Head of Application Development

Head of Applications£90,000Hybrid Working (1 day/week in office)Greater Manchester We’re searching for a strategic and innovative Head of Applications to join a dynamic, forward-thinking organization. Offering a competitive salary of £90,000 and a flexible hybrid working model (one day per week in the office), this role provides the opportunity to lead the technology architecture roadmap and drive business-critical solutions.Role Overview:In this exciting role, you'll have the unique opportunity to build your own digital team from the ground up, empowering you to shape the future of the company's technology landscape. You will drive meaningful change by leading the development and implementation of modern, scalable solutions, ensuring that the business continues to thrive both through organic growth and strategic acquisitions.Key Responsibilities:Lead the creation and execution of the architecture strategy, ensuring it's fully aligned with business objectives.Recommend and select technologies that optimize performance, scalability, and maintainability of applications.Drive the development of technical designs that integrate architecture patterns, data models, and system integrations.Promote the use of common capabilities and centralized data across all operational units.Ensure security is embedded in the application architecture, complying with industry standards.Continuously assess new technologies for potential integration into the application portfolio.Foster integration through cloud storage, SOA, and APIs, ensuring clear documentation and strong IP protection.Establish and enforce coding standards and best practices for consistency and high-quality application development.Chair the Technical Design Authority, overseeing compliance with architecture standards.Lead a cross-functional team, ensuring collaboration and excellence across product, development, and data functions.Oversee technology selection through formal tendering processes and vendor negotiations.Advocate for the adoption of open SaaS products and low-code solutions to accelerate development.Reporting & Relationships:Work closely with senior leadership across the organization to build strong partnerships.Manage external partners and third-party vendors, ensuring effective collaboration.Lead a multidisciplinary team, promoting a culture of innovation, high performance, and knowledge sharing.Key Qualifications & Experience:Degree or equivalent in Computer Engineering, Data Science, Information Architecture, or related field.Relevant certifications (AWS Solutions Architect, Microsoft Azure Solutions Architect, or TOGAF).2-5 years of prior experience in software or application development.Technical Skills & Expertise:Expertise in designing scalable, maintainable application architectures.Proficiency in programming languages such as Java, Python, C#, or JavaScript.Strong understanding of web technologies (HTML, CSS, JavaScript), databases (SQL/NoSQL), and cloud platforms (AWS, Azure, Google Cloud).Hands-on experience with DevOps practices, continuous integration, and deployment pipelines.Knowledge of low-code/no-code solutions and API design/consumption.Experience in managing budgets, creating business cases, and leading vendor negotiations.This is a fantastic opportunity for a forward-thinking leader with a strong development background to build a high-performing digital team, driving transformation and ensuring that the company remains at the forefront of technological innovation in a fast-growing and evolving industry.