Director of Operational Technology

Your new companyPeel Ports Group is the second largest port operator in the UK, managing a network of major ports and terminals across the UK and Ireland, including Liverpool, Heysham and the Manchester Ship Canal. They employ over 1200 people across the UK and Ireland and handle tens of millions of tonnes of cargo annually, making it a key driver of economic activity and trade. With a strong focus on sustainability and long-term investment, they are modernising their infrastructure and expanding into areas such as renewable energy and decarbonisation to support future growth.

Your new roleThe Director of OT is a transformation-focused leadership role responsible for defining and executing a group-wide OT strategy across a complex, multi-site, safety-critical environment. Reporting to the CTIO, the role involves modernising a legacy OT estate, driving IT/OT convergence, strengthening cyber resilience, and building a scalable, high-performing OT function to support 24/7 port operations. The successful candidate will operate at the intersection of technology, engineering, and operations, influencing executive-level investment decisions while delivering a prioritised transformation roadmap.

Key Responsibilities:

• Establish clear governance, standards and ways of working for OT across a geographically dispersed operation.
• Partner closely with operations and engineering leaders to embed technology into day-to-day performance and decision-making.
• Identify and mitigate operational and technology risks, particularly across ageing and non-standardised systems.
• Lead the integration and optimisation of OT platforms to improve consistency and reliability across sites.
• Develop organisational capability through talent, structure and supplier ecosystem development.
• Act as the senior point of accountability for OT performance, resilience and continuous improvement across the Group.

What you'll need to succeedThey are seeking an experienced leader from a similar industrial or critical national infrastructure setting, with a proven track record in OT transformation, strong technical understanding of industrial systems and networks, and the ability to navigate ambiguity, drive standardisation, and deliver change with both strategic clarity and operational discipline.

Essential Requirements:

• Proven leadership experience within complex, asset-intensive or industrial environments, ideally across multiple locations.
• Strong ability to influence at Executive level, shaping strategy and securing investment for large-scale initiatives.
• Demonstrated success in leading organisational and cultural change, particularly in operational settings.
• Deep understanding of risk, safety and regulatory considerations in critical infrastructure or similar sectors.
• Track record of building and developing high-performing teams, including internal capability and external partners.
• A pragmatic, delivery-focused leader who can bring clarity, structure and pace in ambiguous or evolving environments.

What you'll get in returnYou can expect a competitive salary in the region of £160,000 (depending on experience), along with an £8500 car allowance, performance related bonus up to 20%, private medical (individual & family), matched pension up to 10% and a degree of hybrid/flexible working (up to 4 days a week onsite).

Please only apply if you have demonstrable experience of leading large-scale operational technology transformation across the industrial or critical infrastructure sectors.

This role also requires a significant onsite presence, with up to 4 days a week in the office, so please only apply if you live within a commutable distance to Liverpool.

What you need to do nowIf you're interested in this role, click 'apply now' to forward an up-to-date copy of your CV.

Hays Specialist Recruitment Limited acts as an employment agency for permanent recruitment and employment business for the supply of temporary workers. By applying for this job you accept the T&C's, Privacy Policy and Disclaimers which can be found at hays.co.uk