Global Technology Portfolio Director

At Specsavers, our purpose is clear – to change lives through better sight and hearing. Behind that is a global technology function playing a critical role in how we operate, scale and deliver better outcomes for our colleagues, customers and partners.  

We’re looking for a Global Technology Director to join us in a role that sits at the centre of our global transformation agenda; connecting business strategy, technology delivery, and people leadership across multiple domains that underpin our global operations.  

The role 

This is a broad, high-impact leadership position, responsible for leading a group of Value Stream Directors who have responsibility for a portfolio of business-critical technology areas, spanning functions such as Supply Chain, Finance, People, Clinical and Audiology platforms.  

You’ll bring these areas together; aligning priorities, simplifying complexity and ensuring we’re delivering joined-up, high-quality outcomes across a global, matrixed organisation. 

What you’ll be doing 

• Coaching and shaping the development of our end-to-end technology strategy through close collaboration with the Value Stream Directors  

• Working across the technology teams to support cross-functional delivery, setting direction, sequencing activity and ensuring initiatives deliver measurable value and outcomes  

• Bringing alignment across teams, regions and value streams, connecting dependencies, identifying risks and ensuring a more integrated approach to delivery  

• Acting as a bridge between business strategy and technology execution, ensuring priorities are translated into clear, actionable plans  

• Building strong, trusted relationships with senior stakeholders, influencing decisions and shaping direction at an enterprise level  

• Leading and developing senior leaders across multiple teams; creating clarity, accountability and a culture of high performance and collaboration  

• Maintaining oversight of portfolio performance, including governance, budget alignment, delivery standards and risk management  

• Working with external partners and suppliers to ensure we’re getting the right capability, value and long-term outcomes from our technology investments  

• Driving consistent ways of working across teams, contributing to strong standards in delivery, architecture, engineering and data 

What we’re looking for 

You’ll bring experience operating at scale, with a track record of leading complex technology or transformation portfolios, ideally in a global, matrixed environment.  

Beyond that, it’s how you operate that matters most: 

• Leading a group of experienced directors with credibility and in line with our values 

• Being able to pull together the complex and create simplicity through having sight of the whole and taking an enterprise view 

• Making difficult decisions that may impact individual portfolios but benefit the whole 

• Understands and has experience in navigating and maximising governance processes to drive efficiency and delivery 

• Commercially aware, with strong judgement and a focus on value and outcomes  

• Able to balance pace, quality and long-term impact in a complex environment  

• Collaborative, pragmatic and focused on making things happen 

Why this role 

This is an opportunity to step into a role with genuine impact across our global business.  

You’ll help shape how technology supports our global organisation, working on large-scale, high-profile programmes and influencing direction at senior leadership level.  

It’s a role designed for someone who enjoys bringing structure to complexity, connecting moving parts, and enabling others to succeed.  

Location: Whiteley with UK and International travel when required.  

We encourage you to apply as soon as possible. We may close the vacancy early if we receive a high volume of strong applications.