IT Development - IT Project Manager

The role

Main Responsibilities

• Develop and implement eCommerce technology strategies to meet short and long-term business objectives
• Act as the bridge between the Group and the offshore development team to ensure business requirements are fully understood
• Ensure projects are delivered within budget and within timescales
• Develop and implement strategic business initiatives
• Take responsibility for aspects of eCommerce / IT development within a product area / workstream
• Take responsibility for mobile development and delivery in conjunction with external partners
• Manage new development requests in a timely manner, and work with those raising requests to create FRS documents, specifications and project plans
• Manage offshore development resources effectively and maintain roadmap for product area
• Contribute to maintenance of positive relationships with third party suppliers
• Understand and maintain standards of technical architecture, data compliance and IT / business risk

• Act as main point of knowledge of IT Development for Ziffit
• Assist with reviews of and developments to influence KPIs
• Liaise proactively with Customer Services in order to resolve product issues
• Liaise proactively with Operational teams to ensure best possible customer experience
• Collaboratively work with internal Commercial and Marketing Departments
• Build and develop a team which encourages empowerment, takes ownership of projects and encourages effective performance management.

• Manage and control development team to minimise costs and maximise productivity
• Assist with the negotiation of partnership contracts and ensure version control
• Contribute to favourable payment terms being negotiated with key suppliers
• Negotiate acceptable costs directly with external suppliers before submitting to line manager for approval
  

• Report on performance against KPIs
• Maintain appropriate functional roadmaps and project plans
• Provide project updates regularly
• Participate in Project Management scrums and meetings
• Contribute to the monthly senior management reports

• Comply with and make positive contribution to all company policy, rules and procedures for Health & Safety, current H&S legislation and best practice.
• Ensure that all employees within their own area of responsibility know, understand and comply with all company policy, rules and procedures for Health & Safety and current H&S legislation and best practice.

• 
  Understand the principles of IT Software Development, in terms of coding languages, project methodologies and problem solving. Be able to conceptualise technical solutions for business problems and understand lead times for delivery and work with Development team in order to facilitate delivery of the product area Roadmap, using common development methodologies such as Agile and management tools such as JIRA.
• Clear understanding of the Software Development Lifecycle.

• Possess good communication and presentation skills in order to work effectively with external partners as well as with internal departments.
• Experienced manager who is proactive by nature, and able to work independently.

• Able to relate day to day activity and priorities with longer term strategies and goals.
• Able to adjust priorities of self and direct reports, to identify and quickly respond when things change.

• Working with partners, customers, marketplace providers and internal departments to achieve overall business benefit and positive, constructive relationships.

• Able to remain objective and positive when faced with ambiguity, changes of priority or setbacks.

• Well-developed time management skills and a naturally well-organised approach, enabling the job holder to effectively plan, manage conflicting priorities and pressing deadlines.

• Ability to influence stakeholders at all levels, both internally and externally. Commercial negotiations will be an important part of this role.

• The candidate will be required to travel to external meetings with partners and suppliers in the UK on a regular basis, as well as regular attendance at both our Goring-by-Sea and Coventry sites. Some international travel is likely to be required too.

Location & Directions

Our Group

Founded in 2002, World of Books is a circular economy, for profit company that supports charities and protects the planet by enabling more goods to be reused. We are pioneers in the re-use and recycling of unwanted books, recycling about 80 million books each year, equivalent to around half a million trees.

We achieve this through three direct-to-consumer e-commerce businesses, supported by our own technology.

Find out more about the World of Books Group here: https://www.worldofbooks.com/en-gb/about-us/group

World of Books

Is the UK’s largest seller of used books online; selling to over 190 countries through our own website, marketplaces and wholesale partners. World of Books inventory is in excess of 4 million books, purchased from UK charities in return for payment and saving their waste disposal costs.

For those books we cannot sell, we ensure they are recycled and turned into products such as newspaper, cardboard packaging and tissue products.

Find out more about World of Books here: https://www.worldofbooks.com/en-gb/about-us

Ziffit.com

Establishedin 2013, to buy unwanted books, CD’s DVD’s, Blu-ray and console games directly from consumers via its market leading app. The smart technology enables consumers to use their mobile device to scan a product bar code or to simply tap in an ISBN code from a book for an instant valuation.

Ziffit sells all its books, CDs, DVDs and games via World of Books own website or partner websites such as Amazon and eBay.
Find out more about Ziffit.com here: https://www.ziffit.com/en-gb/about-us

World of Rare Books

Sells books published prior to 1970 (including rare, vintage and 1st edition titles) alongside vinyl and other ephemera through our own websites and other marketplaces. This business offers one of the largest selections of pre-ISBN books in the market and is the largest supplier of wholesale vintage books for decoration in Europe.

Find out more about World of Rare Books: https://www.worldofrarebooks.com/about-us

Our Technology

Our success is underpinned by our technology. We have developed bespoke software solutions to tackle changing market conditions and pricing. Our technology manages our warehouse, streams our stock and extends our reach to over 20 global marketplaces.

Our Vision

To be the leading seller of used books globally, while helping people to reuse and recycle for less through innovation and technology

Our Values

Responsibility: We work responsibly, value each other and treat the planet with respect.

Action: We take actions that improve our business for customers, colleagues, partners and shareholders.

Pioneering: We find new ways to better ourselves, lower our costs and grow our business.

Business for Good

World of Books Group is committed to using its business as a force for goodin the world and we take our social and environmental responsibilities seriously. Our business model is designed to do good: helping charities, the environment and providing access to literature. As our business grows, so will its impact across these areas.