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IT Director

The IT Director is responsible for defining and delivering the organisation’s technology strategy to support scientific innovation, GMP compliant manufacturing, and secure data management, ensuring that IT infrastructure, digital platforms, and data capabilities enable cutting‑edge research, digital manufacturing, and collaboration across internal teams and external partners.  
In addition, the IT Director will identify opportunities to leverage digital technologies, data platforms and automation to drive operational efficiency, scientific acceleration and cost optimisation. The role builds and maintains strong external partnerships (including suppliers, technology providers, platforms, academia and innovation partners/Collaborators) that enhance digital innovation and strengthen the organisation’s IT capability. 
The IT Director anticipates the commercial and organisational impacts of technology decisions, balancing innovation with risk, cost, operational readiness and long‑term strategic value. 
The role leads a distributed IT function across four sites and holds accountability for a combined annual budget of approximately £3.1m. 

Key Responsibilities

Key Deliverables (First 12–18 Months) 
  • Strengthening communication and alignment between IT and business functions, improving transparency and stakeholder satisfaction 
  • Modernise the digital backbone supporting GMP facilities, including systems integration and data flows 
  • Achieve Cyber Essentials Plus certification and enhance overall cybersecurity posture 
  • Maximise return on investment from the IFS ERP platform through optimisation and adoption 
  • Sets clear, measurable IT goals linked to organisational strategy and external industry developments 
  • Ensure strategic plans adapt to evolving regulatory, cyber, manufacturing and digital technology landscapes 
Key Accountabilities: 

Strategic Leadership 
  • Develop and execute IT and digital strategy aligned to organisational goals 
  • Act as a trusted advisor to the executive team on technology and digital transformation 
  • Acts as a leader who looks beyond functional boundaries to align IT strategy with organisational, regulatory and industry drivers 
  • Provides thought leadership on emerging technologies relevant to advanced therapies, GMP digital systems and regulated biotech environments 
  • Demonstrates the ability to articulate a compelling long‑term digital vision and translate it into actionable programmes for organisational benefit 
  • Connects complex technical and organisational issues to enable joined‑up thinking and decision‑making across CGT Catapult 
  • Takes a long term, strategic perspective on digital, data and infrastructure maturity within a regulated biomanufacturing context, anticipating future needs and shaping the roadmap accordingly 
IT Operations & Infrastructure 
  • Oversee IT systems and infrastructure across four sites 
  • Ensure high availability for GMP manufacturing, office environments and laboratory 
  • Support development of digital manufacturing capabilities and system integration 
Cybersecurity & Compliance 
  • Ensure compliance with GDPR, GxP, and ISO standards 
  • Lead cyber risk management and business continuity planning 
Data & Digital Enablement 
  • Drive data strategy across research and manufacturing 
  • Enable integration across MES, LIMS, and ERP systems 
Team Leadership 
  • Lead and develop a team of approximately 20 employees across four sites 
  • Own budget planning, forecasting, and cost optimisation 
Experience: 
  • Proven senior IT leadership experience  
  • Proven experience of leading major IT programmes within a regulated industry 
  • Experience delivering digital manufacturing or Industry 4.0 initiatives 
  • Experience in cell and gene therapy, biotech, or pharmaceutical sectors 
  • Experience in GMP or regulated environments 
  • Familiarity with IFS ERP, MES, and LIMS platforms 
  • Experience integrating IT and operational technology (OT) 

Skills, Knowledge and Expertise

  • Highly motivated, pragmatic, and practical to support the mission of the Cell and Gene Therapy Catapult to accelerate the development of a commercial cell and gene‑based therapy industry in the UK 
  • Desire and the personal drive to help push the cell and gene sector to be a commercial success 
  • Ambitious and driven, bringing a positive and proactive approach to delivering high‑quality outcomes 
  • A positive attitude towards learning, personal and professional development 
  • Keeps up to date with professional knowledge, expertise and best practice 
  • Strategic and hands‑on leadership, able to operate effectively across multi‑site teams 
  • Strong decision‑making capability with the ability to manage multiple priorities in a fast‑paced environment 
  • Self‑motivated and accountable, able to work independently, takes the initiative, and operates autonomously once objectives are set 
  • Excellent interpersonal and communication skills with strong emotional intelligence 
  • Exceptional influencing skills with the ability to secure alignment from senior scientific, GMP, operational and corporate stakeholders 
  • Builds strategic internal and external networks, using them to support digital transformation, strengthen cyber posture and advance organisational goals 
  • Communicates with authority, credibility and clarity at executive level, ensuring transparency, trust and shared understanding 
  • Collaborative, mission‑driven, with the ability to build effective relationships and manage stakeholders confidently 
  • Inspires confidence and fosters followership by communicating clear priorities and a compelling vision for digital and IT excellence 
  • Committed to developing and empowering the team, identifying potential and coaching emerging leaders, fostering a high-performance culture through guidance, support and continuous improvement. 
  • Role‑models inclusivity, collaboration and values‑driven leadership across multi‑site teams 
  • Demonstrates resilience and the ability to lead calmly and constructively in high‑pressure environments such as GMP operations, audits, cyber incidents or critical system outages 
  • Creates a culture of psychological safety within IT teams, encouraging openness, constructive challenge and continuous learning 
  • Empowers teams to make decisions and develop capability, stepping in strategically when needed, without creating dependency 
  • A good team player with a hands‑on approach, and adaptable to new challenges 
  • Actively facilitates alignment across R&D, GMP manufacturing, QA, Finance, HR and Operations 
  • Proactively removes barriers, mediates conflicting priorities and fosters shared ownership of digital and data outcomes 
  • Expertise in regulated environments, including GxP, data compliance, and regulated digital systems 
  • Proficient in Microsoft Office packages and comfortable working across diverse digital tools 
  • Flexible, pragmatic, and quick to learn, adapting easily to evolving project needs and new challenges 
  • Willingness to travel 
Education / Qualifications: 
  • Degree in a technical, scientific, or business field (e.g. Computer Science, Information Systems, Engineering, Biology, Biotechnology)