Head of Business Systems Transformation in Manchester

• Overview and what we offer
• Mon - Friday 37.5hrs
• Location - Manchester
• Generous holiday entitlement
• Day off for your birthday
• Hotel and airline discounts
• Employee Assistance Programme

Who we are and what we do

Portman Travel Group is a leading travel sector specialist, bringing together a portfolio of market-leading brands across business travel, luxury travel and sports travel.

Through brands including Clarity Business Travel, Brighter Events, Elegant Resorts, If Only, Destination Sport Group and Evolvi, we support clients across the UK and internationally with expert travel solutions, innovative technology and exceptional service.

Operating globally, we combine specialist expertise with the scale and resources of a growing travel group, creating outstanding experiences for customers, partners and colleagues alike.

Role Purpose

To develop, deliver and maintain a clear business systems strategy.

This strategy will enable efficient and effective business operations through well-defined and scalable systems at a fit for purpose cost.

Key Responsibilities

• Business Value through strategic delivery
• Understand how the business delivers customer and shareholder value across its brands and markets.
• Develop a business systems strategy centred around a functionally well-defined and scalable Business Systems Target Operating Model.

This model must deliver value across the business by minimising the number of systems in scope whilst investing as appropriate.

• Create Business Cases for the investment steps to the TOM and present in Exec.

These must be backed up with resource plans, show clear financial implications and list concrete measures of success including project milestones.

• Break down the steps to the TOM and demonstrate continuous progress that brings increasing value whilst minimising business disruption.
• Use strong Business Analysis skills to identify opportunities to re-engineer business processes to be more efficient, enabled by technology.
• Utilise a recognised project management methodology and manage Risks, Assumptions, Issues and Dependencies. Present status updates in monthly Execs.
• Supplier Management and Service Delivery
• Manage Business Systems suppliers with regular meetings incorporating data driven decision making (KPIs such as budget, SLA, compliance, benefits released, delivery against success criteria)
• Manage Change Management with the Head of IT.

Change Management includes change documentation (risk, back-out plans, maintenance window etc.), training, communication with business stakeholders etc.

• Be a Subject Matter Expert in the systems in the TOM including architecture, support and escalation, development roadmaps, non-functional requirements (for example DR, Business Continuity, Data Protection and other compliance)
• Lead User Acceptance Testing of new releases and features
• Identify and implement opportunities for improvement in how systems are used to gain maximum value from them.
• Understand the benefits and challenges of internally or externally developed solutions, off the shelf systems, and hybrid options.

Use this knowledge to create the path to the TOM.

• Analyse the Management Information needs of our business and create a plan for achieving joined up and consolidated reporting.
• Communication
• Quickly develop a relationship with all senior stakeholders. Understand their local businesses – their customer base, key initiatives and objectives, and challenges.
• Bring business stakeholders on the journey, ensuring they have early looks at new technology being introduced to ensure buy‑in and fast feedback.
• Create a roadmap for the journey including assumptions and risks. This should be continuously updated and used as a communication tool to stakeholders.
• Keep meticulous documentation around overall strategy, business cases, project management, and risks – be able to communicate this clearly to the monthly Exec.
• Security and Compliance
• Work effectively with the both the Head of IT and Group IT Compliance team taking direction and guidance so that Sport follow Group standards.
• Understand the requirements and commitments of ISO27001, PCIDSS, & Cyber Essentials
• Own Confidentiality, Integrity and Availability for all Business Systems.

You must ensure all systems have a high level of IT security built in from the ground up, and that systems have DR plans in place suited to business requirements

Experience

• Experience in a similar role, preferably within Travel, with a proven track record of delivering IT transformation projects and driving successful outcomes.
• Experience owning Business Systems, delivering continuous improvement and strong governance.
• Ability to understand business requirements and identify technology‑led efficiencies, customer benefits and commercial value.
• Able to develop a clear vision and translate it into achievable delivery plans.
• Experience creating implementation and resource plans.
• Supplier and contract management experience, with the ability to identify and mitigate risks.
• Knowledge of MVP, automated testing, release pipelines and agile delivery principles.
• Strong leadership, stakeholder management and communication skills.
• Experience providing reporting and updates to senior stakeholders.
• IT project management experience, with knowledge of PRINCE2, Agile or similar methodologies.
• Understanding of IT compliance standards, including ISO27001 and Cyber Essentials.
• Ability to assess technical solutions, including architecture, risks and opportunities.
• Understanding of change management principles.
• Degree in a relevant discipline.
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