IT Operations Director - Private Equity

An opportunity to join a Private Equity Backed SaaS business with £180m revenue, £80m EBITDA, as the Global IT Operations Director. Following significant growth including expansion into the US with a major piece of M&A during the investment process with a large-cap US PE fund.

Location: London (hybrid 50% in the office)

Salary: £140,000 - 150,000 base + competitive bonus + eligible for equity participation + benefits

Benefits: 30 days annual leave, healthcare, pension, life insurance

Reporting to: COO, you will be Director level and member of the GLT

Travel: Adhoc travel to the US

The Role: We are seeking a strategically minded and hands-on IT Operations Director to lead the global IT function, reporting directly to the COO. You will be a member of the Group Leadership Team, leading a global team of IT professionals, with ownership of offshore teams and IT Vendors. You will be responsible for setting and executing the IT Target Operating Model (TOM) onshore, nearshore, and offshore teams. This role offers significant exposure to M&A, IT integration, and performance transformation within a dynamic PE-backed environment.

Mandate: As the IT Operations Director you will lead mission critical IT Infrastructure, systems and services. A pivotal role for the business, you will lead seamless integration, reliability and security of IT Operations, enabling the business to leverage technology as a competitive advantage. As the business embarks on a post-merger integration strategy you will drive the holistic design of IT Target Operating Model and embed a new way of working to ensure the business remains agile, secure and poised for growth.

Key Responsibilities

• Define and implement the global TOM for onshore, nearshore, offshore IT Operations, ensuring scalability and alignment with strategic business needs.
• End-to-end ownership of internal IT operations, infrastructure, service management, and delivery excellence across the globe and partner ecosystems.
• Lead IT security strategy and implementation, including IT risk management, governance, and alignment with relevant frameworks.
• Build and maintain IT governance structures, ensuring compliance, business continuity, and proactive risk mitigation.
• Oversee relationships with third-party IT vendors and offshore providers, ensuring cost-effective and high-quality service delivery.
• Drive operational excellence and adoption of Microsoft O365 and other core business applications.
• Play a pivotal role in post-merger IT integration and due diligence processes.
• Lead and mentor a global IT team and outsourced technical partners.
• Collaborate with business leaders and stakeholders to drive IT strategy aligned with overall business growth.

Skills Required:

• 8-10 years track record as IT Operations Director / Head of IT Operations in fast-paced, growing organisation
• Experience operating within Private Equity environments and navigating change, performance improvement, and transformation in a fast-paced PE environment
• Expertise in IT Security, IT Governance, Risk Management, and Vendor Management.
• Deep understanding of post-merger IT integration and IT due diligence processes.
• Familiarity with leading enterprise applications, particularly Microsoft 365 Suite.
• Strong leadership skills managing both internal teams and offshore partners.
• Hands-on with the ability to lead strategic direction while managing operational detail.
• Exceptional communication skills, with an ability to gain trust and drive adoption of new IT Strategy to global stakeholders
• Self-starter, who is results driven and can operate under pressure in a fast-moving PE environment
• Ability to succeed in an ambiguous changing environment