Head of IT

Role overview

Pepper Advantage Ireland is hiring a senior Head of IT to lead the organisation’s core technology function in Dublin or Shannon. This permanent position is focused on shaping IT strategy, overseeing critical infrastructure, strengthening security, and guiding technology change across the business. The role sits on the Pepper Ireland Executive Committee and reports to the Ireland CEO, with a dotted line to the Global CIO.

The position calls for an experienced technology leader with a strong background in IT governance, project and change leadership, infrastructure operations, cyber security, vendor management, and service management frameworks such as ITIL. The successful candidate will also lead direct reports and help ensure technology services remain reliable, controlled, and aligned with business goals.

About the business

Pepper Advantage Ireland has supported individuals, businesses, and investors in Ireland since 2012. The company manages more than €17bn in assets and has over 450 employees across Dublin and Shannon. Its work includes servicing loans and mortgages, processing payments, and helping customers manage late payments or financial difficulties when needed.

The organisation is part of Pepper Advantage Group, which operates across the UK, Europe, and Southeast Asia. The wider group employs more than 3,500 people and manages over €75bn in assets.

Key responsibilities

The Head of IT will be accountable for the company’s technology estate, security controls, application support, team leadership, disaster recovery preparedness, and IT financial governance.

• Lead the design and day-to-day management of resilient IT infrastructure, including cabling, network devices, secure internet access, hardware, operating systems, databases, web servers, load balancers, telephony, and collaboration tools.
• Select suitable technologies that support business priorities and ensure all software is properly licensed.
• Manage external suppliers and third parties responsible for infrastructure support and maintenance.
• Oversee information security controls, including access management, malware and firewall protection, patching, phishing awareness activity, cloud and email protection, and security risk reporting.
• Partner with the Chief Information Security Officer on information security matters and alignment with wider group standards and best practice.
• Set the technology department’s strategic direction so it supports business objectives, while monitoring performance and budget against agreed targets.
• Support global initiatives, including work related to Prism modules, and guide development and support processes, governance, and service delivery standards.
• Track service performance against SLAs and put improvement plans in place where standards are not met.
• Spot opportunities for digital growth and innovation, including practical use of AI, while keeping up with industry developments.
• Lead and develop a team of IT and change professionals to deliver a responsive, controlled, and measurable service to the business.
• Maintain appropriate internal controls and work with other managers to provide project management expertise for change delivery.
• Ensure customer and client outcomes are considered in strategic planning.
• Own the IT governance approach for business continuity, disaster recovery, operational risk, policies, procedures, responsibilities, and reporting.
• Oversee outsourcing and vendor relationships with IT service providers and suppliers.
• Ensure project and programme risks are recorded, reviewed, and mitigated appropriately.
• Put financial controls in place for estimating project costs, securing approvals, tracking spend, and reporting budget deviations to stakeholders.

Required experience and background

• A degree in Financial Services, IT, or Computer-related studies is preferred.
• At least 10 years of experience in the financial services sector in an IT leadership, project management, or programme management senior position.
• Executive-level experience is preferred.
• Strong working knowledge of IT systems and infrastructure is essential.
• Hands-on experience in designing and developing IT systems and planning implementation is essential.
• Solid understanding of data analysis, budgeting, and business operations is essential.
• Experience in regulated or banking environments is essential.
• Background in vendor and third-party management, including contracts, relationship management, capacity planning, and solution delivery, is desirable.
• Familiarity with multi-cloud and hybrid cloud environments, ideally with a Microsoft-centric setup, is required.
• Understanding of cloud-native application architecture is expected.
• Knowledge of IT infrastructure, security, and vendor management is required.
• Experience with ITIL and similar service management frameworks is required.
• Proven ability to lead continuous improvement initiatives is important.

Regulatory and conduct requirements

This is a Fitness and Probity Standards impacted role and has been classified as a PCF Pre Approved Controlled Function and Controlled Function (CF). It has been designated as PCF49 and is pre-approved by the Central Bank of Ireland. The role is also designated as CF1 and CF2.

• CF1: ability to exercise a significant influence on the affairs of a regulated financial service provider.
• CF2: responsibility for ensuring, controlling, or monitoring compliance by a regulated financial service provider with its relevant obligations.
• PCF49: overall responsibility for managing the firm’s information and communications technology.
• The successful candidate must agree to the Fitness & Probity Standards and complete the required due diligence checks.

The role is also subject to the Individual Accountability Framework conduct standards. The common conduct standards require individuals to act with honesty and integrity, use due skill, care, and diligence, cooperate with the Central Bank and other relevant regulators without delay, act in the best interests of customers and treat them fairly and professionally, and comply with market conduct and trading venue rules.

Because this is a PCF role, the additional conduct standards also apply. These require the business to be controlled effectively, operated in line with financial services legislation, delegated tasks to be assigned appropriately with effective oversight, and any information a regulator would reasonably expect to receive to be disclosed promptly and properly.

Additional information

The closing date for applications is Friday 15 July at 17:00. Pepper is an equal opportunity employer, and role profiles may change in line with business needs.