Job Title: Vice President for Group Platforms

About RWS:
RWS is a world-leading provider of technology-enabled language, content management and intellectual property services. We help our clients to connect with and bring new ideas to people globally, by communicating business critical content at scale and enabling the protection and realisation of their innovations. 

Our language services are delivered to, and are trusted by, world-leading companies including 90 of the global top 100 brands, the top 20 pharmaceutical companies, 8 of the top 10 Contract Research Organisations (CROs), 40 of the top 50 asset management companies and 19 of the top 20 patent filers worldwide. Our key industries cover technology, pharmaceutical, medical, legal, financial services, chemical, automotive, government and telecommunications sectors, which we serve from offices across five continents. 

Over the last 63 years we have built a reputation for quality, reliability and flexibility with our global team of linguists, searchers and technical experts. With headquarters in the UK, we have over 80 offices worldwide, near 8000 employees and our shares are traded on the Alternative Investment Market (AIM), the London Stock Exchange regulated market (RWS.L)

For further information, please visit: www.rws.com

About The Role:
The Vice President for Group Platforms is key role in the Group Technology leadership team reporting to the Group CIO and responsible for driving the solution delivery of our strategic group platforms as part of Business Transformation. RWS has embarked on a transformation plan that will modernise and unify core infrastructure and applications to unlock operational efficiency, drive business growth and accelerate the integration of acquired businesses. This role will deliver the key global platforms to support business operations and rationalise the legacy application estate.

Main Duties Include:
* Accountable for solution integrity of Group SaaS Platforms (e.g. D365, SFDC) and assuring the quality of SI partner delivery.
* Partnering with business sponsors and stakeholders to ensure the business case outcomes are achieved and the platform solutions meet business needs.
* Partnering across business verticals to ensure systems integrate and operate as designed and intended to support global process execution to deliver the best stakeholder and customer experience.
* Partnering with our VP for Business Transformation Office to ensure the transformation plan and budget are accurate and reflect the needs for solution delivery.
* Building and managing the Group Platform team to support solution delivery through transformation.
* Grow the technical expertise of your teams demonstrating cloud centric technologies to help build out and maintain our SaaS / Hosted Cloud Based Applications and integrations
* Act as a technology advisor and champion in identifying, evaluating, and recommending appropriate strategies for building products and delivering services
* Partnering with Enterprise Architecture and Business Application teams to ensure legacy integration is delivered end to end.
* Maintaining the integrity of data architecture across platforms and applications.
* Partnering with ISV solution providers to integrate with group platforms.
* Oversee the testing and training for group platforms. 
* Participate in governance boards such as global design authority and change advisory boards.
* Contribute to change and release management plans.
* Manage portfolio of platform transformation projects.
* Working with development team, responsible to ensure that all software, platform, and SaaS including 3rd party software are up to date, and patched up to mitigate any risk due to out of support software
* Institute and maintain tight Identity and Access Controls across key and sensitive corporate systems

Skills:
* Visible leadership skills and executive presence.
* Able to attract, develop and retain talent and build high performing software development teams.
* Able to foster a culture of transparency and a sense of purpose among the team and create clear accountabilities and metrics.
* Demonstrated ability in developing a culture that embraces innovation, and challenges existing paradigms.
* Growth mindset, sense of curiosity and strong problem-solving skills. Solid attention to detail, organization, and the highest standards for accuracy and precision.
* Skilled at setting and communicating priorities effectively; able to manage multiple tasks and priorities.
* Skilled at removing barriers and acting with a sense of urgency and encouraging others to so.
* Exceptional ability to lead change using positive and collaborative methods.
* Skilled at conflict resolution and problem-solving to achieve win-win outcomes.
* Superior program and project management competencies.
* Ability to step into projects already in progress and effectively assume a leadership role.
* Strong vendor management skills, particularly in supplier selection, contract negotiation and contract management.
* Strong communication skills in writing, speaking, and presenting.
* An exceptional listener, able to comprehend what is said and probe for important details.
* Able to communicate technical or complex subject matter in business terms.
* Demonstrated acumen and passion for both business and technology, including the latest digital innovations as they apply to the creation of business value.
* Highly self-motivated.
* Accepts ownership and welcomes responsibility.

Professional Experience & Qualifications:
* Experience in product strategy or management for global ERP transformation
* Experience in Global Roll out, M&A, ERP Integration, and consolidation, influencing across complex areas such as process design, tradeoffs in systems, scaling programs through company life stages, etc.
* Successfully led the design, development and delivery of new global platforms into production that have achieved or surpassed business goals.
* An understanding of the challenges facing global organizations when transforming group applications and business operations.
* Experience developing and supporting mission critical applications optimized to run in the cloud or virtualized environments.
* Experience working in a global environment with distributed teams and virtual working practices.
* Deep knowledge of system architecture, technical design, and system and software development technology.
* Extensive experience in delivering Microsoft Dynamics 365 is essential and ideally across F&O, HR and CE modules.
* Broad knowledge of industry leading SaaS platforms (e.g. SalesForce) and low code platforms (e.g. Appian, Power Platform) are also a significant advantage.
* Expertise with managing application development at scale, employing SDLC methodologies including Agile and Scrum.
* Has knowledge of emerging trends and developments in PaaS, SaaS, iOS/Android app API, cloud, AI, machine learning and other digital technologies.
* Bachelor's degree in computer science, engineering, applied math; advanced degree preferred.
* Experience working in Professional Services industry is beneficial.
* Consulting experience is an advantage.

Life at RWS:

If you like the idea of working with smart people who are passionate about breaking down language barriers and giving back to their communities, then you’ll love life at RWS.
Our purpose is to unlock global understanding. This means our work fundamentally recognizes the value of every language and culture. So we celebrate difference, we are inclusive and believe that diversity makes us strong. We want every employee to grow as an individual and excel in their career. In return, we expect all our people to live by the values that unite us: to partner with colleagues and clients, to adopt a pioneering spirit, to be positive in progressing the work we do, and always to deliver what we promise.

Diversity & Inclusion:

RWS embraces diversity and promotes equal opportunity, we are an Equal Opportunity Employer and prohibit discrimination and harassment of any kind. RWS is committed to the principle of equal employment opportunity for all employees and to providing employees with a work environment free of discrimination and harassment. All employment decisions at RWS are based on business needs, job requirements and individual qualifications, without regard to race, religion, nationality, ethnicity, sex, age, disability or sexual orientation. RWS will not tolerate discrimination based on any of these characteristics.

Recruitment Agencies: 

RWS Group PLC does not accept agency resumes. Please do not forward any unsolicited resumes to any RWS employees. Any unsolicited resume received will be treated as the property of RWS and Terms & Conditions associated with the use of such resume will be considered null and void.