Find a job 
Featured Companies 
Featured Universities 
For Companies At a Glance
- Tasks: Lead automation initiatives and develop scalable solutions using Microsoft Power Platform.
- Company: Join Halfords, a forward-thinking company shaping the future of motoring and cycling.
- Benefits: Enjoy competitive salary, car allowance, hybrid working, and extensive employee discounts.
- Other info: Embrace a culture of wellbeing and inclusion while growing your career.
- Why this job: Make a real impact by transforming business processes through innovative automation solutions.
- Qualifications: Experience with Microsoft Power Platform and strong stakeholder engagement skills required.
The predicted salary is between 50000 - 65000 £ per year.
Halfords is on a journey - building the future of motoring and cycling and looking for people who want to help shape what comes next. We’re a place for cocreators: people who want to make a real impact, take ownership and be part of something that’s still evolving. Technology at Halfords is at a turning point. We’re modernising our foundations, sharpening our delivery, and ensuring every technology decision is connected to real commercial and customer outcomes.
We're looking for people who act as trusted advisors to the business, take end-to-end accountability for outcomes, and can balance pace with long-term architectural integrity. Innovation here means practical, scalable solutions, not ideas that stay on whiteboards. Halfords operates a hybrid working policy – this position will be based 3 days per week at our support centre in Redditch, West Midlands.
As Automation Platform Lead within our Technology Architecture function, you'll take ownership of how automation is adopted, governed, and scaled across the business. Reporting to the Head of Platform Engineering, your primary focus will be Microsoft Power Platform, building out a Centre of Excellence that gives the organisation a structured, sustainable way to identify automation opportunities and turn them into solutions that actually deliver operational and commercial value.
Day to day, you'll work with business teams and delivery squads to identify where automation can make a genuine difference, develop the standards and reusable components that make adoption safe and scalable, and provide coaching and hands-on support through Power Platform surgeries and community engagement. You'll also work closely with Architecture and Platform Engineering to ensure automation capabilities evolve in line with the broader platform strategy and enterprise architecture principles.
This is a role for someone who combines solid Power Platform expertise with the stakeholder skills to champion automation adoption across a complex organisation. If you enjoy translating business problems into practical automated solutions, building capability in others, and connecting technology to measurable outcomes, there's real scope here to establish something that grows with the business.
Key responsibilities:- Define and lead the enterprise automation capability, establishing the vision, roadmap, and governance model for automation across the organisation.
- Own the Power Platform Centre of Excellence, developing standards, reusable components, and best practices that enable the safe and scalable adoption of Power Apps, Power Automate, Power BI, and related services.
- Engage with business teams to identify high-value automation opportunities, supporting the design of solutions that reduce manual effort and improve operational outcomes.
- Establish automation governance and standards, ensuring solutions are secure, maintainable, and aligned with enterprise architecture principles and security policies.
- Provide technical leadership and oversight for automation initiatives, ensuring solutions are built using appropriate patterns and integrated effectively with enterprise systems.
- Coach and enable delivery teams and citizen developers through Power Platform surgeries, training sessions, and internal community engagement.
- Identify emerging automation technologies and approaches that could enhance productivity and support broader business transformation.
- Demonstrable experience designing and delivering automation solutions in enterprise environments, with strong technical knowledge of Microsoft Power Platform including Power Apps, Power Automate, and Power BI.
- Experience establishing or contributing to a Power Platform Centre of Excellence or equivalent automation governance capability.
- Proven ability to identify automation opportunities within business processes and translate them into practical, value-driven solutions.
- Experience developing automation standards, governance practices, and reusable components to ensure solutions are scalable and maintainable over time.
- Strong stakeholder engagement skills, comfortable working with business teams and technical leaders to drive adoption and articulate the value of automation clearly.
- Able to coach and enable both business users and technical teams to use automation technologies effectively and with confidence.
- Familiarity with RPA, low-code platforms, or enterprise integration patterns is a bonus, as is experience with Microsoft Azure services or working in retail or operationally complex environments.
A fair and competitive salary evaluated against market data, car allowance, annual discretionary bonus scheme, pension, life assurance, 25 days annual leave plus bank holidays and enhanced family leave. Commitment and dedication to your ongoing personal and professional development. We help you to own and grow your potential so you can be at your best in your current role and to support your future career aspirations. We offer hybrid working with a blend of working in our Support Centre and from home. You will have access to a wealth of employee discounts across the Halfords suite of products and services. Wellbeing and inclusion are at the heart of our colleague experience. We offer resources and ongoing support to enhance your wellbeing at work and active Colleague Networks supporting inclusion initiatives across Halfords.
We are an equal opportunities employer and welcome applications from all backgrounds and embrace diversity within our one Halfords Family.
Automation Platform Lead employer: Halfords Group PLC
Contact Detail:
Halfords Group PLC Recruiting Team
StudySmarter Expert Advice 🤫
We think this is how you could land Automation Platform Lead
✨Tip Number 1
Network like a pro! Reach out to current employees at Halfords on LinkedIn or through mutual connections. Ask them about their experiences and any tips they might have for landing the Automation Platform Lead role.
✨Tip Number 2
Prepare for the interview by understanding Halfords' vision and how automation fits into it. Be ready to discuss specific examples of how you've successfully implemented automation solutions in the past.
✨Tip Number 3
Showcase your Power Platform expertise! Bring along a portfolio of your previous projects or case studies that highlight your skills in Power Apps, Power Automate, and Power BI during the interview.
✨Tip Number 4
Don’t forget to apply through our website! It’s the best way to ensure your application gets noticed and shows your genuine interest in joining the Halfords team.
We think you need these skills to ace Automation Platform Lead
Some tips for your application 🫡
Tailor Your Application: Make sure to customise your CV and cover letter to highlight your experience with Microsoft Power Platform and automation solutions. We want to see how your skills align with our vision for the Automation Platform Lead role!
Showcase Your Achievements: Don’t just list your responsibilities; share specific examples of how you've successfully implemented automation in previous roles. We love seeing tangible results that demonstrate your impact!
Be Authentic: Let your personality shine through in your application. We’re looking for co-creators who are passionate about technology and innovation, so don’t be afraid to express your enthusiasm for the role and our mission.
Apply Through Our Website: For the best chance of success, make sure to apply directly through our website. This helps us keep track of your application and ensures you’re considered for the Automation Platform Lead position!
How to prepare for a job interview at Halfords Group PLC
✨Know Your Power Platform Inside Out
Make sure you brush up on your knowledge of Microsoft Power Platform, especially Power Apps, Power Automate, and Power BI. Be ready to discuss specific projects where you've successfully implemented these tools, as this will show your hands-on experience and technical expertise.
✨Showcase Your Stakeholder Engagement Skills
Prepare examples that highlight your ability to engage with both business teams and technical leaders. Think about times when you’ve successfully driven automation adoption or articulated the value of automation clearly. This will demonstrate your capability to bridge the gap between technical and non-technical stakeholders.
✨Demonstrate Your Coaching Ability
Since the role involves coaching delivery teams and citizen developers, be ready to share experiences where you've trained others or facilitated workshops. Highlight how you’ve empowered others to use automation technologies effectively, as this aligns perfectly with the responsibilities of the position.
✨Understand the Bigger Picture
Familiarise yourself with Halfords' vision for automation and how it connects to their broader business goals. Be prepared to discuss how you can contribute to establishing a Centre of Excellence and developing governance models that align with enterprise architecture principles. This shows that you’re not just focused on the tech but also on delivering real commercial value.