London Marathon Events (part of the London Marathon Group) works to inspire, champion and increase activity in all ages, abilities and demographics. We do this through our successful event portfolio (which includes the TCS London Marathon and TCS Mini London Marathon, Brighton Marathon, The Big Half, Vitality London 10,000, Vitality Westminster Mile, Standard Chartered Great City Race and Swim Serpentine), through our extensive outreach programmes working with schools and community groups in London and across the UK and through our network of wholly owned or partially owned companies, such as Maverick, Run 4 Wales, Loch Ness Marathon Ltd, Caledonian Concepts, Athletic Ventures and Friday Night Lights.
Our events raise millions for charities every year to improve the lives of individuals and communities and we passionately believe in the power of sport.
Our values are integral to who we are, how we work and what we do:
Caring – We value each other, our customers and the positive impact we make
Curious – We open our minds to new ideas, perspectives and ways of working
Exceptional – We strive to be the best and to redefine the art of the possible
Fun – We create joy, happiness and memories that last a lifetime
Diversity, inclusion and wellbeing are at the heart of everything we do, and we want to ensure they are at the heart of our company. We strongly value diversity within our workforce and recognise that different people bring different perspectives, lived experience, ideas and culture to the company. This difference brings with it great strengths, including diversity of thought. So, if you’re ready to be a force for good, lead change and want to make a difference to society, keep reading.
The role
The Senior Head of IT, Infrastructure and Cyber Security is a critical leadership role responsible for the foundations that allow London Marathon Events to inspire thousands of people every year. This is a role for a practitioner‑leader, someone who has the senior presence to lead a multi‑disciplinary team, but who also retains the technical know‑how to stay close to the tools.
You will lead a high‑performing team of experts across service management, project delivery, applications, security, and business analysis. Your mission is to ensure our digital backbone is rock‑solid, secure, and ready for growth. Whether you are overseeing our Azure environment, hardening our cyber posture, or architecting IT solutions for new geographic locations and events, you will be the driving force behind a safe and progressive technology landscape. You will work closely with our DPO and executive leadership to ensure our technology is a seamless enabler for our staff and the world‑class events we deliver.
Key Responsibilities
Infrastructure and Cloud Leadership
- Actively manage and monitor our infrastructure within Azure. While you lead a team, you are expected to be hands‑on with our cloud environment to ensure it is robust, scalable, and ready for the unique traffic peaks of our event days. Define and implement a cloud and infrastructure operating model. Benchmark performance, resilience, and security against industry standards.
- Design the blueprint for our IT as we expand into new geographic locations and launch new projects. You will ensure that setting up in a new site is a smooth, secure, and repeatable process.
- Own the lifecycle of our internal applications and office technology, ensuring they are not just functional, but genuinely improve the way our teams work together.
Cyber Security and Risk
- .Take full ownership of our cyber posture. Working with your Security Specialist, you will lead the charge on patching, updates, and threat detection, ensuring our infrastructure is safe by design.
- Maintain a close, collaborative relationship with the Data Protection Officer to ensure all systems meet the highest standards of data privacy and security compliance.
Strategic Leadership and Delivery
- Lead and mentor a diverse team including a Senior Service Manager, Technical Project Managers, Applications Manager, Security Specialist, and a Business Systems Analyst. You will foster a culture of ownership, practical problem‑solving, and continuous learning.
- Manage high‑value relationships with external IT and security partners. You will also influence senior stakeholders and the C‑Suite, translating technical risks into clear, actionable business insights.
- Lead the technical strategy for our events. You will ensure that on‑site and remote technology is flawless and secure under the high‑pressure conditions of race day.
- Lead the internal IT systems and applications.
Success Measures
- High availability and performance of systems, particularly during high‑stakes event registration and event‑day windows.
- Measurable improvement in the organisation’s cyber security maturity and posture.
- Successful technical roll‑outs for new geographic locations and project launches.
- Effective leadership and development of the IT team, with high levels of engagement and performance.
- Positive feedback from the DPO and internal stakeholders regarding security, support, and application reliability.
- Strategic management of the IT budget and delivery of value through vendor partnerships.
Required Skills
- You have the seniority to lead a complex team, but you haven’t lost your technical grip. You understand Azure and security because you are still involved in the practical side of deployment.
- The ability to think long‑term and build a scalable infrastructure that supports the organisation’s growth into new regions and projects.
- You can talk shop with a Security Specialist or an Applications Manager, but you can also explain complex technical issues to the C‑Suite in an accessible way.
- Events are high‑stakes. You stay level‑headed when challenges arise and can lead your team through complex technical troubleshooting.
- A commitment to building a collaborative and diverse team environment where everyone feels supported and empowered to do their best work.
- You have a forward‑thinking understanding of Agentic AI and the practical experience to implement the robust data governance and guardrails needed to manage it. You know how to ensure autonomous systems operate safely, ethically, and securely within a complex data landscape.
- You have knowledge of how to support the enterprise with AI readiness and automation.
Required Experience
- Proven experience in a senior IT leadership role, managing a diverse team of technical professionals across multiple disciplines.
- Practical Cloud Expertise: Deep, hands‑on experience managing and monitoring Azure environments, including networking, identity, and security.
- A track record of supporting technology across multiple geographic locations and managing the logistical complexities of expansion.
- Experience being the person responsible for an organisation’s cyber posture and working closely with compliance or DPO functions.
- Experience managing high‑value technical vendors and overseeing complex technical projects from conception to delivery
Desired experience
- Experience delivering IT infrastructure for mass‑participation events, sports, or other mission‑critical pop‑up environments.
- Experience in transforming organisations through technology.
- A genuine interest in running and the vision of London Marathon Events to inspire activity.
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