Director of Information & Digital Transformation (Ref: 196833)

Forsyth Barnes has been exclusively retained by a leading international manufacturing organisation to appoint a Group Director of Information & Digital Transformation.

This is a unique opportunity to lead one of the most significant transformation programmes in the organisation's history while shaping the long-term technology and digital agenda of a global, multi-site manufacturing business.

The successful candidate will initially assume responsibility for the completion and adoption of a major enterprise transformation programme before evolving the organisation's technology, data and digital capabilities to support future growth and operational excellence.

This is not a traditional CIO role, nor is it a pure programme leadership position. The organisation is seeking a commercially minded technology and transformation leader who can bridge strategy and execution, operate effectively in complex manufacturing environments and translate technology investments into measurable business outcomes.

The organisation is undertaking a large-scale enterprise transformation programme centred around:

• A new global ERP platform

• Manufacturing Execution Systems (MES)

• Standardised business processes

• Harmonised master data

• Enterprise analytics and reporting capabilities

• The creation of a scalable digital operating model

As the programme transitions from design and implementation into deployment and adoption, the business requires a permanent executive leader to provide continuity across technology, transformation and digital capability building.

The successful candidate will play a critical role in defining the future operating model of the organisation and ensuring that transformation investments generate sustainable business value.

Technology Leadership

Provide strategic and operational leadership across the Group's technology function, including:

• Technology strategy and roadmap development

• Enterprise architecture and applications landscape

• Infrastructure and cloud services

• Cybersecurity and risk management

• IT service management and support

• Vendor and strategic partner management

• Technology budgeting and investment prioritisation

• Building a scalable and future-ready technology operating model

Enterprise Transformation & Programme Leadership

Maintain executive accountability for the successful delivery and adoption of the Group's enterprise transformation programme, including:

• Programme governance and steering committees

• Global deployment planning

• Executive stakeholder engagement

• Budget ownership and benefits realisation

• Risk and issue management

• Implementation partner management

• Business readiness and transition planning

• Ensuring the programme delivers measurable operational and financial benefits

Business Process & Operational Excellence

Lead the ongoing development of standardised and scalable business processes across critical domains, including:

• Order-to-Cash

• Procure-to-Pay

• Record-to-Report

• Plan-to-Produce

• Supply Chain & Logistics

• Quality Management

• Asset Management

• Master Data Management

Drive continuous improvement and support the creation of a simplified, scalable operating model across the organisation.

Data, Analytics & Digital Enablement

Establish and mature the organisation's digital and data capabilities, including:

• Enterprise data governance

• Master data strategy

• Business intelligence and reporting capabilities

• Advanced analytics and insight generation

• Identification and prioritisation of practical AI opportunities

• Leveraging data to improve operational efficiency, customer service and commercial performance

Organisational Change & Adoption

Lead the change and adoption agenda to ensure new ways of working are successfully embedded across the organisation through:

• Communication and engagement strategies

• Training and capability development

• User adoption initiatives

• Benefits tracking and value realisation

• Building long-term digital capabilities across the business

We are seeking an experienced technology and transformation executive who combines strategic leadership with a hands-on, operational mindset.

The successful candidate is likely to bring:

• Significant leadership experience across technology and enterprise transformation environments

• Experience within manufacturing, FMCG, consumer goods or supply-chain intensive organisations

• A proven track record of leading complex, multi-country business and technology transformation programmes

• Experience operating across multi-site international environments

• Strong stakeholder management and organisational change capability

• Experience leading sizeable technology and transformation teams

• Deep understanding of data, analytics and emerging digital technologies

• A track record of delivering measurable operational and financial outcomes through technology investment

Experience of ERP transformation, manufacturing execution systems, post-acquisition integration and private equity environments would be highly advantageous.

The Ideal Leader

The successful individual will be equally comfortable:

• Operating at Executive Committee and Board level

• Leading large-scale transformation programmes

• Engaging directly with manufacturing operations and plant leadership teams

• Driving change and adoption across international businesses

• Building high-performing technology organisations

• Translating strategy into execution and measurable value creation

Success Measures

Success in this role will be measured by:

• Successful deployment and adoption of the transformation programme

• Delivery of programme milestones within agreed timelines and budgets

• Adoption of standardised business processes

• Development of scalable technology and data capabilities

• Delivery of measurable operational and financial improvements

• Creation of a sustainable digital transformation capability across the organisation

• Building the foundations for the next phase of the organisation's growth

This is a rare opportunity to define the future digital strategy of a global manufacturing organisation.

The successful candidate will not only deliver a critical enterprise transformation programme but will build the technology, process, and data capabilities required to support the next phase of the organisation’s growth.

This is a genuine executive leadership position with significant influence over the future operating model and long-term strategic direction of the business.