Retail Technology Director - contract - outside IR35

We are looking for an experienced Retail Technology Director to strengthen our retail technology capability and help grow our work across existing and prospective client accounts.

This is a senior, client-facing role for someone who combines credible technology leadership with strong commercial instincts. You will work with senior retail stakeholders to understand their challenges, shape technology strategies and identify opportunities that can be developed into valuable programmes of work.

You will provide strategic technology leadership across areas including digital commerce, data, AI, automation, platforms and retail transformation. You will also work closely with our client engagement, commercial and delivery teams to develop propositions, shape solutions and support opportunities from initial conversation through to delivery.

This is not a traditional internal CTO role. It is best suited to an experienced technology leader or consultant who enjoys working directly with clients, shaping complex opportunities and turning technology strategy into practical outcomes.

This is a contract position with the potential of permanent in the future. The successful candidate will be expected to be onsite 3 days per week in Central London.

Requirements

• Significant experience in a senior technology leadership, consulting or advisory role.
• Strong understanding of retail technology, digital commerce and omnichannel environments.
• Credibility with senior client stakeholders, including technology and business leaders.
• Experience shaping technology strategies, roadmaps and complex transformation programmes.
• Strong commercial judgement and the ability to identify and develop opportunities within client accounts.
• Evidence of contributing to proposals, business cases and the growth of technology services.
• Broad understanding of modern technology, including cloud, platforms, integrations, data, AI and automation.
• Ability to connect business challenges with practical, deliverable technology solutions.
• Experience working across multidisciplinary commercial, product, engineering and delivery teams.
• A pragmatic, entrepreneurial and outcomes-focused approach.

Nice to have

• Leadership experience within retail, consumer, e-commerce or a technology consultancy.
• Experience across retail platforms such as POS, ERP, CRM, WMS, OMS, payments or customer platforms.
• A track record of growing existing client relationships through new technology services or programmes.
• Experience developing propositions around AI, automation, data or digital transformation.
• An established network across the retail or technology sector.
• Previous experience within a consultancy, agency, systems integrator or fast-growing technology business.