Job Title:   Chief Information Officer

Contract:  Full-time, Permanent or interim

Location:  Hybrid – minimum of 2 days per week in the Tonbridge Office

Reporting to: Chief Executive

IT Charity Bank

The bank currently has c £370m in total assets and has expanded rapidly in over the last several years (five-year average annual asset growth of 18%).  It operates a simple business model in which retail deposits from individuals, charities and businesses are used to make long-term loans to UK charities and social enterprises.  Charity Bank does not offer current accounts or payment services.  As such, the bank’s IT requirements may be modest in comparison to those of larger banks and FinTech’s serving mass retail markets, but meeting regulatory demands, maintaining robust data, embracing new technology, ensuring secure environments and availing high quality management information to support decision-making is an ongoing challenge.  Furthermore, an explicit strategic ambition is to continuously improve internal and external customer experience by constantly improving and automating processes and leveraging selected information technologies in order to achieve this objective.

 Overall Purpose of the Role

We are seeking a dynamic Chief Information Officer (CIO) to lead our technology strategy and drive innovation across the organization. The CIO will play a critical role in shaping the future of our bank by leveraging technology to enhance operational efficiency, improve customer experience, and mitigate risks.

Dimensions of the Role.

Member of Executive Committee (EXCO), reporting to the CEO.

Team size - 8 staff members.

Key Contacts

Internally – Exco members and all managers.

Externally – Service providers, auditors, networks and platforms.

Other requirements

Occasional long hours

Key Responsibilities:

Develop and implement a comprehensive technology strategy aligned with the bank's overall business objectives.

• Collaborate with executive leadership to understand business goals and identify opportunities for technology-driven initiatives.

• Lead the development of a strategic roadmap for technology investments and innovations that support business growth and operational efficiency, with a key focus on Digital Banking technologies.

• Ensure alignment between technology initiatives and regulatory requirements, risk management objectives, and customer needs.

• Monitor industry trends and emerging technologies to inform strategic decision-making and maintain the bank's competitive edge.

Lead the IT, project and operational resilience teams[JH1]  in delivering innovative solutions that meet the needs of internal stakeholders and external customers.

• Provide leadership and direction to a diverse team of professionals, fostering a culture of collaboration, innovation, and accountability.

• Set clear goals and performance expectations and monitor progress towards achieving key objectives.

• Champion a customer-centric approach to technology development, ensuring that solutions are user-friendly, reliable, and scalable.

• Collaborate with business units to understand their technology needs and prioritize projects, accordingly, balancing short-term requirements with long-term strategic objectives, bring the relevant papers to the bank’s committees.

• Responsibility for the implementation and strengthening of the company’s operational resilience framework and policies.

• Ensure a consistent framework exists for identifying, measuring, mitigating, reporting, monitoring, and managing significant resilience risks.

• Responsibility for the development and maintenance of business continuity plans (BCPs) and the bank’s outsourcing register.

• Ensure conduct risk assessments and impact analyses are performed.

• Provide leadership and inform the bank’s live scenario testing in relation to BCP concerning Important Business Services.

• Accountability for the bank’s premises and insurance policies.

 Oversee the management of all IT systems, infrastructure, and applications, ensuring optimal performance, reliability, and security.

• Establish and enforce IT policies, procedures, and best practices to maintain the integrity and security of the bank's technology environment.

• Work with the IT team to ensure appropriate performance monitoring of IT systems and infrastructure, proactively identifying and addressing issues to minimize downtime and disruption.

• Ensure top-down implementation of robust cybersecurity measures to protect the bank's data, systems, and networks from internal and external threats.

• Ensure compliance with relevant regulatory requirements and industry standards related to information security, privacy, and data protection.

• Work with the it team and external providers (auditors and PEN testers) to ensure cyber security assessments and frameworks provide comprehensive coverage and the business is able to identify potential security gaps and weaknesses.

• Implement multi-layered security controls and systems as per industry best practice (defence in depth).

• Work with the IT team to review incident response plans and protocols to effectively respond to security incidents and breaches.

 Drive digital transformation initiatives to enhance the bank's competitive position and improve operational efficiency.

•  Lead the evaluation and adoption of emerging technologies such as AI that have the potential to transform banking operations and customer experiences.

• Partner with business areas to identify opportunities for process optimization, automation, and digitalization.

• Implement digital platforms and solutions that streamline internal workflows, improve productivity, and reduce costs.

• Measure and track the impact of digital transformation initiatives, providing regular updates to executive leadership, board and other relevant committees on progress and outcomes.

  Collaborate with other executive leaders to identify opportunities for leveraging technology to achieve strategic goals.

•  Serve as a strategic advisor to the CEO and other members of the executive team, including NEDs, on technology-related matters, including project management strategies and methodologies.

• Work closely with project team to ensure alignment between technology initiatives and broader organizational objectives, timelines, and budgets.

• Oversee the project management framework and processes, ensuring consistency, efficiency, and effectiveness in project delivery across the organization.

• Provide guidance and support to project managers and teams, helping to resolve issues, mitigate risks, and overcome obstacles to project success.

• Monitor project performance and outcomes, tracking key metrics and milestones to ensure projects are delivered on time, within scope, and within budget.

• Foster a culture of continuous improvement within the project management team, promoting the adoption of best practices, tools, and techniques.

• Collaborate with stakeholders to prioritize projects and allocate resources based on strategic priorities, business needs, and resource constraints.

• Communicate regularly with executive leadership and key stakeholders to provide updates on project status, risks, and opportunities for improvement.

 Establish and maintain strong partnerships with technology vendors and service providers to ensure the bank remains at the forefront of technological advancements.

• Evaluate and select technology vendors and partners based on their ability to meet the bank's requirements and support its strategic objectives.

• Negotiate contracts and service level agreements with vendors to ensure favourable terms and conditions in line with the business outsourcing requirements.

• Monitor vendor performance and compliance with contractual obligations, holding vendors accountable for delivering on their commitments.

• Stay informed about industry trends, market developments, and emerging technologies through participation in vendor conferences, trade shows, and industry forums.

 Lead and mentor a team of IT professionals, fostering a culture of innovation, collaboration, and continuous learning.

•  Recruit, onboard, and develop top talent within the IT department, building a high-performing team capable of delivering results.

• Provide coaching, feedback, and professional development opportunities to team members to support their growth and career advancement.

• Promote a culture of collaboration and knowledge sharing, encouraging team members to work together to solve complex problems and achieve common goals.

• Invest in training and skills development to keep the IT team abreast of the latest technologies and best practices.

 Monitor industry trends and emerging technologies to identify opportunities for innovation and improvement within the organization.

• Stay abreast of developments in technology, banking, and financial services through research, networking, and participation in industry events.

• Evaluate emerging technologies, such as artificial intelligence, and cloud computing, for their potential to drive innovation and create value for the bank.

• Pilot new technologies and conduct proof-of-concept experiments to assess their feasibility and impact on business operations.

• Collaborate with external partners, including other Banks and social purpose organisations, to explore innovative solutions and opportunities for collaboration.