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- Tasks: Lead IT strategy and drive AI adoption to enhance organisational performance.
- Company: Join a pioneering conservation organisation dedicated to fighting the climate crisis.
- Benefits: Flexible remote work, competitive salary, and a chance to make a real impact.
- Other info: Dynamic team culture focused on growth, collaboration, and making a difference.
- Why this job: Be at the forefront of technology in conservation and inspire change.
- Qualifications: Strategic thinker with expertise in IT and a passion for the environment.
The predicted salary is between 60000 - 80000 £ per year.
Oxygen Conservation is entering one of the most important chapters of its growth. We are scaling our operations and accelerating our adoption of AI across the whole organisation. We need a Head of IT who can lead across both simultaneously: not just keeping the lights on but genuinely raising the ceiling for what our team can do. You will work alongside Oxygen House, our IT partner, and you will be OC’s most senior internal technology voice, setting strategy, driving adoption, and ensuring our IT infrastructure and capability is always a step ahead of where the business needs to go.
As passionate as you likely are about IT, to be truly fulfilled you might be looking for more. You may be seeking a role that’s challenging and rewarding in equal measure, amazing colleagues, a culture of care for people, and a mission you believe in. That is what you will find with Oxygen Conservation. We are working hard to fight the climate crisis and reverse the biodiversity collapse. The team is small by design, fast-moving by necessity, and deeply committed to everyone who works with us. We care about the people in this team, and we want to give you the opportunity to make a real difference, not just to our IT infrastructure but to how the whole organisation does its best work every single day.
ABOUT YOU
Are you a strategic thinker who is equally comfortable in the detail? The kind of leader who inspires confidence in a boardroom conversation about technology strategy and equally in a one-to-one coaching session with a colleague who has never built an AI project or skill. You set direction, build trust, and make things happen without being asked. Here is a snapshot of the strengths you’ll bring:
- ENVIRONMENT: A genuine passion for the natural world and a conviction that scaling conservation is one of the most important challenges of our time.
- IMPACT: An ability to distil complexity into a deliverable IT strategy that creates tangible outputs and measurable value. Deep expertise across infrastructure, security, systems, and technology adoption, combined with the commercial acumen to prioritise effectively. Excellent knowledge of AI tools and the ability to support people to achieve more with everchanging technology.
- ADVENTURE: Thrives in dynamic, fast-moving environments where the priorities evolve quickly and certainty is a luxury. Comfortable balancing speed and rigour, moving quickly without cutting corners on the things that matter.
- TOGETHERNESS: An inspiring leader in the broadest sense; someone people want to follow, whose standards raise the performance of everyone around them. The ability to communicate complex ideas simply and credibly, whether you’re presenting to the board, engaging with external partners, or helping a colleague understand why their data is in the cloud. Able to build trust at pace, invest in relationships across the team, and bring a genuine care for the people whose working lives your decisions will shape.
At Oxygen Conservation, character matters more than capability. We recruit for potential, not experience. The strategic expertise matters. The leadership character matters more. The genuine excitement about what AI and technology can do for conservation matters most of all. We are committed to having a genuinely diverse team drawn from across the country, with a wide range of lived and learnt experiences. You might have skills in some, but not all, of the areas above. Whatever your background, we would love to hear from you if you think you can make a real difference with Oxygen Conservation.
ABOUT THE ROLE
The Head of IT sits within the People and Performance team and will be OC’s most senior internal voice on technology, strategy, and AI adoption. You will work alongside Oxygen House, our IT partner, in a collaborative and high-trust relationship, taking ownership of OC’s internal IT direction while Oxygen House provide specialist technical support. You are joining at a moment of genuine momentum, and the decisions you make in your first year will shape how OC operates for the decade that follows.
KEY RESPONSIBILITIES
- IT Strategy: Own and deliver OC's IT strategy, building a clear roadmap that aligns technology investment with our organisational and commercial priorities.
- Technology Leadership: Make confident, well-reasoned decisions about technology direction, communicating them clearly to the CEO, leadership team, and board where relevant.
- Competitive Advantage: Build the conditions for OC to become an increasingly technology-enabled organisation, reducing friction, improving performance, and creating genuine competitive advantage.
- Infrastructure and Security: Act as OC's primary internal IT authority, working closely with Oxygen House to ensure infrastructure, security, and compliance standards are always ahead of where the business needs them to be.
- AI Strategy: Lead OC's AI strategy, defining how the organisation adopts, embeds, and maximises the value of AI tools across every function.
- AI Adoption: Drive meaningful and measurable improvements in how the team uses AI to work faster, think better, and deliver more.
- AI Literacy: Build AI confidence and literacy across the team through coaching, training, and hands‑on enablement, creating an organisation where AI fluency is the norm.
- IT Operations: Maintain a reliable, secure, and well‑documented IT operation that the whole team experiences as an enabler, not an obstacle.
- Onboarding: Ensure every new team member arrives to a seamless, well‑prepared IT environment from day one.
- Continuous Improvement: Identify and implement continuous improvements to how OC uses technology, always asking what better looks like and building toward it.
KEY SUCCESSES
Within your first six months, success will look like:
- A completed IT audit covering infrastructure, security, and systems, with a clear and ambitious roadmap for OC's IT provision and capability development that has been presented to and endorsed by the leadership team.
- Measurable, organisation-wide improvement in how the team leverages AI, with visible examples of productivity gains and new ways of working embedded across functions.
- An IT environment that is secure, well-documented, and experienced by the team as proactive and enabling, with clear evidence of improvement from the baseline established at audit.
- A seamless onboarding IT experience that every new joiner receives from day one, with a documented and repeatable process behind it.
- A recognised position as OC's strategic technology voice, with the CEO and leadership team actively seeking your input on decisions where technology is a factor.
ABOUT US
We’re building the UK’s first genuine natural capital portfolio, acquiring large landscapes, restoring them, and creating investable natural capital products like premium carbon credits, biodiversity units, renewable energy partnerships, and ecotourism experiences. In just four years, we’ve grown to a valuation of around £400m with 50,000+ acres owned and helped connect over half a million acres for nature. Our mission is simple: prove that restoring ecosystems can deliver transformative environmental, social, and financial returns.
Our work hasn’t gone unnoticed. In 2022, we were named Start-Up of the Year at the Business Leader South West Awards, followed by Team of the Year at the 2023 Edie Awards and our nature funding agreement with Triodos won ESG Deal of the Year at the 2024 Insider South West Dealmakers Awards. Our founder and CEO, Dr Rich Stockdale, is featured in the ENDS Power List as one of the top 100 UK environmental professionals driving significant impact, and was shortlisted for Edie’s Leader of the Year Award in 2024.
KEY INFORMATION
- Term: Full time, permanent
- Location: Remote with travel to OC offices and estates for team events and meetings, approximately once per month
- Closing date: When we find the right person
Head of IT employer: Oxygen Conservation
Contact Detail:
Oxygen Conservation Recruiting Team
StudySmarter Expert Advice 🤫
We think this is how you could land Head of IT
✨Tip Number 1
Network like a pro! Reach out to people in your industry, especially those connected to Oxygen Conservation. Attend events, webinars, or even local meet-ups. You never know who might have the inside scoop on job openings or can put in a good word for you.
✨Tip Number 2
Show off your passion for conservation and technology! When you get the chance to chat with potential employers, share your thoughts on how IT can drive positive change in the environment. This will help you stand out as someone who truly aligns with their mission.
✨Tip Number 3
Prepare for interviews by researching Oxygen Conservation’s recent projects and initiatives. Be ready to discuss how your skills can contribute to their goals, especially around AI adoption and IT strategy. Tailoring your responses will show you’re genuinely interested.
✨Tip Number 4
Don’t forget to apply through our website! It’s the best way to ensure your application gets seen. Plus, it shows you’re serious about joining the team and making a difference in the fight against the climate crisis.
We think you need these skills to ace Head of IT
Some tips for your application 🫡
Show Your Passion for IT: Let your enthusiasm for technology shine through in your application. We want to see how your genuine interest in IT aligns with our mission at Oxygen Conservation. Share examples of how you've used tech to make a difference!
Tailor Your Application: Make sure to customise your CV and cover letter to reflect the specific skills and experiences that match the Head of IT role. Highlight your strategic thinking and leadership qualities, as these are key to what we’re looking for.
Be Clear and Concise: When writing your application, keep it straightforward and to the point. We appreciate clarity, so avoid jargon and focus on communicating your ideas effectively. Remember, we want to understand your vision for IT at OC!
Apply Through Our Website: We encourage you to submit your application directly through our website. It’s the best way for us to receive your details and ensures you’re considered for this exciting opportunity. Don’t miss out!
How to prepare for a job interview at Oxygen Conservation
✨Know Your Stuff
Make sure you’re well-versed in the latest IT trends, especially around AI and infrastructure. Research Oxygen Conservation’s mission and how technology plays a role in their conservation efforts. This will help you speak confidently about how your expertise aligns with their goals.
✨Show Your Passion
Oxygen Conservation is all about making a difference in the world. Be ready to share why you care about conservation and how your passion for technology can drive positive change. This personal connection can set you apart from other candidates.
✨Prepare for Scenario Questions
Expect questions that assess your strategic thinking and problem-solving skills. Think of examples where you’ve successfully led IT initiatives or adopted new technologies. Be ready to discuss how you would approach challenges specific to their fast-moving environment.
✨Build Rapport
During the interview, focus on building a connection with your interviewers. Show genuine interest in their work and ask insightful questions about their current projects. This not only demonstrates your enthusiasm but also helps you gauge if the company culture is the right fit for you.