Interim Chief Technology Officer
Posted 1 week ago by Gerrard White Consulting
Negotiable
Undetermined
Hybrid
Greater London, England, United Kingdom
Summary: The Interim Chief Technology Officer (CTO) will lead a UK Insurance business through a critical integration and acceleration phase, overseeing technology strategy, operations, and change management. This role requires a proven leader with extensive experience in technology integration within the insurance sector. The CTO will be responsible for ensuring operational resilience, data governance, and effective supplier management while optimizing a multi-million-pound technology budget. The position demands strong leadership skills to manage a large technology organization and drive transformation initiatives effectively.
Key Responsibilities:
- Full ownership of technology strategy, architecture, and delivery during integration.
- Ensure operational resilience, business continuity, and cyber security frameworks are in place.
- Embed robust data governance and protection controls across the technology estate.
- Lead change management and transformation programmes focused on outcomes.
- Manage supplier performance, negotiate contracts, and consolidate vendors for value.
- Oversee budget ownership, tracking, and optimization of technology spending.
- Define and execute the technology integration plan aligned with business needs.
- Lead a 300-person technology organization, attracting and retaining top talent.
- Set KPIs, SLAs, and metrics for performance and value in operations.
- Ensure compliance with regulatory frameworks and manage tech risk visibility.
Key Skills:
- Proven CIO/CTO experience in large organizations, preferably in Financial Services/Insurance.
- Expertise in end-to-end integration leadership across people, platforms, and processes.
- Deep understanding of legacy and modern microservices/cloud architectures.
- Experience with automation, CI/CD, DevOps, and cloud environments.
- Strong executive presence and ability to influence stakeholders effectively.
- Data-driven decision-making skills supported by factual evidence.
- Network across security, data, engineering, and vendor ecosystems is a plus.
- Prior chair/committee experience in relevant areas is desirable.
Salary (Rate): undetermined
City: Greater London
Country: United Kingdom
Working Arrangements: hybrid
IR35 Status: undetermined
Seniority Level: undetermined
Industry: IT
Interim Chief Technology Officer (CTO) Contract: 9-12 months Location: London/Hybrid (UK-wide travel as needed) Start: ASAP
Why this mandate matters You’re stepping into a leading UK Insurance business that needs a decisive technology leader to help them in their next stage of integration and acceleration. You’ll own the technology estate end-to-end operations, change, resilience, cyber, data, while steering a complex integration and restructuring agenda. We are seeking a proven Interim CTO with both Insurance and significant Integration programme experience.
What you’ll be accountable for Full ownership of technology strategy, architecture and delivery ensuring platforms, systems and processes are fit for purpose during (and after) integration. Operational resilience, business continuity and cyber security frameworks measured, tested and board-assured. Data governance and protection embedding robust controls for personal and sensitive information across the estate. Change management and transformation programmes, fast, visible, outcome-focused. Supplier and outsourcer performance, clear SLAs, tough negotiation, and value-focused vendor consolidation. Budget ownership, set, track, and optimise multi-million pound tech spend.
First 90 days: your hit list Review the current tech landscape (architecture, vendors, people, risk). Lock down an integration roadmap for systems, teams, contracts, aligned to business strategy. Stand up pragmatic governance for cyber, resilience, data and delivery. Re-shape the tech organisation by optimising as required.
Core responsibilities (day-to-day realities)
- 1. Strategy & Architecture Define and execute the technology integration plan; align to future-state business needs. Own IT vision, strategy and roadmaps, legacy modernisation plus modern engineering (cloud, DevOps, CI/CD).
- 2. Leadership & People Lead a 300 person technology organisation (perm, contract, outsourced). Attract, retain and motivate high-calibre talent in security, data, engineering and ops. Communicate with execs and boards, clear, concise, data-led.
- 3. Operations & Control Set robust KPIs, SLAs and metrics for performance and value. Ensure disaster recovery and continuity plans are real, tested and funded. Embed best-practice delivery: Agile, DevOps, automated testing, continuous deployment.
- 4. Compliance & Regulation Operate under SMCR/Cer-Reg accountability; ensure tech risk is visible and managed. Partner with auditors, regulators and assurance functionsno surprises.
What you bring Proven CIO/CTO track record in £1bn+ organisations, ideally with Financial Services/Insurance exposure. End-to-end integration leadership: people, platforms, process, and cost. Deep understanding of both legacy (Java/DB three-tier) and modern microservices/cloud architectures. Modern engineering mindset, automation, CI/CD, DevOps, always-on cloud environments. Executive presence: you can influence, cut through noise, and make calls quickly. Data-driven decision making; you prove your point with facts, not volume.
Nice to have A strong network across security, data, engineering and vendor ecosystems. Prior chair/committee experience (e.g., Systems & Information Risk, Continuity).
How to apply Send your CV by applying to this role. Shortlisting will move fast. All applicants will be responded to.