Head of Data Programmes

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Welcome Break Support Centre, , United Kingdom, MK16 9EZ

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Head of Data Programmes

Welcome Break Support Centre, Newport Pagnell, Milton Keynes, Buckinghamshire, MK16 9EZ

Competitive salary with fantastic benefits, discounts and bonus scheme

Applegreen is in a rapid growth phase and is seeking to onboard an IT Head of Data Programmes with the skills, experience and dynamism to lead the delivery of our Data transformation initiatives in a fast-paced retail environment.

The role will sit in the Group IT team and is an exciting opportunity for the right candidate to excel. This is a senior leadership role combining extensive data knowledge with world‑class programme management capabilities. You will own a portfolio of data initiatives across different areas of the business, manage substantial budgets and collaborate heavily with executive stakeholders and our delivery partners to realise data benefits and embed a truly data‑driven culture across the global business. Success in this role is measured not only on delivery to plan, but on the value the business realises from what we build and the extent to which it is genuinely used. The successful candidate will be a confident leader who can adopt a hands‑on approach to their role.

This is a full‑time role, reporting into the Group IT Data Science & Engineering Director.

Key Responsibilities:

As Applegreen evolves, the responsibilities of this role will too. Core responsibilities will include but are not limited to:

• Responsible for the make‑up of the data portfolio through agreeing and balancing the right mix of business priority (with a focus on Group functions) and IT capability improvement initiatives and the delivery of them. Clearly translate and articulate the benefit/value realised from the portfolio in simple terms.
• Responsible for and act as the recognised leader in improving IT Data delivery and service management maturity, including delivery quality, resource planning, schedule and budget adherence across all workstreams and teams in the portfolio. Set delivery standards and reporting your teams work to and intervene where delivery is at risk. Where necessary work with project and team leads to develop detailed project plans to set deadlines, assign responsibilities and monitor progress.
• Responsible for business and IT stakeholder and dependency management, working across multiple teams within the organisation and with a specific focus on Group stakeholders including the Group Commercial and Group Finance teams. Prepare and issue status reporting to IT leadership & key stakeholders and ensure that important decisions are brought to their attention in a timely manner.
• Responsible for our 3rd party IT implementation partner’s delivery and their commercial performance. Act as the single point of contact, covering statements of work, milestone acceptance, service levels and change control, ensuring that suppliers are delivering what we have contracted for and providing feedback to enable continuous improvement
• Responsible for leading, developing and growing the data programme delivery team, setting objectives and managing performance.

Qualifications, experience & skills

• Highly influential, able to bring different teams and audiences along on the transformation journey and to build alignment across functions and geographies without relying on formal authority.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills. Able to translate complex subjects into simple terms for a senior audience, as well as work directly with Subject Matter Experts.
• 10+ Years programme leadership experience in similar industry, FMCG, Retail / Hospitality leading high profile transformation projects.
• Practical experience working with offshore supplier suppliers to deliver a portfolio of projects.
• A record of leading and coaching delivery teams with the right level of healthy challenge.

Key Attributes we are looking for in an individual:

• Driven by service and standards – delighting customers and delivering high standards
• Teamwork – working as one team
• Taking ownership – treating the business as if we own it
• Great Communication - drives our success
• Results – we focus on achieving great results through our performance
• Maximising potential – you will support every Team Member to reach their potential, including yours
• Resilience, ability to deal with stressful situations and sometime extreme situations
• Proactively sets the agenda
• Has high levels of energy and can energise and influence others
• Can make the tough calls and challenges the norm
• Gets things executed and done - “Can Do!”
• Passion, high integrity and confidentiality essential.

About Applegreen

Established in 1992, Applegreen is a leading convenience roadside retailer in the Republic of Ireland, the UK and the US in both large-scale Motorway Service Areas and Travel Plazas, as well as smaller petrol stations. The business has grown to over €3BN in annual revenue, operating 559 forecourt sites internationally and employing over 11,000 people. Our products and services include large scale food and beverage operations, convenience stores, roadside refuelling including electric vehicle channels, in addition to a number of other ancillary business lines for example our hotels and gaming business in Welcome Break and our commercial fuel and airline refuelling business. We partner with a large number of high-quality international brands in each market including Starbucks, Burger King, Subway, Greggs, KFC, 7-Eleven, Chopstix, Freshii etc in addition to our own proprietary Bakewell brand. In 2021 Applegreen moved from a PLC to a private ownership company structure in partnership with Blackstone Infrastructure Partners.

At Applegreen, it’s our people that make us a success. We collaborate as a growing international business, while ensuring locally led high performing teams in each of our regions. Each region has distinct elements in its culture while operating within a Group culture that is built around a clear employee proposition considering the needs of all our people. There is a strong entrepreneurial culture in the business which is driven by the founders who started the business more than 25 years ago and are still closely involved with the business today.

Our Core Values are at the heart of our culture and reflect our business ethos and the behaviours by which our people will be successful. Our Core Values are outlined below: