Global Technology Portfolio Director
At Specsavers, our purpose is clear - to change lives through better sight and hearing. Behind that is a global technology function playing a critical role in how we operate, scale and deliver better outcomes for our colleagues, customers and partners.
We're looking for a Global Technology Portfolio Director to join us in a role that sits at the centre of our global transformation agenda; connecting business strategy, technology delivery, and people leadership across multiple domains that underpin our global operations.
The role
This is a broad, high-impact leadership position, responsible for leading a group of Value Stream Directors who have responsibility for a portfolio of business-critical technology areas, spanning functions such as Supply Chain, Finance, People, Clinical and Audiology platforms.
You'll bring these areas together; aligning priorities, simplifying complexity and ensuring we're delivering joined-up, high-quality outcomes across a global, matrixed organisation.
What you'll be doing
- Coaching and shaping the development of our end-to-end technology strategy through close collaboration with the Value Stream Directors
- Working across the technology teams to support cross-functional delivery, setting direction, sequencing activity and ensuring initiatives deliver measurable value and outcomes
- Bringing alignment across teams, regions and value streams, connecting dependencies, identifying risks and ensuring a more integrated approach to delivery
- Acting as a bridge between business strategy and technology execution, ensuring priorities are translated into clear, actionable plans
- Building strong, trusted relationships with senior stakeholders, influencing decisions and shaping direction at an enterprise level
- Leading and developing senior leaders across multiple teams; creating clarity, accountability and a culture of high performance and collaboration
- Maintaining oversight of portfolio performance, including governance, budget alignment, delivery standards and risk management
- Working with external partners and suppliers to ensure we're getting the right capability, value and long-term outcomes from our technology investments
- Driving consistent ways of working across teams, contributing to strong standards in delivery, architecture, engineering and data
What we're looking for
You'll bring experience operating at scale, with a track record of leading complex technology or transformation portfolios, ideally in a global, matrixed environment.
Beyond that, it's how you operate that matters most:
- Leading a group of experienced directors with credibility and in line with our values
- Being able to pull together the complex and create simplicity through having sight of the whole and taking an enterprise view
- Making difficult decisions that may impact individual portfolios but benefit the whole
- Understands and has experience in navigating and maximising governance processes to drive efficiency and delivery
- Commercially aware, with strong judgement and a focus on value and outcomes
- Able to balance pace, quality and long-term impact in a complex environment
- Collaborative, pragmatic and focused on making things happen
Why this role
This is an opportunity to step into a role with genuine impact across our global business.
You'll help shape how technology supports our global organisation, working on large-scale, high-profile programmes and influencing direction at senior leadership level.
It's a role designed for someone who enjoys bringing structure to complexity, connecting moving parts, and enabling others to succeed.
Location: Whiteley (Hybrid - 3 days per week in the office) with UK and International travel when required.
We encourage you to apply as soon as possible. We may close the vacancy early if we receive a high volume of strong applications.
#LI-AS1