Group CIO

The Role

- Shape the Technology Agenda of an Ambitious International Business Group
For The Cotton Group, we are searching for a commercially minded and execution-focused Group CIO to lead the next phase of the group's technology evolution.

This is a unique opportunity to join a highly entrepreneurial and owner-led organisation where technology is a strategic enabler of growth. Reporting directly to the owners and leading the IT functions across the group's seven companies, the Group CIO will define and execute the technology strategy, drive business-critical transformation initiatives, and build a scalable platform to support the group's future ambitions.

The Cotton Group is a long-term owner and developer of specialised businesses operating across workwear, healthcare textiles, uniforms and related textile solutions.
The group consists of several independent businesses, each with its own management team, customer base and market dynamics. The Cotton Group focuses on empowering local leadership while creating value through active ownership, strategic direction and knowledge sharing across the portfolio.
The culture is pragmatic and decisions are made quickly and leaders are expected to combine strategic thinking with hands-on execution. Intellectual curiosity, commercial thinking and a strong sense of ownership are deeply embedded in the organisation.

The Opportunity
The newly created Group CIO role has been established in response to a growing number of technology initiatives across the businesses and an increasing need for strategic technology leadership.
The CIO will become the central technology leader across the group, responsible for creating clarity, setting direction and ensuring successful execution across multiple businesses, systems and transformation programmes. The role also carries clear operational accountability: ensuring that the technology function, infrastructure and core systems operate reliably, securely and cost-effectively across the group.
You will act as advisor, facilitator, architect, operational leader and project owner, helping the businesses make better technology decisions while ensuring that investments create genuine commercial value. You will combine strategic direction with a willingness to roll up your sleeves and personally drive execution when required.

Key Responsibilities

• Define and execute the group's technology strategy.
• Lead major business-critical technology transformation programmes with disciplined project governance, clear milestones, ownership and follow-through.
• Drive ERP, e-commerce, CRM, data and automation initiatives across the businesses.
• Own the operational technology agenda and ensure that infrastructure, applications, vendors and support services form a reliable, secure and cost-effective engine room for the businesses.
• Evaluate and recommend future technology platforms and architectures.
• Build and lead the appropriate capabilities and technology teams required to support future growth, including teams and specialists located across different geographies.
• Act as a trusted advisor to owners, executives and operational leaders.
• Identify opportunities for synergies and knowledge sharing across the businesses where it creates value.
• Manage technology operations and investments with a strong focus on service reliability, cost efficiency, business outcomes and return on investment.

• Implementation of a new Shopify-based e-commerce architecture.
• Modernisation of the ERP environment, with Sage expected to play a central role.
• Deployment and integration of Warehouse Management Systems (WMS).
• Improved integration across ERP, CRM, e-commerce and operational platforms.

• Retail and omnichannel businesses.
• E-commerce-driven organisations.
• Consumer-facing businesses.
• Multi-brand or multi-business environments.
• International organisations with complex systems landscapes.
• Transformation-focused IT leadership roles.
• Leading technology teams and specialists who are geographically dispersed or based in other locations.
• Running stable, secure and cost-effective technology operations alongside a broader transformation agenda.
• Managing complex projects and programmes from business case and planning through implementation, adoption and benefits realisation.

• Strategic thinking combined with the willingness and ability to roll up your sleeves and take personal ownership of execution.
• Strong programme, project and transformation leadership skills, including governance, prioritisation, delivery discipline and stakeholder communication.
• Commercial awareness and financial discipline.
• Excellent stakeholder management capabilities.
• A collaborative and effective leadership style, with experience leading teams and specialists located in different geographies.
• The confidence to challenge and influence senior stakeholders.