Business Technology and Innovation Manager - Border to Coast PP

Business Technology and Innovation Manager

Leeds | Asset Management | Competitive Package

Border to Coast Pensions Partnership is one of the UK's largest pension pools and the largest asset manager outside London and Edinburgh. Owned by 18 Local Government Pension Scheme partner funds, we manage approximately £120 billion of assets on behalf of more than two million members.

As a customer-owned and customer-focused organisation, our purpose is to make a difference for the Local Government Pension Scheme. Integrity, collaboration and sustainability are at the heart of how we work, and we are continuing to invest in our technology, data and innovation capabilities to support our long-term strategic ambitions.

Our client is an FCA regulated asset manager with a clear conviction that artificial intelligence and emerging technology will define its next decade. Innovation is treated here with the same discipline as investment: carefully assessed, properly governed, and delivered in line with enterprise architecture, security, resilience and regulatory expectations.

Leading and developing a team of four, you will own the innovation agenda, translating technology strategy into actionable roadmaps, championing artificial intelligence and other emerging technologies, and delivering initiatives that raise efficiency, advance capability and strengthen resilience across the business.

What you will be doing

• Lead, coach and develop a team of four, from 121s and coaching through to performance reviews

• Deliver technology innovation initiatives that improve efficiency, advance business capability and strengthen resilience

• Assess, pilot and adopt emerging technologies, spanning artificial intelligence, machine learning, generative AI, intelligent automation and modern cloud tooling, aligned to architecture, security and resilience requirements

• Translate business technology strategy into actionable roadmaps and initiatives alongside senior technology leadership

• Partner with business, risk and technology teams on solutions that strengthen operational resilience within risk appetite

• Oversee innovation governance, value realisation and risk management for emerging technology and change

• Report clearly on the innovation pipeline: benefits, risks and delivery progress

• Work across the business to spot where technology enables better ways of working and an efficiency driven culture

• Shape functional redesign and future growth through technology capabilities tied to strategic objectives

• Keep innovation activity controlled, documented and aligned to corporate standards, ICT strategy and operating model principles

• Deliver within agreed governance and assurance processes, in line with cyber security, information security and operational resilience requirements

• Bring risk, compliance, procurement and contract management colleagues in early so new technologies and suppliers are properly assessed

• Provide the management information and insight that drives prioritisation and review of innovation activity

• Identify and escalate risk across your area of responsibility

What you will need

• A strong understanding of enterprise technology landscapes, spanning architecture, cyber security and resilience

• The ability to lead, manage and develop a team

• Proven success assessing, trialling and implementing emerging technologies, including artificial intelligence, machine learning and intelligent automation, balancing innovation against risk and regulation

• An analytical, commercially minded eye for the business value, feasibility and resilience impact of new ideas

• The presence to influence across business, technology, risk and senior leadership

• Clear, engaging communication that turns complex technology into practical business language

• Demonstrable delivery of technology change or innovation within demanding, complex business environments

• A track record of working with stakeholders to turn requirements and ideas into practical delivery plans

• Practice producing clear reporting, options papers and recommendations for decision makers

• Comfort operating within controlled governance, risk and assurance processes

• Strong planning and organisation under conflicting priorities, a habit of hitting deadlines without losing quality, and high levels of integrity

• A degree or equivalent experience, with continued development in technology, innovation, ICT, business analysis or project delivery methodologies

It would also help if you have

Financial services knowledge

Enterprise architecture, business architecture or operating model design

Cyber security, information security and operational resilience frameworks

Innovation governance, value tracking and benefits realisation

Artificial intelligence, machine learning, generative AI and intelligent automation, applied within financial services

Previous technology innovation within a financially regulated company

Day to day contact with outsourced technology providers or third party suppliers

Awareness of cyber security, operational resilience and information security considerations in technology change

Agile and Waterfall delivery environments

A qualification in project management, business analysis, enterprise architecture, cyber security or a related technology field

Broader corporate awareness spanning health and safety, ICT systems, procurement, outsourcing, information management and data protection

How to apply

Interface Recruitment is handling this appointment on behalf of Border to Coast. Every application receives a response, and every shortlisted candidate is qualified by a director before a CV is presented.

Benefits

Vitality Health

Eap

Hols - 30 days a year + BH

Professional development including funded qualifications

CI cover

Excellent Pension scheme

Life assurance of six-times salary

Hybrid working