Application Business Lead

About the job
Salary: £37,938 - £40,476 a year
Hours per week: 37
Contract type: Permanent

Are you an experienced IT professional with a knack for leadership, strategy, and innovation? Luton Council is seeking an Application Business Lead to oversee and enhance our cross-departmental systems support team and ensure we remain at the forefront of technological excellence.

Key Responsibilities:

• Lead and manage a systems support team, balancing constant and often conflicting demands.
• Consult, negotiate, and influence stakeholders at all levels, both inside and outside the council, to establish productive relationships.
• Take a strategic approach to decision-making, maintaining a clear focus on overall objectives and customer needs.
• Produce fluent, technically comprehensive documents to support business functions and IT projects.
• Stay commercially aware while integrating equality policies into all aspects of business plans, service delivery, and employment practices.
• Engage with emerging technologies and attend relevant workshops, user groups, and meetings (including occasional evening and weekend work).

Please note this role does not attract sponsorship.
About you
What You'll Bring:

Experience:

• Demonstrable background in business management within an IT environment.
• Proven experience in project management.

Skills and Abilities:

• Strong leadership and team management skills, with the ability to handle complex problems and competing priorities.
• Strategic thinker who can relate complex issues to simpler, more actionable concepts.
• Exceptional communication and documentation skills, with proficiency in Microsoft Office (Word, Excel, Outlook, Project, etc.).
• A clear focus on customer and commercial needs when making decisions or taking actions.

Specialist Knowledge:

• Demonstrable understanding of tools and techniques for documenting organisational information structures and relationships.
• Agile or Prince II qualification or equivalent experience.

Equality Awareness:

• Knowledge of equality issues and legislation, with the ability to integrate these into business practices.

Why Join Us?

• Be at the forefront of driving technological and operational success in a forward-thinking council.
• Work in a collaborative environment where your leadership and expertise make a tangible impact.
• Enjoy opportunities for professional growth and engagement with cutting-edge IT solutions.

About us
Our ambitious Luton 2040 Vision - that no-one in Luton will have to live in poverty - is at the heart of everything we do. We recognise that our people are remarkable, talented, committed and passionate about serving our residents.

The people of Luton depend heavily on this council - and that means our workforce! Are you ready to realise the remarkable and help us deliver our vision?
Benefits
We offer a range of excellent staff benefits which include:

- From 25 to 32 days' annual leave: linked to length of service and grade
- Buying annual leave scheme: buy up to 20 days additional annual leave
- Career Pathways: step up in your career or move into a specialist area
- Pension scheme: with generous employer contributions of up to 20.2 per cent (at July 2023) and 3x salary death in service grant
- Generous relocation package: up to £8,000 (subject to eligibility)
- Employee Assistance Programme: a free, 24/7 confidential counselling and wellbeing support service available to all employees, their partner or spouse and dependent children over 16 still living at home
- Work/life balance: flexible working options including working from home where possible. We welcome requests for flexible working arrangements including part-time hours and alternative working patterns
- Training and support: unlimited access to development courses, mentoring and support and clear career pathways
- Staff offers: includes discounts on your MOT, gym and fitness, restaurants and salons
- Arriva Travel Club: great value savings on local bus travel