IT & Digitalization Manager

Role Overview

This position leads the entire IT function for a business unit, acting as the bridge between corporate technology direction and local operational needs. Day to day, you will shape the unit’s technology roadmap, oversee service delivery and security, and partner closely with management to ensure every IT initiative supports tangible business outcomes. Your work matters because the business unit depends on stable, secure, and forward-looking systems to keep operations running, satisfy customers, and stay competitive.

Key Responsibilities

• Develop and own the business unit IT strategy and roadmap, ensuring alignment with both local business priorities and the wider regional technology direction.
• Act as the primary technology advisor to the business unit management team, translating operational challenges into practical IT solutions that drive performance and efficiency.
• Lead and develop the local IT team, including structuring resources, building competencies, setting performance targets, and fostering a collaborative, high-trust working environment.
• Chair the business unit IT council, facilitating regular governance reviews, clear decision-making, and transparent communication across all involved stakeholders.
• Manage relationships with internal IT service providers, regional technology leaders, external suppliers, dealers, and key business functions such as sales, parts, and aftermarket services.
• Own the IT risk and security agenda, covering information security controls, disaster recovery planning, backup procedures, internal audits, and the timely remediation of identified vulnerabilities.
• Prepare, monitor, and manage the IT budget, including forecasting, spend tracking, variance analysis, corrective measures, and the negotiation of supplier service levels.
• Drive innovation and digitalisation by evaluating emerging technologies — including automation, AI, and cloud solutions — and championing their practical adoption within the business unit.
• Ensure all IT activities comply with organisational principles, policies, safety requirements, and applicable IT governance frameworks.

Requirements & Qualifications

• Bachelors degree in Information Technology, Computer Science, Business Informatics, Management Information Systems, or a closely related discipline. A master's degree (MBA or MS in Information Systems) is strongly preferred for this strategic, cross-functional role.
• A minimum of 7 to 10 years of progressive experience in IT or digital roles, with at least 3 to 5 years spent in a leadership, managerial, or complex project management capacity.
• Demonstrated experience leading distributed or multi-regional teams and managing enterprise-wide transformation programmes or substantial business technology initiatives.
• Hands-on knowledge of IT strategy formulation, service governance, IT operations, information security, and supplier or vendor management.
• Working familiarity with ITIL practices, architectural principles, and modern infrastructure — including hybrid or multi-cloud environments and global network architectures.
• Exposure to enterprise software ecosystems such as SAP S/4HANA, Salesforce, or comparable ERP and CRM platforms.
• Understanding of cybersecurity principles, data governance frameworks, zero-trust models, and regional data sovereignty constraints.
• Ability to support data-driven decision-making using analytics and reporting tools like Power BI or Tableau.
• Professional certifications are highly valued, including PMP, PRINCE2, Agile/Scrum Master, SAFe, ITIL 4, TOGAF, cloud certifications (AWS, Azure, or GCP), and credentials related to AI or data transformation.
• Strong English communication skills, both written and spoken, with the ability to explain technical topics clearly to non-technical audiences and build consensus among diverse stakeholders.
• Proven people leadership skills, including team development, conflict resolution, and change management, along with a results-oriented mindset and strong accountability.
• Experience managing budgets, vendor contracts, service levels, and IT cost optimisation initiatives.