SVP - Information Technology

Job description / Role

Senior Vice President – Information Technology

Our client is conducting a search for an experienced and highly qualified SVP-IT accountable for defining and delivering IT strategy and capabilities across the enterprise. This includes data analytics and business intelligence, development and support, infrastructure, security and technical services. Reporting to the COO, the SVP-IT will be responsible for giving oversight and direction to IT and business leaders on strategy, standards, and opportunities for shared services and economies of scale.

The SVP-IT is a key contributor to the company’s strategy and planning process and will be responsible both for IT operations and for technology and digital innovation. It is critical for the SVP-IT to build strong and productive relationships with all business unit leaders, acting as a true partner and making IT a business enabler.

Key Responsibilities
Strategy
• As a member of the senior management team, make a key contribution to the formulation of the company’s business and digital strategies.
• Proactively advise the senior management team on the emerging technologies and digital trends that are most relevant to the company's goals and evolving needs.
• Help determine capital investment parameters, priorities and risks for enterprise-wide IT initiatives to maximize the return on investment.

Leadership
• Develop an IT vision, strategy, and a roadmap, and lead the IT team and its business partners in effective execution.
• Ensure, on an ongoing basis, that current and planned technical architecture, investments and solutions are aligned with company business objectives.
• Prepare and monitor IT operational budgets that meet prevailing objectives and constraints.
• Develop and execute an analytics program that will allow company business leaders to make data-based decisions.
• Build strong relationships with business groups and their leaders across the enterprise, and develop a detailed understanding of their issues, challenges and opportunities.
• Implement the most appropriate and effective IT organizational design to support and engage with the business.
• Ensure transparency and collaboration between the IT organization and its business partners.

Team Development
• Hire, develop, evaluate, reward, and retain a highly-qualified team of IT professionals.
• Foster a culture of innovation, transparency and accountability in IT.
• Promote a “business-first” mentality at all levels of the IT organization.
• Ensure that the organization has strong systems analysis and project management skills, and the ability to execute business-critical projects.
• Develop and maintain a plan that provides for succession and continuity in the most critical IT management positions.

IT Operations
• Direct the design, planning, implementation, and maintenance of the computing infrastructure that supports the company’s operations and business applications.
• Establish metrics for managing IT effectiveness and for measuring the impact of IT on the business.
• Establish appropriate service levels and the processes to ensure that KPIs are met.
• Maintain oversight of all IT projects, ensuring that commitments are properly planned, staffed, monitored and reported.
• Establish a comprehensive enterprise information security program to ensure the integrity, confidentiality and availability of relevant data.
• Lead the design and implementation of an enterprise-wide disaster recovery and business continuity plan.
• Establish and enforce IT policies, processes, portfolio management, development standards and methodologies.
• Monitor the industry for developments in IT operations; evaluate and implement relevant new tools and service management frameworks.
• Review, recommend, and oversee all vendors and managed service agreements for computing, telecommunications, IT services, and equipment.

Skills, Experience & Qualifications
Leadership and Communications
• Can create a clear strategic vision for information technology that supports business objectives, and can execute on that vision.
• Able to work collaboratively with diverse leaders, communicate an IT vision and strategy across all levels of the organization, and build consensus around key initiatives and projects.
• Possesses exceptional interpersonal and communication skills, both oral and written; able to articulate ideas to both technical and non-technical audiences.
• Demonstrated ability to recruit, hire and motivate a high performing IT team that values transparency and accountability.
• Possesses exceptional business acumen, analytical and problem-solving abilities.
• Excellent negotiating skills with internal customers and external service providers.
• Comfortable with ambiguity; can handle the unexpected with flexibility.
• A team player who favors collaborative approaches when working with internal and external partners.
• Proven ability to build trust with others through a commitment to the highest ethical and professional standards.
• A high energy executive; tenacious and passionate about reaching the goal, while keeping ego in check.

Transformation
• Demonstrated experience driving digital transformation and business growth through innovation and the implementation of technology.
• Possesses solid knowledge in emerging technologies, and the ability to apply these in the service of the company’s key business goals.
• Experience leading complex, major change initiatives; demonstrated skills in change management.
• Experience building an enterprise level data analytics capability.
• An entrepreneurial mindset; able and interested to pursue new business opportunities.
• Customer-service oriented.
• Builder of strong technology vendor partnerships, and able to manage multiple vendor relationships to ensure the best performance and financial return.
• Demonstrated experience of ERP implementations, particularly SAP implementation

IT Operations
• Knowledge of a range of vendor technology solutions; able to select and integrate the most appropriate technologies to support the business
• Demonstrated ability to design and implement comprehensive approaches to cyber security and risk management.
• Experience designing and managing an effective IT governance framework across the spectrum of IT service delivery.
• Outstanding organizational skills, and the ability to manage multiple priorities in a fast paced, high pressure environment.
• A strong background in operational and capital finances, and IT budget development

Requirements

Professional Experience and Education
• 15 years of career experience in technology, including a minimum of 8 years in a leadership position.
• Experience in a SVP or CIO or equivalent position is preferred/required.
• Experience leading an agile development organization.
• Experience in a federated structure with matrixed leadership responsibilities.
• P&L leadership experience is preferred.
• A bachelor’s degree is required.
• An advanced degree in a related field, such as computer science, engineering and/or business (MBA) is preferred.

About the Company

Established in 1997 in Hong Kong, ConnectedGroup is a regional executive recruitment and search consultancy with broad coverage across a full range of functional and industry specialisms, each serviced by dedicated teams. Our strategy is to continue to develop our offering as a ‘big boutique’ where we combine high levels of engagement and accountability with a comprehensive scope of delivery capability.

Our core services include; Retained Executive Search, Exclusive Contingent Search and Contingent Recruitment services for mid to senior permanent positions as well as Contract Staff and Interim Management services. We also engage with clients to deliver specialised and tailored projects such as volume recruitment and market mapping exercises.

Our mission is "to be remembered for exceeding expectations"​ which drives us to deliver outstanding levels of service and exceptional outcomes for clients and candidates, as well as meaningful careers for our team. We recruit and measure our employees against the values of being Candid, Creative and Connected which drives our open and transparent culture whilst encouraging new ideas and focuses us on internal communications that leverage greater benefits for our clients. At ConnectedGroup words such as 'respect'​, 'integrity'​ and 'professionalism'​ are not aspirational, they are prerequisite behaviours and are expected in all aspects of our work.