Senior IT Manager in Manchester

The Senior IT Manager will provide leadership of Information Technology for a major infrastructure megaproject, HARP, acting as the responsible IT authority for the project.

What matters to us:

• Able to lead a technical team and engage with multiple stakeholders at all levels.
• Strong communication skills and planning.
• Experience in both enterprise and system architecture.
• Experience of working with BAs and procurement teams, requirements analysis and process improvement.
• Proficient in Project Management, Agile, Risk Management.
• Awareness of ISO27001 and Data Protection Act.
• Goal-oriented, committed and ability to work independently.

Your contribution to our company:

• Act as the senior IT authority for the project, accountable for IT delivery and operational performance, in line with UK Digital & IT leadership.
• Define and maintain the project IT roadmap aligned to programme milestones and delivery phases.
• Establish pragmatic IT governance that aligns with Group IT policies while enabling project agility, implementing suitable hardware, software, systems and processes.
• Represent the project in Group IT forums, design authorities, and governance boards.

Stakeholder & Interface Management:

• Serve as the primary interface between the project, Group IT, delivery partners, and external suppliers.
• Manage expectations where Group IT services or timelines cannot fully meet project demands, developing alternative solutions where required.
• Build strong relationships with senior project leadership, commercial teams, and UK Digital & IT Leads.
• Support the selection, onboarding, and management of IT suppliers & business systems.
• Ensure teams cover all technical/integration and non-functional requirements in supplier selection.
• Govern solution architecture decisions in collaboration with the Enterprise/Solution Architect.
• Own supplier performance management, including SLAs, KPIs, service credits, and continuous improvement.
• Work closely with commercial and procurement teams on contracts, variations, and dispute resolution.
• Ensure value for money, cost control, and commercial assurance across all IT spend.

Service Management:

• Establish and operate effective IT service management across the project, aligned to ITIL principles.
• Ensure reliable delivery of core IT services including end-user computing, networks, collaboration tools, and business systems.
• Oversee incident, problem, change, and release management in a high-availability, safety-critical environment.
• Plan and manage transition from project delivery into steady-state operations or handover, ensuring any systems integration and post-live systems support responsibilities are well understood.
• Lead the delivery of multiple concurrent IT workstreams, from concept through implementation.
• Ensure IT projects are delivered to agreed scope, schedule, cost, and quality constraints.
• Integrate IT delivery plans with the wider programme schedule and stage gates.
• Manage risks, dependencies, and assurance activities related to technology delivery.
• Provide clear leadership and direction to the Enterprise/Solution Architect and Business Analyst.
• Set objectives, coach performance, and build a high-performing, delivery-focused IT function.
• Grow the project IT team as the programme matures, where required.

Personal attributes:

• Excellent communication & presentation skills, able to deliver complex information in a concise manner to senior stakeholders.
• Comfortable with ambiguity, with an 80/20 mindset. It is a fast-paced project environment, so must be comfortable with changing priorities and have the ability to define own role and deliverables.

Note: In addition to these duties, employees are required to carry out such other duties as may be reasonably required in order to support the objectives of the Company. Pre-employment screening is required for this position.

What you stand to gain:

We stand for respect, partnership, and sustainability, creating a work environment that promotes safety, health, and development. Our committed and healthy employees are our most valuable asset – the foundation for sustainable growth and innovation. With our "People. Planet. Progress." strategy and the motto WORK ON PROGRESS, we drive change forward – with the goal of climate neutrality by 2040.