Head of (Business) Applications Hybrid (Bristol 1-2 days/week) £85,000 with excellent benefits We’ve partnered with a large, prestigious and ambitious client to find them a new Head of Business Applications. The role will be to provide an effective digital-first software development strategy, roadmap and support service to meet the organisation’s demands. You’ll report to senior management on the status and performance of a large and complex Business Applications portfolio, assesses the capability of current systems, emerging technologies and secure coding practises to continuously improve the portfolio and advise the business effectively. You’ll lead a skilled team, supporting them in their work and career development and effectively manages and plans available resources, leveraging agile development practises and providing technical leadership to projects and change. Responsibilities will include: • Define and execute the Infrastructure Applications portfolio strategy as part of the overall IT Operations strategy, including the vision for how it will drive positive user experiences, foster greater collaboration and better support. • Be the initial point of contact and advice for best practice on Business Applications, providing technical architectural expertise, direction and advice including providing second and third line support and acting as an escalation for complex or urgent queries, issues and incidents. • Stay abreast of emerging technologies and standards and leverage this to develop investment plans and operating budgets for the Business Applications portfolio that reduces technical debt and increases innovation and speed to market. • Formulate IT policies, processes and Service Level Agreements relating to Infrastructure Platforms and ensure their delivery, undertaking structured planning to ensure sufficient capacity is available; that renewal plans to replace technology are timely; and that SLAs are being met or exceeded. • Working with IT architecture, projects and security: analyse, design, build, test and release applications on time and to specification to deliver required benefits including planning and providing resources and expertise to support delivery of larger projects and programmes. • Ensure that up to date Production Systems Architecture diagrams and Support Models exist for each business application within the portfolio alongside standard IT Technical documentation deliverables throughout the system life cycle. • Develop and maintain a consistent approach to modern application architecture and development standards that emphasise continuous integration and continuous delivery. • Maintain the Business Application portfolio risk register, pro-actively mitigating and/or escalating risks to senior management as required. • Drive maturity assessments and improvements across the Business Application function, ensuring the team maintains a disciplined and consistent approach to leveraging frameworks, standards and methodologies and these are met by reviewing quality of output. • Actively manage relationships with vendors ensuring awareness of technology roadmap and acting as a liaison point to maintain key relationships. • Co-ordinate the planning, prioritisation and execution of upgrades and technology refresh for all Infrastructure Applications and optimise operational performance with the focus on improved utilisation and efficiency, whilst driving down implementation times and costs. • Develop, mentor and motivate staff using a supportive and collaborative approach, ensuring team members have clarity and belief in the vision and values and co-ordinating training and development to broaden skillsets and provide backup to key positions