IT Project Manager

Overall purpose of the role

Fixed Term Role Until End June 2026

39 Hours per week Hybrid Working (Head Office in Windermere -3 days per week Tues/Weds and 3rd day TBA)

An exciting role within the Lakeland IT Team has arisen, offering the opportunity to provide in-house management expertise for technical IT projects as defined by Lakeland's digital initiatives and required system changes.

Lakeland is embarking on an exciting period of system and process improvement to better align and react to the ever-changing needs of its customers, advancing technology and market opportunities.

Reporting to the IT Development Manager this role will be critical in defining, designing, managing and implementing system changes in order to maximise the operational effectiveness of the business.

Scope of role

Reporting to the IT Development Manager this role will be critical in defining, designing, managing and implementing system changes in order to maximise the operational effectiveness of the business.

Major accountabilities of role

1. Driving business success by taking ownership of assigned projects through the software lifecycle, adhering to agreed quality gates and controls, whilst ensuring they are delivered on time and to budget.

2. Ensuing that IT changes do not compromise Lakeland's data integrity, data security or system security, or impact adversely upon our customers, and are compliant with all applicable UK regulations and general IT best practice.

3. Ensuring that sufficient functional and integration test coverage is in place for all changes, so as to ensure the delivery of high quality system changes.

4. Ensuring that all projects have all associated documentation as required by Lakeland's change control procedures.

5. Managing a team of system integration testers providing leadership, support and training as well as being responsible for effective matrix management of project resources.

6. Being an ambassador for Lakeland by building effective working relationships cross-functionally and also with 4rd parties ensuring that IT change has a positive effect on customer relations, business operations and commercial success.

Experience and capability requirements

Knowledge/experience:

- Proven experience in IT project management and fundamental understanding of software development lifecycle and IT testing methodologies

- Exposure to system architecture and design, able to understand the relationships and integration between existing systems

- Proven experience in business processes analysis, and how these map onto the end-to-end system and data flows

- Experience of building relationships at all levels including experience of managing 3rd party relationships

- Proven experience breaking down complex issues into viable solutions

- May hold Agile or PRINCE2 qualifications

Capability:

- Strong analytical skills and the ability to draw meaningful conclusions and recommendations for functional, non-functional and technical change

- A high level of accuracy, attention to detail and conscientiousness

- Can present a problem and solution clearly and logically whilst inspiring confidence and trust from others

- Positive stakeholder management skills with the ability to manage and deal with competing priorities

- Has commercial and business acumen

- Resilient, resourceful and able to influence others to deliver the right outcomes for the business and the customer

- Ability to be 'Hands on' where required

Desirable - the 'nice to haves'

- Experience using JIRA for work management and Confluence for collaboration

- Experience of working in the retail industry

- Knowledge of Lakeland and our products

- Experience of working with technologies that underpin an Omni-channel retailer.

In fulfilling this role you must be able to think on your feet and manage your own workload and meet deadlines, you’ll enjoy working in a fact paced environment where there is always lots going on.

You'll be happy working independently whilst  enjoying being part of a team, sharing information, knowledge & experience freely and building and maintaining positive relationships.