At a Glance
- Tasks: Lead application improvements and drive digital transformation for enhanced user experiences.
- Company: Join Honeycomb Group, a values-driven organisation focused on innovation and collaboration.
- Benefits: Competitive salary, opportunities for professional growth, and a supportive work environment.
- Other info: Dynamic role with opportunities to explore AI and emerging technologies.
- Why this job: Shape the future of digital services and make a real impact on colleagues and customers.
- Qualifications: Experience in application support and strong leadership skills required.
The predicted salary is between 51575 - 63036 £ per year.
Location: Stoke-on-Trent/ Hybrid
Salary: £50,676 a year
Are you an experienced applications leader with a passion for digital transformation, systems improvement and delivering exceptional user experiences? At Honeycomb Group, we're looking for a strategic and hands-on leader to oversee the development and support of our applications portfolio, ensuring our systems continue to evolve, enable smarter working, and deliver real value for colleagues and customers alike.
As our Strategic Lead for ICT Applications, you'll lead a small Applications Support team while working closely with stakeholders across the business and external suppliers. You'll play a key role in driving innovation, improving processes through technology, and ensuring our applications remain reliable, effective and fit for purpose. This is an exciting opportunity to shape the future of our digital landscape, championing continuous improvement, automation and emerging technologies, including AI, to enhance services and business performance.
What you'll do:
- Lead the development and delivery of application improvements, digital workflows, process automation and system enhancements.
- Manage system upgrades and projects from planning and testing through to successful implementation.
- Ensure excellent day-to-day application support, maintaining service levels and driving continuous improvement.
- Work closely with business teams, suppliers and stakeholders to identify opportunities for innovation and change.
- Explore and implement AI-enabled solutions that improve efficiency and customer experience.
- Lead training, testing and engagement activities to support the successful adoption of new systems and enhancements.
- Monitor performance, measure benefits and provide meaningful reporting to project boards, improvement boards and leadership forums.
- Champion robust data management, governance and business continuity practices across applications and systems.
Who you are:
We're seeking a collaborative and forward-thinking technology professional who combines technical expertise with strong leadership and communication skills. You'll bring:
- Experience leading application support, systems development or digital transformation activities.
- Strong problem-solving skills with a logical and analytical approach.
- Demonstrable experience managing third-party suppliers, integrations and technology partners.
- Significant hands-on experience with the Microsoft 365 ecosystem, including SharePoint, Teams and Power Automate.
- The ability to translate complex technical concepts into clear, engaging communications for a range of audiences.
- Experience prioritising and managing backlogs, system enhancements, roadmaps and change initiatives.
- A strong understanding of data management, information security and application governance.
- Knowledge of ITIL principles and service management practices.
- Experience using technology and AI to drive business improvement and innovation.
Desirable:
- Project, Change Management or Lean qualification.
- People management qualifications or formal leadership training.
- IT degree or equivalent professional qualification.
- Microsoft 365 certification.
- Experience working alongside data and analytics teams.
Why Join Us?
At Honeycomb Group, you'll have the opportunity to influence strategic technology decisions, lead meaningful change, and help shape digital services that make a real difference to our colleagues and customers. Working within a values-driven organisation, you'll be empowered to innovate, collaborate and continuously improve how we deliver our services.
Learn more about our great staff benefits, how we live by our Honeycomb values, and what it's like working here by visiting our Careers Hub. Apply now! We may close this vacancy early if we receive a high volume of applications.
Closing date: 22nd November 2026
Shortlist date: 23rd November 2026
Interview date: TBC
Strategic Lead (Applications) employer: Honeycomb Group
As a Homeless Support Officer with us, you will be part of a compassionate team dedicated to making a real difference in the lives of vulnerable individuals in Cheshire East. We pride ourselves on our supportive work culture, offering flexible hours and ongoing professional development opportunities to help you grow in your career while contributing to meaningful change in the community. Join us for a rewarding experience where your efforts are valued and recognised.
StudySmarter Expert Advice🤫
We think this is how you could land Strategic Lead (Applications)
✨Join Local Tech Meetups
Get out there and mingle with fellow developers by joining local tech meetups. It’s a fantastic way to meet people who might be working at Honeycomb Group or know someone who does. Plus, you can pick up some trendy tech skills and trends while you're at it!
✨Contribute to Open Source Projects
Show off your coding chops by jumping into open-source projects. Not only does this give you practical experience, but it also gets you noticed in the dev community. You'll create a killer portfolio that speaks volumes about your skills to Honeycomb Group.
✨Tap into Online Developer Communities
Don’t underestimate the power of online developer communities like GitHub, Stack Overflow, and even Reddit. Participate in discussions, share your projects, and build your visibility. We can often find opportunities through these channels that can lead to a full-time gig at companies like Honeycomb Group.
✨Explore Job Boards Specifically for Tech Roles
Keep your eyes peeled on job boards that focus on tech roles. Sites like TechCareers or Stack Overflow Jobs can often have listings for companies like Honeycomb Group that might not show up on broader job sites. Make it a habit to check these regularly, and don’t hesitate to apply directly through our website!
We think you need these skills to ace Strategic Lead (Applications)
Some tips for your application 🫡
Show off your coding skills:When applying for a software engineering role, it's super important to showcase your coding skills. Make sure your CV includes your tech stack, any relevant programming languages you’re comfortable with, and examples of projects you've worked on. If you have a GitHub profile, link it up! We love to see code in action.
Tailor your portfolio:For a full-time role, we’d expect to see some solid examples of your work in your portfolio. Make sure to include at least two or three projects that highlight your problem-solving skills and your ability to work with different technologies. Focus on the projects that are most relevant to the position at Honeycomb Group.
Craft a killer cover letter:Your cover letter is your chance to stand out—make it personal! Explain why you want to work at Honeycomb Group and how your skills align with the role. Show us your passion for software development. We dig enthusiastic candidates who understand the value of collaboration and continuous learning!
Be clear and concise:When it comes to writing your CV and cover letter, clarity is key. Avoid jargon that could confuse us and stick to simple, direct language. Highlight your achievements with quantifiable results where possible, and keep everything easy to read. A well-organised application goes a long way!
How to prepare for a job interview at Honeycomb Group
✨Brush Up on Your Coding Skills
For a full-time software engineering role, it's crucial that we stay sharp with our coding abilities. Expect technical questions that might involve solving problems on the spot or discussing algorithms. Practise on platforms like LeetCode or HackerRank to get comfortable with the types of questions that often come up.
✨Know Your Tools and Frameworks
Make sure we’re well-acquainted with the tools and technologies listed in the job description. Familiarise ourselves with any specific frameworks or programming languages mentioned. If Honeycomb Group uses React or Node.js, for instance, be ready to discuss how we’ve used them in previous projects or coursework.
✨Showcase Your Projects
Bring along a portfolio that highlights our best work. This could be code samples, GitHub repositories, or any side projects we’ve built. Make sure we can talk through our thought process for each project, especially the challenges we faced and how we solved them—this shows our problem-solving skills in action.
✨Prepare for Behavioural Questions
While technical skills are key, full-time positions also require cultural fit. Be ready to discuss our previous experiences and how we handle teamwork, conflict, and deadlines. Brush up on the STAR method—Situation, Task, Action, Result—to clearly articulate our past experiences when discussing how we've contributed to a team.
