IT Director (Technology, Data & Digital Platforms)

TM Forum

3d•Hybrid

About The Position

TM Forum is the global industry member alliance for telco and tech companies with over 800 communication service providers, vendors, hyperscalers, consultancies and system integrators, including the world’s top ten CSPs and top three hyperscalers. We aim to return the telco sector back to growth, through a move to AI-enabled agility and efficiency delivered by our three industry Missions: Composable IT & Ecosystems, Autonomous Networks, and AI and Data. Our Missions are delivered through a flywheel of capabilities: Insight, Innovate, Collaborate, Educate and Scale, which are all brought to live through a global, year round program of digital and in person events. The Role Purpose is to own and lead TM Forum’s technology, data and digital platforms — combining clear strategic direction with strong operational delivery. This role is accountable for defining and executing a coherent technology, data and platform strategy, delivering member-facing digital experiences alongside Marketing, building and running a modern, secure, scalable platform estate, and establishing practical data and AI foundations that are used daily. This is a leadership role with close proximity to delivery. You will lead a high-impact team, set direction and priorities, and stay sufficiently close to architecture, delivery and decision-making to ensure pace, quality and outcomes. Success requires the ability to balance strategic thinking, delivery accountability and pragmatic decision-making in a resource-constrained environment.

Requirements

Proven experience operating across strategy and execution in technology leadership roles
Ability to set direction and ensure delivery through teams
Strong grounding in cloud, SaaS platforms, integration and web technologies
Track record of delivering platforms and outcomes, not just managing programmes
Comfortable engaging in detail when required without relying on personal execution
Experience balancing cost, speed, quality and risk in decision-making
Able to operate effectively in a lean, fast-moving and evolving environment

Nice To Haves

Leaders who rely heavily on large teams or complex structures to deliver outcomes
Candidates uncomfortable operating in a lean, fast-moving environment
Individuals who focus on strategy without accountability for execution

Responsibilities

Define and evolve a coherent technology, data and digital platform strategy
Align investment and priorities to member value and organisational goals
Balance short-term delivery needs with long-term scalability and sustainability
Own and deliver TM Forum’s web and digital platform roadmap, from backlog to production
Set clear priorities, outcomes and success measures
Ensure delivery pace and quality by staying close to key decisions, risks and dependencies
Provide direction on architecture and approach where needed
Partner with Marketing to enable high-quality digital experiences
Ensure platforms are secure, reliable and cost-efficient
Lead engineering, DevOps and IT operations to ensure services are reliable and effective
Simplify and rationalize systems into a practical, maintainable architecture
Provide leadership on complex technical and operational challenges
Drive automation, tooling and continuous improvement of delivery capability
Manage vendors pragmatically with a focus on value and outcomes
Establish trusted, usable data that supports real decision-making
Implement practical governance and data standards
Enable self-service analytics and clear data ownership
Ensure data platforms are actively used and deliver measurable value
Own transparent prioritisation and trade-offs across technology, data and digital
Implement lightweight, visible governance aligned to delivery needs
Provide clarity on backlog, BAU vs change decisions and trade-offs
Manage risk across security, resilience, cost and delivery confidence
Build and evolve AI-ready platforms and technical foundations
Translate AI strategy into practical, working capability
Support delivery of AI enablement and agents
Ensure AI solutions are secure, governed and scalable
Lead a high-performing team with clear direction and accountability
Build capability to deliver independently at pace and quality
Stay close enough to support and challenge without creating dependency
Foster a pragmatic, outcome-focused and low-ego culture
Oversee the technology budget and vendor portfolio