EDUCATION, QUALIFICATIONS & EXPERIENCE:

• Honours degree in IT or related discipline. Masters or post graduate also advantageous in related field.
• Minimum of 10 years relevant IT experience in related field, with at least 3 years in an IT senior management/IT Director level position.
• Experience managing IT budgets, costs and return on spend essential.
• Prior experience with Azure or AWS preferable.
• ITIL framework experience essential.
• Prior experience of Freshservices, POS and ERP also a distinct advantage.
• Experience in retail environment preferred.

ADDITIONAL KEY SKILLS & ATTRIBUTES:

• Strong team and people management skills with proven track record of building a high performing team and acting as a coach and role model for the IT team in line with Applegreen Core Values.
• Ability to deliver IT outcomes and improvements whilst balancing resources, costs, scope, risk and timescales.
• Ability to manage a complex budget and spend with clear reporting
• Strategic thinker with the ability to execute directly at high quality and pace.
• Experience in managing organisational change and project delivery with strong project management skills.
• Keen interest in digital trends and digital innovations and how business performance can be enhanced through appropriate infrastructure and tools
• Strong commercial acumen and a focus on delivering value and return to the business.
• Strong work ethic with experience delivering to deadlines.
• A highly organised individual with ability to plan and prioritise workloads effectively for maximum impact and adapt around changing priorities as required.
• Excellent drive, enthusiasm and commitment and a keen interest in progressing their career in Applegreen.
• A positive attitude with a solution focused approach to challenges that arise.
• Exceptional interpersonal, communication and teamwork skills, and ability to engage and develop relationships with individuals at all levels of the organisation.
• A self-starter with the ability to also work collaboratively as a member of a highly interdependent team across Applegreen.
• Is resilient and calm under pressure.
• Has sound judgement and objective logical decision-making skills.
• Willing to travel to sites as required and be flexible with work hours to meet the needs of this role.

ROLE INTRODUCTION:

Established in 1992, Applegreen is a leading convenience roadside retailer in the Republic of Ireland, the UK and the US in both large-scale Motorway Service Areas and Travel Plazas, as well as smaller petrol stations. The business has grown to over €3BN in annual revenue, operating 600 Motorway Service Plazas and forecourt sites internationally and employing over 16,000 people.
Applegreen is in a rapid growth phase and to support this ambitious growth, we are seeking to onboard an IT Director in our ROI business. We are looking for someone to lead the Ireland IT team in providing the end-to-end IT service, to lead IT projects and to drive local improvements for the business. This permanent role reporting to the Group CIO and line into the MD Retail Ireland and will be based in the Head Office in Park West, Dublin. The role will work collaboratively with the Group CIO and the Group IT teams as well as ensuring that they are aligned to the commercial asks of the ROI business and support as needed. The successful candidate will be a confident people person who can fit into Applegreen seamlessly and adopt a hands-on approach to their role.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES:

As Applegreen evolves the responsibilities of this role will also change over time. The core responsibilities will centre around the following areas:

• Lead and manage the IT Function for the Irish business providing the necessary strategic direction on delivery of local projects and functional execution of them.
• Responsible for the planning and execution of technology projects and systems implementations in an organised and effective manner.
• Enhancing the customer experience through delivery of intelligent and integrated digital solutions.
• Presenting monthly updates on projects, risks and issues to the ROI and Group IT SLT.
• Establish strong relationships with service users in Ireland to ensure they are getting the most value from the IT services/technology available.
• Identify the need for upgrades, configurations or new systems and provide a clear strategic plan where required to deliver.
• Develop and manage the Ireland IT budget and track associated spend, ensuring strong return on investment.
• Develop end to end in-country IT metrics and reporting to monitor and assess the performance of and improvement opportunities of the service.
• Develop, implement and manage optimal IT related business practices and processes aligned to the IT Governance Framework.
• Identify trends and opportunities to implement process efficiencies.
• Responsible for IT infrastructure at each retail site in Ireland ensuring appropriate support and back ups are in place for business continuity at all times.
• Responsible for ensuring cyber security controls and risk management are adhered to and maintained.
• Work with the Applegreen CIO on delivering Group strategic initiatives and standards attending Group COE meetings and providing country input for group reporting.
• Contribute to the broader Ireland senior management team and to the broader IT community also as required.