Director Technology Operational Resilience

Are you ready to chart your own career path? With our refreshed strategy, we’re building on our rich heritage and transforming our business to be more scalable and efficient, unlocking the capabilities needed for future success. This includes significantly investing in technology, streamlining the way we work and creating an environment where colleagues feel engaged, empowered and accountable; where they can show up, speak up and perform - because we believe in the difference our work makes.

At a glance:

Location: Cirencester Office

Workplace Type: Hybrid

Employment Type: Permanent

Seniority: Director

The role

The Director Technology Operational Resilience role at St. James's Place Management Services presents an outstanding opportunity to lead a forward-looking technology resilience strategy. This position secures flawless operational continuity and world-class security. It is crucial in upholding our competitiveness in a rigorously regulated setting.

Key Responsibilities of the Job:

1. Technology Operational Stability

• Take ownership of and direct the enterprise technology operational resilience strategy.
• Ensure adherence to FCA, PRA and applicable operational resilience regulations and supervisory expectations.
• Identify, maintain and govern technology dependencies supporting Important Business Services (IBS).
• Establish and regularly test resilience controls, recovery objectives and impact tolerances.
• Lead enterprise-wide resilience exercises and scenario testing.
• Coordinate disaster recovery, technology recovery and business continuity capabilities.
• Develop resilience reporting, governance and assurance frameworks for Executive and Board collaborators.
• Lead response activities during major operational disruptions and technology crises.
• Maintain responsibility for overall technology operational resilience maturity.

1. Cyber Security Leadership

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• Own and evolve the firm's cyber security strategy and roadmap.
• Deliver direction for the Information Security and Cyber Security functions through the Chief Information Security Officer.
• Ensure effective security operations, vulnerability management, identity and access management, threat detection and incident response capabilities.
• Maintain alignment with recognised security frameworks including ISO 27001 and NIST.
• Maintain strong cyber resilience against evolving security threats.
• Lead executive response to significant cyber incidents.
• Provide Board- and Executive-level reporting on cyber risk and security posture.
• Maintain relationships with regulators, external authorities and industry cyber bodies.

1. Infrastructure & Cloud Platforms

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• Provide strategic leadership across infrastructure, cloud platforms, networks, end-user computing and platform services.
• Ensure technology platforms are secure, resilient, scalable and efficient.
• Define and complete infrastructure modernisation and cloud transformation strategies.
• Drive automation, platform engineering and standardisation initiatives.
• Ensure robust service availability, performance and capacity management practices.
• Maintain lifecycle management and technology asset strategies.

1. Technology Operations & Service Management

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• Direct enterprise technology operations and service management responsibilities via the Technology Operations Director.
• Ensure operational services consistently meet agreed service levels and business expectations.
• Establish effective operational governance, performance measurement and reporting.
• Coordinate major incident management processes and post-incident reviews.
• Drive service improvement through automation, observability and operational excellence initiatives.
• Promote a customer-focused service culture across technology operations.

1. Technology Risk and Oversight

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• Serve as the lead technology risk manager within resilience, infrastructure, and cyber areas.
• Ensure technology controls are appropriately built, implemented, monitored and evidenced.
• Lead technology risk assessments, remediation activities and control improvement programmes.
• Support Board Risk Committees, Executive Committees and regulatory engagements.
• Lead technology-related audits, assurance reviews and regulatory examinations.
• Develop governance frameworks that provide transparency of technology risks and control efficiency.

1. Regulatory Compliance & SMF24 Responsibilities

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• Ensure the firm adheres to applicable technology, cyber security and operational resilience regulations.
• Fulfil responsibilities associated with SMF24 and other applicable regulatory obligations.
• Ensure regulatory commitments, findings and remediation actions are effectively managed.
• Maintain positive relationships with Risk, Compliance, Internal Audit and regulatory bodies.
• Ensure Board and Executive collaborators are appropriately informed on regulatory matters and associated risks.

1. Vendor & Third-Party Management

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• Provide executive supervision of technology vendor and third-party risk management activities.
• Ensure technology suppliers meet security, resilience and regulatory requirements.
• Maintain oversight of due diligence, ongoing assurance, resilience testing and exit planning activities.
• Ensure technology leaders appropriately manage strategic supplier relationships within their respective functions.
• Monitor supplier performance, risk exposure and contractual compliance.
• Support enterprise third-party risk management structures and oversight.

1. Leadership, Culture & People Management

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• Guide, mentor and grow multidisciplinary teams across cyber security, infrastructure, resilience and operations.
• Build an accountable, collaborative and high-performing culture.
• Promote diversity, inclusion and continuous learning across the technology organisation.
• Lead succession planning, talent development and organisational build activities.
• Act as a trusted adviser to the CTO, Executive Committee and broader leadership community.
• Maintain ownership of budgets, financial planning and cost optimisation across accountable functions.

What you will bring

• Extensive knowledge in cyber security, operational resilience, infrastructure, and technology operations.
• Solid knowledge of FCA, PRA, and operational resilience regulatory requirements.
• Extensive knowledge of technology risk management, governance and control frameworks.
• Strong knowledge of cloud technologies, enterprise infrastructure, and service management fields.
• Proven expertise in crisis management, disaster recovery and major incident leadership.
• Ability to translate complex technology risks into meaningful business outcomes and decisions.
• Excellent communication and executive collaborator management skills.

Business Expertise:

• Significant leadership experience within large and complex financial services organisations.
• Experience operating within highly regulated environments.
• Proven track record managing company-wide operational resilience and cyber security initiatives.
• Experience coordinating large-scale technology estates and cloud environments.
• Solid knowledge of third-party risk oversight and external technology services.
• Proven ability to influence at Executive Committee, Board and regulator level.

Reasonable Adjustments

We're an equal opportunities employer and want our recruitment process to be accessible and inclusive. If you need reasonable adjustments at any stage, please email us at careers@sjp.co.uk.

Research shows applicants, especially from underrepresented groups, may avoid applying if they do not meet every criterion or have had a long career break. Please apply if you believe you match this role and have some transferable experience, even if you don’t meet all the requirements.

What's in it for you?

Whatever stage of life you're in, our benefits are designed to provide the support, flexibility, and peace of mind you need to thrive both at work and beyond.

In addition to our discretionary annual bonus scheme, which reflects both individual and company performance, you'll benefit from a market-leading benefits package tailored to support your wellbeing, financial security, and family life.

Our benefits include:

• 28 days' annual leave plus bank holidays, with the option to purchase up to 5 additional days.

• Private Medical Insurance – company-funded cover for you and your immediate family

• Generous Pension Scheme – a non-contributory employer contribution of 10%, increasing with length of service up to 15%, plus the opportunity to increase this through salary sacrifice

• Enhanced Parental Leave – up to 26 weeks' full pay to support growing families.

• Protection Benefits – company-funded critical illness cover, income protection, and life assurance

• EV salary sacrifice scheme through Tusker

Reasonable Adjustments We're an equal opportunities employer and want to ensure our recruitment process is accessible and inclusive for all, if you require reasonable adjustment(s) at any stage please let us know by emailing us at careers@sjp.co.uk
Research tells us that applicants (especially those from underrepresented groups) can be put off from applying for a role if they do not meet all the criteria or have been on an extended career-break. If you think you would be a good match for this role and can demonstrate some transferable experience please apply, regardless of whether you tick every box.

What's next?

If you're excited about this role and believe you have the skills and experience we're looking for, we'd love to hear from you! Please submit an application by clicking ‘apply’ below and our team will be in touch.
As a business regulated by the FCA we would advise you to familiarise yourself with the conduct regulations and in particular consumer duty obligations prior to an interview with SJP.