Global Technology Portfolio Director

At Specsavers, our purpose is clear – to change lives through better sight and hearing. Behind that is a global technology function playing a critical role in how we operate, scale and deliver better outcomes for our colleagues, customers and partners. We’re looking for a Global Technology Portfolio Director to join us in a role that sits at the centre of our global transformation agenda; connecting business strategy, technology delivery, and people leadership across multiple domains that underpin our global operations.

This is a broad, high-impact leadership position, responsible for leading a group of Value Stream Directors who have responsibility for a portfolio of business-critical technology areas, spanning functions such as Supply Chain, Finance, People, Clinical and Audiology platforms. You’ll bring these areas together; aligning priorities, simplifying complexity and ensuring we’re delivering joined-up, high-quality outcomes across a global, matrixed organisation.

What you’ll be doing:

• Coaching and shaping the development of our end-to-end technology strategy through close collaboration with the Value Stream Directors.
• Working across the technology teams to support cross-functional delivery, setting direction, sequencing activity and ensuring initiatives deliver measurable value and outcomes.
• Bringing alignment across teams, regions and value streams, connecting dependencies, identifying risks and ensuring a more integrated approach to delivery.
• Acting as a bridge between business strategy and technology execution, ensuring priorities are translated into clear, actionable plans.
• Building strong, trusted relationships with senior stakeholders, influencing decisions and shaping direction at an enterprise level.
• Leading and developing senior leaders across multiple teams; creating clarity, accountability and a culture of high performance and collaboration.
• Maintaining oversight of portfolio performance, including governance, budget alignment, delivery standards and risk management.
• Working with external partners and suppliers to ensure we’re getting the right capability, value and long-term outcomes from our technology investments.
• Driving consistent ways of working across teams, contributing to strong standards in delivery, architecture, engineering and data.

What we’re looking for:

• You’ll bring experience operating at scale, with a track record of leading complex technology or transformation portfolios, ideally in a global, matrixed environment.
• Leading a group of experienced directors with credibility and in line with our values.
• Being able to pull together the complex and create simplicity through having sight of the whole and taking an enterprise view.
• Making difficult decisions that may impact individual portfolios but benefit the whole.
• Understands and has experience in navigating and maximising governance processes to drive efficiency and delivery.
• Commercially aware, with strong judgement and a focus on value and outcomes.
• Able to balance pace, quality and long-term impact in a complex environment.
• Collaborative, pragmatic and focused on making things happen.

Why this role:

This is an opportunity to step into a role with genuine impact across our global business. You’ll help shape how technology supports our global organisation, working on large-scale, high-profile programmes and influencing direction at senior leadership level. It’s a role designed for someone who enjoys bringing structure to complexity, connecting moving parts, and enabling others to succeed.

Location: Whiteley (Hybrid - 3 days per week in the office) with UK and International travel when required.