Head of IT at Callen Lenz

Head of IT  

Vacancy Reference: CLA- 376

Position: Full-time  

Location: Salisbury, Wiltshire, UK

Salary: £80,000- £90,000

At Callen-Lenz, we are expanding the limits of what is possible. We specialise in crewed and uncrewed aircraft operations and technology, and having recently received investment into the business we are going through a period of rapid growth and development and are looking for key roles to assist with these changes. Callen-Lenz offers innovative and customer focused UAS solutions through our 4 key business strands; technical services, products, platforms and operational services.  We are looking for individuals to help drive forward our expansion, placing you at forefront of UAS development in the UK.

Our Values

• Integrity
• Innovation
• Collaboration
• Excellence

Why Work for Us

Based in the heart of rural Wiltshire, close to the Historic city of Salisbury you will join our rapidly growing, friendly and multi-disciplined team, working on a range of diverse and interesting projects, leading the way in this exciting field and witnessing the full lifecycle of our products. The Callen-Lenz team are passionate about what we do, and we are searching for individuals to grow with us as we expand into the aerospace industry.

Our benefits include:

• 25 days annual leave per year (plus bank holidays)
• Buy/Sell holiday policy up to 5 days either way
• Pension Scheme via Royal London

• Company contributed Share Incentive Plan.
• Green Car Scheme
• Cycle to Work Scheme

• Life assurance scheme (6x basic salary)
• Income protection policy (75% of basic salary)
• Private Health Insurance via Vitality
• Private Dental insurance via Bupa
• Enhanced Maternity and paternity
• 1 Professional membership reimbursed per year
• 1 paid volunteering day per year
• Access to an independent financial advisor year round
• Training & development opportunities

About the role

Reporting to the Operations Director, you will lead the development of secure and reliable digital infrastructure for a rapidly growing technology business operating in both commercial and defence sectors. You will define and implement an IT strategy that supports growth across multiple sites, ensures regulatory compliance, and delivers the systems and tools needed for efficient operations throughout the organisation.

Responsibilities

Strategic Leadership

• Define and execute an IT strategy aligned with business growth and regulatory requirements.
• Advise senior leadership on technology trends, risks, and opportunities across commercial and defence sectors.
• Lead digital transformation initiatives that enhance agility, resilience, and competitive advantage.

Infrastructure & Operations

• Oversee IT infrastructure, networks, and cloud environments.
• Ensure high availability, disaster recovery, and business continuity planning is in place and regularly tested.
• Lead cybersecurity strategy and implementation, ensuring compliance with defence standards (where appropriate)

Governance & Compliance

• Maintain compliance with defence and industry frameworks.
• Implement robust data governance, access control, and audit mechanisms across systems and platforms.
• Liaise with internal and external auditors, regulators, and partners to ensure transparency and accountability.

Team & Supplier Management

• Build and lead a high-performing IT team, fostering a culture of innovation, accountability, and continuous improvement.
• Manage relationships with vendors, managed service providers, and technology partners, ensuring service quality and cost-effectiveness.
• Oversee IT budget, procurement, and contract negotiations.

Cross-Entity Collaboration

• Ensure IT operations and policies are consistent and compatible across all subsidiaries and owned entities.
• Support technology integration during mergers and acquisitions, including system alignment and data migration.
• Enable secure and effective collaboration between technical and non-technical teams, partner organisations, and suppliers.
• Act as the primary IT representative for Callen-Lenz in communications with external stakeholders within the parent company.

Health and Safety

• Promote a proactive safety culture within the business
• Ensure all IT operations are carried out safely and in accordance with company policies and procedures.

• Demonstrate in daily activities a commitment to health and safety in the workplace by always ensuring tasks are performed in the safest possible manner
• Report all hazards and incidents that the individual is party to, or observes, in the correct manner.
• When required or directed, participate in any health and safety training.

Perform other IT related duties as required.

Skills

Essential

• Proven experience as Head of IT, CIO, or similar leadership role in defence, aerospace, or other regulated industry.
• Strong knowledge of cybersecurity, infrastructure, cloud platforms, and enterprise applications.
• Exceptional leadership, stakeholder engagement, and communication skills.
• Demonstrable people and line management experience
• Ability to balance strategic vision with operational execution.

Desirable

• Familiarity with defence compliance frameworks and secure development environments.
• Degree in Information Technology, Computer Science or related subject (or equivalent experience).
• Relevant certifications (e.g., CISSP, CISM, ITIL, ISO 27001 Lead Implementer)

Personal Attributes

• Must be a British Citizen or have an existing right to work in the UK
• Ability to commit to occasional national and international travel
• Ability to hold Security Clearance – 5 years residence in the UK
• Ability to communicate clearly to a wide range of stakeholders

Please click here to read our privacy notice

Callen-Lenz is an equal opportunities employer, committed to building an inclusive working environment. We welcome applications from all suitably qualified persons regardless of their race, sex, disability, religion/belief, sexual orientation, or age. It is essential that the successful candidate must, by the start of their employment have permission to work in the UK. Proof of identity and eligibility to work in the UK will be required prior to commencement of employment.

Please be aware that many roles at BAE Systems are subject to both security and export control restrictions. These restrictions mean that factors such as your nationality, any nationalities you may have previously held, and your place of birth can restrict the roles you are eligible to perform within the organisation. All applicants must as a minimum achieve Baseline Personnel Security Standard. Many roles also require higher levels of National Security Vetting where applicants must typically have 5 to 10 years of continuous residency in the UK depending on the vetting level required for the role, to allow for meaningful security vetting checks