Job Title: IT Lead (Sales Applications, Integrations and Automation)
Reports To: Senior Director - Information Technology
Business Unit: ACCBC
Function: Information Technology
Location: Dubai, UAE
Purpose of the Job
The IT Lead - Sales Applications, Integrations and Automation is responsible for the overall Information Technology function in the areas of Sales & Route to Market, AI-enabled application development, Websites, Integrations and Interfaces, Business Process Automation and HR / Payroll applications, ensuring technology enables financial integrity, operational excellence, and scalable growth across ACCBC’s multi-country operations.
Reporting to the Senior Director - Information Technology, the role has strong accountability for:
- ERP and digital transformation, specifically Microsoft Dynamics 365 (D365) rollout across geographies focusing on Order to Cash processes, and the associated solution ecosystem within the remit of the role (e.g. custom solutions, workflows, etc.)
- Responsibility for the integration architecture, interface design, delivery and support - resilience of managing the interfaces, interface monitoring and team upskilling for the applications in scope. Extraction, ingestion and landing into the enterprise information layer sit with BI and AI Capability
- Configuration and delivery of workflow and automation in the applications in scope, to process designs owned by the accountable function
- Managing the business alignment, design transition, solution architecture, delivery and support for all websites across the enterprise
- Supporting the HR / Payroll-related applications that fall within IT’s remit.
- Strategic business partnering with Regional Business stakeholders ensuring the technology strategy is effectively translated into regional business value, while also elevating regional needs into IT decision-making
- Leading Regional IT Teams and delivering reliable IT services and changes within the region
- Managing cross-functional dependencies across the IT portfolio, ensuring changes in the areas in scope are sequenced and delivered in step with other IT and business workstreams
- Driving successful business adoption of existing and new technology
- Delivering AI safely and compliantly inside the applications in scope, and driving adoption of the technology this role delivers
- Reliability, security and system integrity of the applications in scope
- IT Service Management
The role ensures the applications in scope operate as a disciplined enterprise service, balancing innovation and technology modernization with control, resilience, and cost efficiency.
Key Roles and Responsibilities
Business Partnering
- Engages senior business stakeholders to understand business strategies & priorities, articulate and document business IT requirements, and work with the Senior Director - Information Technology in proposing IT solutions to meet current and future business needs.
- Defines the IT roadmap for the business areas in scope, in collaboration with the senior stakeholders, and works with the Senior Director - Information Technology to get it approved by the IT Governance Board.
Program / Project Management
- Writes IT Project Charters along with the respective team members, and gets them approved in a timely manner.
- In collaboration with business and finance teams, defines the business case for IT projects/system investments to be incorporated in Project Charters.
- Creates, maintains and publishes IT project plans.
- Creates, maintains and publishes project status reports at a regular frequency.
- Sets up and runs the Project Steering Committees at a regular frequency.
- Takes direction and acts on feedback from the Project Steering Committees.
- Adopts Project Management Institute (PMI) disciplines and best practices where appropriate for effective Project Management.
- Identifies, tracks and manages cross-functional dependencies between the areas in scope and other workstreams in the IT portfolio, escalating sequencing, resourcing and delivery conflicts for timely resolution.
ERP & Digital Transformation (Microsoft Dynamics 365)
- System Lead for Order to Cash workstream (including any cross-functional linkages into other workstreams) of the D365 program including blueprinting, design, implementation, stabilization, and continuous improvement.
- Lead user adoption, training, and value realization programs for Order to Cash.
- End-to-end ownership of workflows, integrations / interfaces and custom applications that are part of the overall solution ecosystem.
- Own system integrity and the technical controls behind master data. Data definitions, quality standards and the single source of truth sit with BI and AI Capability; master-data values sit with the owning function.
- Ensure quality of delivery, and adherence to project scope, timeline and budgets in collaboration with other cross-functional stakeholders
Infrastructure, Cloud & End-User Services
- In collaboration with the IT Infrastructure Team and Vendors, ensure the applications in scope have fit-for-purpose IT Infrastructure.
- Ensure system availability, scalability, and performance across all sites and countries.
- Contribute to disaster recovery, backup and cyber-resilience planning for the applications in scope, led by the IT Infrastructure and Cybersecurity teams
- Apply the IT service management framework (ITIL) to the applications in scope, establish and monitor service level agreements (SLAs) and associated KPIs
- Drive service desk effectiveness, self-service tools, and user experience improvement.
Cybersecurity, Risk & Compliance
- Ensure compliance with internal policies, data privacy regulations, and audit requirements.
- Cascades IT policies within the team and ensures they are understood and practiced. Monitors and reports on non-compliance and takes appropriate action as needed.
Workflow, Automation & Integration
- Drive automation using RPA, workflows, and low-code platforms.
- Configure, deliver and support business workflows and approval routings in the applications in scope, to process designs owned by the accountable function and approval rules set by the Delegation of Authority.
- Own the integration and interface landscape for the applications in scope, including interfaces to and from D365, ensuring reliability, monitoring, error handling and adherence to enterprise integration standards. This role provides approved, controlled source access; extraction, mirroring, ingestion and landing into the enterprise information layer are owned by BI and AI Capability.
- Maintain the interface catalogue for applications in scope and govern interface changes in collaboration with the owning teams.
AI in the Applications in Scope
- Research and evaluate emerging AI and GenAI capabilities relevant to the applications in scope, and build AI features into those applications where the owning function has prioritised the use. Business AI use cases are initiated by the owning function and prioritised through the CEO-sponsored governance forum.
- Apply AI-led ideation and accelerated development tooling to shorten delivery cycles and improve solution quality across the areas in scope.
- Uses AI for enhancing self-productivity and for making the internal IT processes more efficient
- Lead the solution architecture, build and production support of AI components embedded in the applications in scope, to IT's published technical and security standards. AI on the information estate sits with BI and AI Capability; whether AI belongs in a redesigned process is decided by the function with AI-Enabled Business Solutioning.
- Plan development capacity, including AI-assisted development, against the approved application roadmap, and manage delivery against agreed schedules.
- Track adoption and value of the AI features this role delivers, using the enterprise AI maturity and measurement framework held by BI and AI Capability.
Financial & Vendor Governance
- Manage the IT operating and capital budget lines for applications in scope
- Track ROI on IT and digital investments.
- Manage vendors, system integrators, and cloud providers for the applications in scope. Enterprise agreements and core technology contracts remain with the Senior Director - Information Technology.
- Lead contract negotiation, SLAs, and performance governance.
- Ensure cost discipline and value-for-money delivery.
Organizational Leadership
- Support the Senior Director - Information Technology in designing and evolving the IT operating model across geographies.
- Lead performance management, capability development, and engagement of reporting IT staff.
- Create a culture of service excellence, ownership, and execution rigor.
Regional IT
- Lead, direct and govern the regional IT teams, ensuring alignment with enterprise IT standards, policies, and business objectives.
- Coordinate and standardize IT processes and services across regions to drive consistency, efficiency, and scalability while respecting local requirements.
- Act as the primary liaison between central IT, regional IT teams, and business stakeholders, ensuring clear communication, prioritization, and issue escalation.
- Oversee delivery of regional IT initiatives and operational performance, tracking key metrics and driving continuous improvement across geographies.
- Support capability development and best-practice sharing across regions, enabling regional IT teams to improve service quality, maturity, and effectiveness.
Key Performance Indicators (KPIs)
- D365 program delivery milestones covering Order to Cash, workflow approvals and integrations.
- ERP stability, controls effectiveness, and audit readiness
- Automation rate of manual processes and effectiveness of use cases implemented
- IT cost vs budget and ROI delivery for areas in scope
- Adoption of emerging technologies and existing solutions, as relevant
- AI features delivered in the applications in scope and associated impact (cost, efficiency, productivity, etc.)
- Adoption of the applications and AI features delivered, across regional teams and users in scope
- Interface and integration availability, and integration incident volume for applications in scope
Key Interfaces
- Business Unit Heads and Market Leaders
- Functional Heads
- IT team members supporting other areas
- External Technology Partners and Vendors
Qualifications
- Bachelor’s degree in Information Technology, Computer Science, Engineering, or related field.
- MBA or Master’s degree preferred.
- Professional certifications in one or more of the following are highly desirable:
- Microsoft Dynamics 365
- IT Service Management (ITIL)
- Project / Program Management (PMP, PRINCE2)
Experience
- Minimum 12 years of progressive IT leadership experience in large, complex organizations.
- Proven leadership of implementation and support of applications across Sales, Route to Market, Workflows, AI-assisted application development from design to stabilization.
- Experience operating in multi-country, multi-currency environments, preferably in manufacturing, FMCG, or distribution.
- Delivery ownership of enterprise applications, with good working knowledge of infrastructure, cloud and cybersecurity.
- Track record of delivering digital transformation, automation and integration programs.
- Strong experience in managing vendors, system integrators, and large technology contracts.
- Experience working closely with the CFO, Heads of Departments and Functions (Regionally) and Audit.
- Demonstrated leadership through volatile or high-growth environments.
- Demonstrated delivery and ownership of enterprise integrations and interfaces between ERP and surrounding applications.
- Track record of taking AI features inside enterprise applications into production with measurable business impact, rather than pilots alone.
Accountability Indicators
- Reliability and security of the applications in scope
- ERP value realization and control environment
- Cost efficiency of IT operations
- Strength of IT governance and compliance
- Business Partnering
- Technology enablement of growth and performance
Other Skills and Attributes
- Strategic and execution balance
- Business and finance-oriented technology mindset
- High ownership and resilience
- Strong executive communication and influence
- Decision-making under ambiguity
- Stakeholder Management
- Data analysis and analytical ability
- Technical skills and problem solving
Direct Reports (if Any)
- Regional IT Managers
- Application Development and Automation Manager
- Sales and Route To Market Manager
- Project / Portfolio Manager
- Integration and Application Engineers
