Senior IT Manager - R&D - Global FMCG - Hybrid in Southampton

Senior IT Manager – R&D – Global FMCG

Our client, a global leader in the food and ingredients industry, is seeking an exceptional Senior IT Manager for Science & Innovation (R&D). This role sits at the centre of their digital transformation journey and is responsible for shaping and delivering the technology strategy that underpins scientific innovation, product development and long-term research capability.

You will act as the strategic IT business partner to senior Science & Innovation stakeholders, owning the digital roadmap and ensuring technology investment directly advances scientific, commercial and operational outcomes.

This is a senior leadership role with end-to-end accountability across strategy, platform ownership, architecture alignment, delivery oversight and service excellence.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead the IT strategy and roadmap for the Science & Innovation function, ensuring tight alignment to R&D, innovation and commercial priorities.
• Act as the primary IT partner to senior scientific stakeholders, providing challenge, thought leadership and strategic guidance.
• Own the life cycle, optimisation and enhancement of core R&D platforms including LIMS, ELN, PLM, Knowledge Management and related digital lab systems.
• Work with Enterprise Architecture to design scalable, secure and future-proof solutions aligned to global standards.
• Champion digital capability within the scientific community, supporting innovation acceleration and data-driven decision making.
• Oversee portfolio planning, demand management and prioritisation to ensure technology investments deliver maximum value.
• Lead cross-functional teams and partner with vendors to ensure high-quality delivery and operational stability.
• Ensure system compliance across regulated environments, including data integrity, quality, governance and security controls.
• Drive adoption and change management across the Science & Innovation organisation.

About You Essential

• Strong background in IT leadership, business partnering or enterprise/solution architecture, ideally supporting R&D, laboratory or scientific environments.
• Experience with lab or R&D platforms such as LIMS, ELN, PLM and Knowledge/Content Management tools.
• Proven ability to shape technology roadmaps, influence senior stakeholders and operate as a trusted strategic partner.
• Experience in regulated, multi-site or global organisations.
• Strong communication skills with the ability to work confidently with scientific and commercial leaders.

Desirable

• Experience with LabWare LIMS, SAP PLM, Teamcenter or Veeva ELN.
• Understanding of data science, AI/ML or advanced analytics within R&D contexts.
• Certifications such as ITIL, TOGAF, PMP or Prince2.