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The job details
Head of Enterprise Applications
Category: IT
Salary: Salary starting at £84,549
Closing Date: 2026-10-22
Location: Risley, Cheshire
The salary range for this position is £84,549 to £91,977 (Grade 3A Lower).
If you have any queries regarding the position itself please contact Jonathan Mason.
Please be aware that all new appointments will be made in-line with the PLC ‘New’ terms & conditions. Therefore, if you are not already on PLC ‘New’ terms & conditions and you are selected and accept this role, there will be changes made to your contractual terms. The terms and conditions of the role will be made clear in the offer letter.
If you have any queries about the impact of applying for this role on your terms & conditions, pay, pension or benefits, please contact the HR Support Team.
Job Description for Head of Enterprise Applications:
There’s never been a more exciting time to be part of the nuclear sector. New opportunities are being created all the time. At UKNNL, you’ll be in the ideal place to capitalise on this momentum, face new challenges and develop a long, successful and meaningful career.
We’re an organisation that’s here to experiment and push the limits of what’s possible. So, if you’re keen to excel in your chosen field, this is the place to do it. Because at UKNNL, anything is possible.
The Head of Enterprise Applications & Data is accountable for the strategic direction, operational performance, and value optimisation of all enterprise applications and data platforms across the organisation.
Operating within a heavily regulated environment, the role ensures that the application and data landscape is secure, compliant, resilient, and aligned to business priorities. A key focus is maximising the value of existing applications, reducing complexity and duplication, and ensuring that the sourcing and onboarding of new applications demonstrably adds business value and complies with regulatory, security, and architectural standards.
The role works closely with business leaders, risk and compliance functions, and external suppliers to enable digital capability while maintaining strong governance and control.
Main Responsibilities for Head of Enterprise Applications:
- Application Portfolio Management
- Own the end-to-end lifecycle of enterprise applications, including core business systems, line-of-business applications, and supporting platforms.
- Lead application rationalisation to reduce duplication, technical debt, and cost while improving usability and value.
- Establish clear principles for application selection, configuration, customisation and retirement.
- Own the end-to-end lifecycle of enterprise applications, including core business systems, line-of-business applications, and supporting platforms.
- Value Optimisation
- Maximise return on investment from existing applications through improved adoption, configuration optimisation, and process alignment.
- Define and track benefits realisation for application investments, working with business owners to ensure value is delivered and sustained.
- Challenge demand for new applications where existing capabilities can meet business needs.
- Sourcing & Onboarding of New Applications
- Lead the evaluation, sourcing, and onboarding of new applications, ensuring a robust business case and clear value proposition.
- Ensure all new applications meet architectural standards, data requirements, security controls, and regulatory expectations.
- Oversee due diligence of suppliers, including financial stability, data protection, resilience, and exit arrangements.
- Data Ownership & Governance
- Provide senior accountability for enterprise data platforms and data management practices.
- Work with data owners, governance bodies, and compliance teams to ensure data quality, integrity, availability, and appropriate use.
- Support the effective use of data and analytics to drive insight and decision-making, within regulatory constraints.
- Risk, Security & Compliance
- Ensure applications and data platforms comply with regulatory, legal, and internal policy requirements.
- Partner with risk, security, and assurance functions to manage operational, cyber, and third-party risks.
- Lead remediation of application and data risks, including audit findings and regulatory actions.
- Stakeholder & Supplier Management
- Build strong relationships with senior business stakeholders, acting as a trusted advisor on application and data capabilities.
- Manage strategic supplier relationships, contracts, and performance, ensuring value for money and service quality.
- Represent the application and data domain in governance forums, investment boards, and regulatory interactions as required.
Essential Criteria for Head of Enterprise Applications:
- Senior leadership experience managing enterprise applications and/or data in a complex, regulated organisation.
- Must have direct leadership experienced of developing a business case and then subsequently implementing a new ERP (or re-implementing the old with new processes and controls) in a large organisation.
- Proven experience of application portfolio management, including rationalisation and value optimisation.
- Strong understanding of application sourcing models (SaaS, COTS, bespoke, cloud) and associated risks.
- Experience operating within regulatory, risk, and compliance frameworks.
- Demonstrable ability to translate business strategy into technology outcomes.
- Strong stakeholder management skills, with experience influencing at executive level.
- Focus on business operations and value drivers as opposed to purely technology focus (people, processes and systems).
- Ability to obtain SC level security clearance (this includes but is not limited to identity, employment, financial and criminal record checks plus 5 years’ worth of UK residency).
Desirable Criteria for Head of Enterprise Applications:
- Experience in sectors such as financial services, utilities, healthcare, public sector, or other regulated industries.
- Familiarity with enterprise architecture principles and data governance frameworks.
- Experience leading geographically distributed teams.
- Exposure to digital transformation or modernisation programmes.