Director of IT in Preston

At Places for People, we hire People, not numbers! We are more interested in hiring someone that embodies our People Promises. That’s someone that does the right thing, is enthusiastic and motivated to grow, believes in Community spirit, is respectful and enjoys their work. As the UK’s leading Social Enterprise, we don’t discriminate based on any protected attribute. In fact, we’re dedicated to creating inclusive and thriving Communities for both our Customers and Employees.

Places for People (PfP) are a UK-based social enterprise and one of the country’s largest housing and placemaking organisations. Since being founded in 1965 and operating across England and Scotland, we own and manage tens of thousands of homes and have over 14,000 people working for us. Our work includes housing, regeneration and placemaking, community development and support services as well as care and support for the elderly.

The Operations team are an integral part of the IT function. This is an exciting time to join a growing area of the Group.

Are you ready to lead a bold transformation that will redefine customer service across the UK’s biggest social enterprise? We are seeking an IT Director with vision, energy, and expertise to harness the power of data and technology to deliver a step change in how we serve millions of customers. This is more than an IT leadership role—it’s an opportunity to shape the future of a purpose-driven organisation that impacts lives every day.

Reporting to the CIO, we are looking for an IT Director to play a lead role in company-wide transformation, leveraging cutting-edge technology and data insights to create seamless, customer-centric experiences. You will work at the heart of our IT leadership team, influencing strategy and driving innovation that aligns with our social mission. This role will lead the delivery and continuous improvement of IT services.

You will own the IT Service Management framework, embedding ITIL4 best practices, and will play a key role in shaping a secure, high-performing, and customer-focused IT operations function. Working closely with the wider IT team, you will ensure our infrastructure, services, and teams are positioned to support both current operations and future growth.

At Places for People we know relationships matter. Ideally, we want the IT Director to be in our Preston based office for at least 3 days a week. At Places for People, we are committed to a safe working environment so a basic DBS check is mandatory.

The remit of the role is divided into several key areas:

• Digital and Data Transformation: Develop and execute a roadmap that delivers measurable improvements in customer service and operational efficiency.
• IT Service Delivery: Lead the transformation of IT Operations, including responsibilities for incident, problem, change, and event management to minimise disruption.
• Technology Governance & Security: Ensure compliance, resilience, and security across all systems and platforms.
• Team Leadership: Inspire and develop a high-performing IT team, fostering a culture of collaboration, agility, and continuous improvement.
• Stakeholder Engagement: Work closely with senior leaders and operational teams to embed technology solutions that support organisational goals.
• Vendor & Partner Management: Build strategic partnerships with technology providers to deliver best-in-class solutions.

As well as having a strong knowledge of IT infrastructure, the ideal candidate will have a proven track record of leading and developing teams. Knowledge of service management frameworks and best practices along with service management tools is desired. Strong technical expertise of using IT to improve customer outcomes. Proven senior leadership experience in IT operations within a medium-to-large organisation. You can evidence the application of industry good practice service management frameworks (e.g. ITIL). Experience with service management tools and operational monitoring systems. Exceptional leadership, communication, and decision-making skills. Experience in strategic planning and budget management.

We are a large diverse and ambitious business, which will give you all the challenge you could wish for. We offer a comprehensive benefits package including:

• Competitive salary, with a salary review yearly
• Pension with matched contributions up to 7%
• A car allowance/company car
• Excellent holiday package – 36 days annual leave with the option to buy or sell leave
• Private medical insurance cover
• A bonus scheme of up to 20%
• Training and development
• Extra perks including huge discounts and offers from shops, cinemas and much more

If you meet the criteria and are ready to make the next step in your career then click apply. You will be redirected to our careers site where you can discover more about the role, read a full job description and apply directly to us. As part of our commitment to diversity and inclusion, we offer a guaranteed interview to candidates who are disabled, neurodiverse, or have served in the Armed Forces, provided they meet the essential criteria for the role. If you would like to be considered under this scheme, please indicate this in your application.

We are dedicated to creating a supportive and accessible recruitment process for all. If you require any reasonable adjustments to support your application or interview experience, please let us know. We’re happy to work with you to ensure you have the opportunity to perform at your best. If you are a Places for People customer and you’re looking for support with your application, please contact our skills and employment team on skillsemployment@placesforpeople.co.uk.

We understand the importance of a supportive and inclusive work culture so please talk to us at interview about flexibility you may need. We can’t promise to give you exactly what you want, but we promise not to judge you for asking. For this role, we are open to discussing the possibility of reduced hours, flexible start and finish times or compressed hours.

At Places for People, safeguarding is everyone’s responsibility. We are committed to creating safe communities for our customers and colleagues by protecting children, young people, and adults at risk from harm, abuse, and neglect. We follow robust safeguarding policies and procedures, ensuring all employees, volunteers, and contractors uphold the highest standards of safeguarding and accountability. Our recruitment process includes pre-employment checks, including Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) checks where applicable, to promote a safe and secure working environment. By joining Places for People, you are expected to contribute to our safeguarding culture, following our policies and reporting concerns to protect those in our communities.