Group Managing Director Technology Lisbon Portugal £250,000 plus bonus

My client is an international Billion-pound manufacturing group in the renewable energy space.

The Group MD Technology will set and oversee the technology and digital strategy for the Group of companies, aligning IT initiatives with the company’s growth ambitions, operational improvement goals, and innovation roadmap.

The Group MD Technology will directly line-manage a PMO lead an IT Americas lead and an IT Europe & Middle East lead, who will, in term, have dotted-line management of local IT leads. As the Group operates with a largely decentralized business model, the Group MD Technology will act as a strategic leader, influencer, and orchestrator, guiding IT staff across the family of companies without direct line-management authority, which will sit with local Managing Directors. Success in this role relies on collaboration, relationship-building, strategic leadership, and the ability to set group-wide governance frameworks while respecting day-to-day local autonomy.

Key Responsibilities

Strategic Leadership

• Develop and execute the global IT and digital strategy aligned with the Group’s business objectives and GAIN strategy.

• Define and drive the standardisation and adoption of shared, simplified platforms, cybersecurity standards, and data governance initiatives across the family companies, enabling the business to be more data-supported and driven.

• Define and drive the model for centralized Run teams and capabilities to reduce duplication or lack of expertise in local IT teams.

• Identify opportunities for technology-enabled growth, including technology innovation and operational efficiency, with a clear enterprise architecture.

• Define and drive the company approach towards AI

Governance and Architecture

• Define and implement, or where they exist, improve global IT governance frameworks (including security, data, ERP and other ‘enterprise’ system standards) to ensure compliance with the global strategy while allowing local flexibility.

• Establish minimum standards for technology selection, integration, and data interoperability across companies.

Stakeholder Influence and Relationship Management

• Build trusted advisor relationships with local Managing Directors, CFOs, and IT Directors, influencing without formal authority.

• Act as a catalyst for collaboration across operating companies, facilitating best-practice sharing, joint investments, and co-development of solutions.

• Represent IT at the Group Senior Management Team, articulating technology’s role in enabling business value.

Operational Excellence and Risk Management

• Oversee critical Group IT functions including cybersecurity, major project governance and IT financial control.

• Define and drive the IT function forwards

• Support local IT Directors with major IT initiatives, transformation programs, and IT crisis management when needed and drive the IT function forwards

• Support local IT Directors with major IT initiatives, transformation programs, and IT crisis management when needed.

• Manage overall IT budgets and ensure cost-effective, value-driven technology investments with no surprises.

Talent Development

• Foster a community of practice among local IT leaders, promoting knowledge-sharing, leadership development, and succession planning.

• Sponsor inter-company IT initiatives and secondments to build a stronger, more integrated IT leadership pipeline.

Candidate Characteristics

Experience

• Minimum 15 years of IT leadership experience, with at least 5 years as a CIO/CTO or equivalent in a multi-entity, decentralized company.

• Strong track record of influencing and relationship-based management in a matrixed environment.

• Experience within chemicals, industrial manufacturing, life sciences, or other complex B2B sectors preferred.

• Deep understanding of cybersecurity, ERP platforms (e.g., Microsoft Dynamics, SAP), and emerging technologies (e.g., AI, machine learning, data analytics).

Skills

• Excellent influencing, collaboration and relationship management skills at C-level.

• Strategic thinker with a pragmatic, execution-focused mindset.

• Strong business acumen — able to link technology initiatives to P&L impact.

• Change leadership experience — proven ability to drive cultural and technological change across diverse entities.

• Excellent at communication and stakeholder management.

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