Senior Business Analyst jobs in Canterbury CT1

Job Summary

You will be accountable for the IT landscape with Mansfield Fruit Farms, across multiple sites. Day-to-day execution sits with the on-site IT team and our Managed Service Providers: your job is to decide what good looks like, set the standards and the priorities, delegate the work, and hold both to account for delivering it. At times you will still need to be hands on.

Day-to-day operations and infrastructure

Business systems

• Support and where necessary develop the business application estate, currently spanning ERP/MRP, payroll, operational and production systems, email and Microsoft Office, labelling, and time and attendance.
• Maintain the availability of business-critical systems, with appropriate monitoring and controlled change.
• Work with finance, operations, production planning and HR to translate business requirements into system improvements as and when they are identified.
• Manage upgrades, integrations and data flows between systems not originally designed to interoperate.
• Own the relationship with ERP/MRP vendors and support partners.

Team and supplier management

• Lead the on-site IT team: set clear objectives and priorities, make sure people know what is expected of them, and create an environment where the team can perform.
• Manage team performance through one-to-ones and performance appraisals and help identify training and development needs to build capability and knowledge across the team.
• Plan resource cover and rotas so support is available when the business needs it.
• Delegate effectively: match work to the right resource, set clear expectations, and follow up.
• Manage the relationship with our Managed Service Providers: set expectations, monitor performance against SLAs, manage escalations, and determine the balance between in-house and outsourced provision.
• Act as the technical authority against which MSP recommendations are assessed.
• Coordinate multiple third parties, including line-of-business software vendors, telecoms providers, and connectivity and cabling contractors.

Contract and commercial management

• Manage the IT budget, capital and operational, with clear reporting, challenging cost where necessary.
• Track renewal dates, negotiate terms, benchmark pricing and challenge incumbent suppliers.
• Own the IT contract portfolio: licensing, support agreements, hardware maintenance, connectivity, MSP contracts and software subscriptions.

Strategy and the wider group

• Own the IT strategy for Mansfield Fruit Farms.
• Build on a well-run day-to-day operation to take the lead in implementing group IT strategy within Mansfield Fruit Farms, translating direction set at group level into delivered change on the ground, and steering how it is applied to fit the realities of our operation.
• Work effectively within the group structure, alongside counterparts and leads in other group companies, building influence in areas where you hold no direct authority, and represent Mansfield Fruit Farms,
• Bring consistency to a varied landscape of multiple sites, mixed systems and differing levels of documentation and maturity.
• Identify consolidation, standardisation and cost-saving opportunities, and support group-led initiatives of the same kind.
• Advise on technology risk, investment priorities and commercial opportunity, including where a proposed course of action carries longer-term cost or risk.
• Consider cyber security implications at the outset of system selections, supplier onboarding, acquisitions, new sites and process changes.
• Manage business expectations: set realistic delivery timescales, decline requests where appropriate, and keep stakeholders informed throughout.
• Build the business case for change and see it through to delivery.

About you

Essential

• Substantial experience in a senior IT role covering both hands-on delivery and strategy, supporting business-critical systems.
• Budgeting experience, both in planning and delivering.
• Team management skills.
• Strong Windows Server and Remote Desktop / RDP experience, and Microsoft 365 administration including Exchange Online and hybrid or on-premises Exchange coexistence.
• Sound networking skills across switching, firewalls, VPN, remote access and Wi-Fi (UniFi or comparable).
• Backup, recovery, disaster recovery and business continuity: able to advise on the options rather than only operate what exists, and to produce and maintain the documentation, procedures and plans that go with them.
• Experience of line managing a team — setting objectives, running performance reviews and appraisals, handling underperformance, and developing people over time.
• Experience holding an MSP or outsourced provider to account, together with contract and supplier management including negotiation and renewals.
• Practical cyber security knowledge, applied proportionately to a business of this size.
• Credibility with directors and end users alike: able to negotiate and steer decisions, manage expectations realistically, and carry people through change.
• Full UK driving licence.

Desirable

Also of interest, though not required: experience of maintaining, upgrading, or installing an ERP or MRP platform such as Opera, Prophet, Freshware or Winternet; designing or restructuring an estate rather than inheriting one; and structured cabling projects.

A background in fresh produce, food, agriculture or another seasonal production environment would suit the role well, as would relevant certification — Microsoft, Cisco, CompTIA, ITIL or PRINCE2 — and experience of formal security frameworks.

Location and working pattern

The role is based at our Canterbury site, with occasional travel to other locations and farm sites, mostly local to East Kent.

Working hours are to be confirmed. Some cover outside normal office hours may be required from time to time.

Benefits:

• Casual dress
• Company events
• Free parking
• On-site parking

Work Location: In person