Overview A Head of IT Development role at Accent Group is a strategic opportunity to lead the design, build and assurance of digital services that our teams and customers rely on. The role is based in Bradford, Hybrid with 2‑3 days in the office and travel for training and meetings. Location & Salary Location: Bradford, Hybrid, 2‑3 days in the office with travel for training/meetings.Salary: £77,405 per annum plus car user allowance starting at £1,250 per annum. Responsibilities

Strategic technologist – pair‑review complex code or set a clear software development strategy for developers and architects. Lead software development and testing teams – deliver secure, resilient, high‑quality services incorporating cloud‑native builds, clean APIs, modern integrations, and quality engineered from the start. Architect the future on Azure – API‑first, event‑driven, secure‑by‑design; shape our future by designing clean, decoupled integrations from legacy platforms. Transform our testing capability – automate intelligently, adopt continuous testing, integrate with CI/CD and champion high standards across the SDLC. Modernise software delivery – progressive delivery, automated pipelines, contract testing and engineering practices that accelerate delivery whilst improving quality. Develop people and capability – build a high‑performing, inclusive team; set clear standards; coach engineers and test specialists; plan skills growth. Engage brilliantly with the business – translate complex technology into clear business value, nurture stakeholder relationships, and keep delivery outcomes front and centre. Scan the horizon and innovate – assess new technologies, trial smart ideas, and introduce innovations that improve customer or colleague experience.

Qualifications

Extensive experience in the Microsoft tech stack and ideally Azure cloud environments. Strong grounding in modern engineering practices – API‑first, microservices, DevOps, CI/CD, infrastructure‑as‑code, resilient architectures. Proven ability to design and deliver solutions that balance strategic thinking with hands‑on technical expertise. Strong Leadership – coach, mentor and empower multidisciplinary teams. Passion for agile delivery, continuous improvement and building robust quality into every stage of development. Experience aligning development and testing with wider organisational goals and technology strategy. Solid architecture understanding and ability to oversee solution design without direct coding involvement. Proven experience assuring the quality of output from augmented software development and testing teams. Excellent stakeholder management, communication and influencing skills. Ability to define meaningful KPIs and report on development and testing performance. Experience managing external vendors and ensuring alignment with internal standards.

Benefits

Generous time off – 28 days holiday plus bank holidays, an extra day for your birthday, and the option to buy more. Health & wellbeing support – Cash health plan, Health MOTs, online GP access, gym discounts, and a dedicated volunteering day. Financial perks – Car leasing options, salary sacrifice schemes, and exclusive discounts through our benefits platform. Future‑focused benefits – Defined Contribution and Defined Benefit pension schemes through salary sacrifice, plus life assurance at three times your salary. Family‑friendly policies – Enhanced parental leave, flexible working options, and support for work‑life balance. Career development – Training and leadership programmes to help you grow and succeed.

Recruitment & Inclusion We are committed to inclusion and diversity. If you need reasonable adjustments at any stage of the recruitment process please let us know. For any queries about the role, email: PeopleServices@accentgroup.org. Please note candidates must have current eligibility to live and work in the UK. Accent does not hold a sponsorship licence. Recruitment agencies: We work exclusively with partners on our preferred supplier list and do not accept unsolicited CVs or speculative approaches from agencies for this role. #J-18808-Ljbffr