Barden has been retained by the CEO and Founder of a leading IT services and technology company to support the appointment of a Chief Operating Officer, who will play a key role in the evolution and growth of the business over the coming years.
Having built a strong, long‑standing reputation as a trusted delivery partner in enterprise application integration, the business is now pivoting decisively towards AI‑enabled transformation. Reporting to the CEO, this individual will lead this transformation, managing a team of circa 100 people across all business and delivery functions (with the exception of finance), and will be responsible for defining and delivering the future operating model and organisational structure of the organisation.
This is a rare opportunity to step into a senior, highly influential leadership role within a respected technology firm and to play a defining role in its next stage of growth.
ABOUT THE ROLE
Reporting directly to the CEO, the Chief Operating Officer will take ownership of how the business operates, scales and executes its strategy. The role is deliberately broad and influential, encompassing operating model design, governance, organisational leadership, and enabling the company’s pivot to AI.
Key responsibilities will include:
Acting as the CEO’s strategic and operational partner and deputy
Designing and embedding a clear, scalable operating model aligned to an AI‑led services strategy
Introducing appropriate structure, governance and performance rhythms, without losing agility
Leading the internal change required to reposition the organisation around AI‑enabled delivery
Building and strengthening a management layer beneath the executive team
Enabling international growth and effective operation across distributed teams
Supporting the development of new service offerings, including “AI pilot servicing” models
The COO role is primarily internally facing, with a strong focus on execution excellence, leadership capability and organisational clarity.
ABOUT THE PERSON
This role will suit a senior professional who enjoys building, shaping and scaling organisations, rather than maintaining the status quo. The ideal candidate will bring:
Senior leadership experience (10-15 years) in IT services, technology consulting or digital transformation
A strong track record of designing and running operating models in services‑led businesses
Deep understanding of delivery economics, governance and enterprise client expectations
Proven change management capability and experience leading organisational transformation
Experience working across public and private sector clients
A clear curiosity and personal engagement with AI and emerging technologies
The ability to translate strategic ambition into practical organisational change
Above all, this individual will be a credible, structured and pragmatic leader who complements a founder‑led CEO and brings calm, clarity and momentum to the business.
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