Title: Head of Technology

Location: London

Department: Technology

Reporting to: Chief Technology Officer

About the role:

As the Head of Technology for Time Out Market, you will play a critical role in managing and specifying the technology infrastructure for our markets across the globe. This is a strategic leadership position that requires a deep understanding of technology systems, particularly point-of-sale (POS) and loyalty programs. You will be responsible for ensuring that our technology platforms support the smooth operation of our food and cultural markets that bring the best of the city together under one roof - the best chefs, restaurateurs, drinks and cultural experiences. You will have a particular focus on enhancing the overall customer experience to drive up revenues.

Key Responsibilities:

1. Technology Strategy and Planning:

• Develop and execute a comprehensive technology strategy that aligns with the business goals and objectives of Time Out Market.
• Identify and evaluate technology solutions and partners, including POS systems, loyalty programs, and other relevant platforms, to meet the specific requirements of each market location.
• Collaborate with cross-functional teams, including Operations, Development, Marketing, and Finance, to understand their technology needs and provide recommendations for improvement.

2. System Implementation and Integration:

• Oversee the implementation of POS systems, loyalty programs, and other technology platforms in new and existing markets, ensuring smooth integration with existing systems.
• Coordinate with vendors, contractors, and internal IT teams to ensure timely and successful deployment of technology solutions.
• Develop and manage project plans, budgets, and timelines to ensure projects are delivered on schedule and within budget.

3. System Maintenance and Support:

• Establish and maintain standard operating procedures for the ongoing support and maintenance of technology systems across all markets.
• Proactively identify and address system issues, working closely with IT support teams and vendors to resolve technical problems promptly.
• Provide training and technical support to market staff to ensure effective utilisation of technology systems.

4. Data Analysis and Reporting:

• Utilise data analytics tools and techniques to extract meaningful insights from technology systems, including sales data, customer behaviour, and loyalty program metrics.
• Generate regular reports and dashboards to provide actionable insights to senior management and other stakeholders.
• Collaborate with marketing teams to leverage technology data for targeted marketing campaigns and customer segmentation.

5. Compliance and Security:

• Ensure compliance with relevant data protection and security regulations, implementing necessary safeguards to protect customer and business data.
• Stay informed about industry best practices and emerging technologies, recommending enhancements and upgrades to improve system security and performance.

Qualifications and Skills:

• Bachelor's degree in Computer Science, Information Systems, or a related field.

• Master's degree is a plus.

• Proven experience (5+ years) in a similar technology leadership role, preferably within the food and beverage industry or hospitality sector with a global remit.

• Strong understanding of POS systems, loyalty programs, and other technology platforms commonly used in food hall or restaurant environments.

• Demonstrated expertise in technology strategy development, system implementation, and project management.

• Experience in data analysis and reporting, with the ability to derive actionable insights from technology data.

• Excellent leadership and communication skills, with the ability to collaborate effectively with cross-functional teams and external vendors.

• Strong problem-solving and troubleshooting abilities, with a focus on delivering practical and efficient solutions.

• Knowledge of data protection and security regulations, including PCI-DSS and GDPR, and experience in ensuring compliance.

• Flexibility and adaptability to work in a fast-paced, dynamic environment with multiple priorities.

If you possess the necessary skills and experience outlined above and are passionate about driving technology innovation in the food hall industry, we would love to hear from you. Join our team and be a part of revolutionising the global food hall experience with Time Out Market

What we look for in a candidate

Time Out is a company filled with individuals as diverse as the cities we live in and cover. At the same time there are common characteristics and values we all share. To join our team, you’ll want to…

Be commercially astute

Either have experience at or want to dive headfirst into a fast-paced transformative company in pursuit of excellence

Think globally

Have excellent communication and relationship building skills

Have a high sense of ownership, urgency and drive

Be a team player

About our culture

At Time Out Group we believe in diversity and equal opportunity for all people. We do not discriminate against external or internal candidates on the basis of age; disability; gender, gender reassignment; race; religion or belief; sexual orientation; marriage and civil partnership; pregnancy and maternity. We believe that diversity develops creativity and enables personal and professional growth where we all learn from each other. We believe in an open culture where ideas are shared candidly and where there is no fear of failure, but rather an understanding that we must experiment and have the freedom to succeed. We believe that everyone has the right to express themselves as they are as this enriches us all. We believe in an open world, social justice, and the pursuit of happiness, after all, we are in the happiness business.

About Time Out Group plc

Time Out Group is a global media and hospitality business that inspires and enables people to explore and enjoy the best of the city.

It all began in London in 1968 when Time Out helped people discover the exciting new urban cultures that had started up all over the capital. Since then, this iconic brand has consistently maintained its status as the go-to source of inspiration for both locals and visitors alike.

Time Out Group has been named one of the Most Innovative Companies for 2020 by Fast Company - this prestigious annual list honours the businesses making the most profound impact on both industry and culture, showcasing a variety of ways to thrive in today’s fast-changing world. The Group comprises two highly synergistic business divisions: Time Out Media and Time Out Market.

Time Out Media’s digital and physical media proposition comprises websites, mobile, social media, print and live events. Across these platforms, Time Out distributes its high-quality content – written and curated by local expert journalists – around the best food, drinks, culture, art, music, theatre, travel and entertainment in 328 cities and 58 countries. The Company is monetising this global reach and its strong traffic from a desirable audience via digital and print advertising as well as e-commerce. Since its launch 50 years ago, Time Out has become a global brand that advertisers and consumers love and trust.

Time Out Market is a food and cultural market leveraging the Time Out brand to bring the best of the city under one roof: its best chefs, drinks and cultural experiences – based on the editorial curation Time Out has always been known for. The world’s first food and cultural market experience based wholly on editorial curation, Time Out Market captures decades of local knowledge, independent reviews and expert opinions. Everything that is being offered in Time Out Market must have been reviewed with four or five stars, and not one star less, by independent Time Out journalists.

The first Time Out Market opened in Lisbon in 2014 and is now Portugal’s most popular attraction with 4.1 million visitors in 2019. Following this success, four new Time Out Markets opened in North America in 2019 in New York, Boston, Montréal and Chicago, and we recently celebrated the opening of Time Out Market Dubai in April 2021. A further pipeline of other global locations includes Porto, Barcelona,Prague, Abu Dhabi, Cape Town and London.

Time Out is a dynamic, pioneering brand and so is our team. We want to work with the best and brightest talent because we work for the world’s greatest cities, the people enjoying them and the businesses in them. As a truly global team we get to collaborate with colleagues from New York to Paris, Tokyo and Sydney and beyond. It’s our integrity, passion, curiosity, creativity and openness that make us successful and a unique team.