advice🤫
We think this is how you could land Global Director of IT in Cambridge
✨Join the IT Consultancy Buzz
Get involved in local or virtual IT consultancy meetups and forums. This is where we can rub shoulders with industry professionals, get insights into what Cambridge Aerospace values, and even spot unadvertised opportunities. Don't miss out on these chances to make a name for ourselves in the IT world!
✨Show Off Your Skills
Create a personal project or case study relevant to the challenges Cambridge Aerospace might face. Use platforms like GitHub or Medium to share your findings. This not only demonstrates our consulting skills but shows a proactive attitude, making us stand out from the crowd when applying for that full-time gig.
✨Leverage LinkedIn for Connections
Follow and engage with the relevant thought leaders and influencers in IT consultancy on LinkedIn. Share insightful content and join discussions to gain visibility. A well-placed comment or shared article could catch the attention of someone at Cambridge Aerospace!
✨Direct Apply to Cambridge Aerospace
Let's not forget to apply directly through the Cambridge Aerospace website! Tailor your application to showcase our understanding of their consulting style and how we can contribute to their projects. A personalised approach can make a huge difference in landing that full-time position!
We think you need these skills to ace Global Director of IT in Cambridge
Some tips for your application 🫡
Showcase Your Problem-Solving Skills:In IT consulting, it's all about problem-solving, so make sure your CV highlights your analytical skills and any relevant projects you've tackled. Mention specific technologies or methodologies you've used to resolve issues or improve processes; this shows you can think critically and deliver results, which is vital for us at Cambridge Aerospace.
Highlight Relevant Certifications:Certifications like ITIL, PMP, or even specific tech stack qualifications can really make you stand out. Make sure to include these in your CV, as they not only demonstrate your expertise but also your commitment to staying current in the field. We love seeing candidates who are proactive about their professional development!
Tailor Your Cover Letter:Your cover letter is your chance to connect personally with us at Cambridge Aerospace. Share stories about your experiences in IT consulting, and how they shaped your desire to join our team. Mention why you’re excited about this particular role, and how you see yourself contributing to our projects.
Keep It Clear and Concise:We're all busy, so make sure your application is easy to read. Use bullet points for key achievements, and don’t overload us with jargon. A clean, professional layout goes a long way. Remember, the clearer your application, the more likely we are to invite you in for an interview!
How to prepare for a job interview at Cambridge Aerospace
✨Brush Up on Your Technical Skills
For an IT consulting role, be ready to demonstrate your technical prowess. You might face questions on systems integration, cloud technologies, or even troubleshooting specific software. If you have experience with tools like AWS, Azure, or even specific programming languages, make sure you can talk about them fluently.
✨Showcase Your Problem-Solving Approach
IT consulting is all about solving problems for clients. Think about how you can illustrate your approach to a past challenge using the STAR method (Situation, Task, Action, Result). It's a great way to show how you tackle complex issues and come up with effective solutions.
✨Know the Business Impact of IT Solutions
When discussing your experiences, focus not just on the tech solutions you implemented, but also on their business impact. Employers want to see that you can connect IT with organisational goals. Prep examples that highlight how your tech contributions improved efficiency or reduced costs for past clients or projects.
✨Prepare for Behavioural Questions
Since IT consulting often involves teamwork and client interactions, expect behavioural questions that assess your interpersonal skills. Be prepared with examples that demonstrate your adaptability, communication skills, and how you handle client feedback. Before the interview, think of situations where you worked closely with clients to create effective IT strategies or changes.
