Interim Head of IT

SUMMARY:
INTERIM HEAD OF IT
6-Month Contract | Cape Town
Gijima Staffing Solutions is recruiting on behalf of a client for a highly strategic interim leadership opportunity within a complex, highly regulated manufacturing environment. We are seeking an accomplished Head of IT with deep experience in pharmaceutical, biotech, life sciences, medical manufacturing, or similarly regulated industries.
This is a senior executive-level contract role suited to a leader who can drive technology strategy, cyber security, governance, operational resilience, and digital transformation within a regulated production environment.

POSITION INFO:

Key Focus of the Role

Minimum Requirements

• Degree or Diploma in Information Technology, Computer Science, or related field
• Minimum 10 years’ IT leadership experience
• Minimum 5 years at senior management or executive level
• Proven experience leading IT within a manufacturing or regulated environment
• Strong experience in cyber security, governance, infrastructure, enterprise systems, and operational technology
• Experience managing business continuity and technology risk
• Demonstrated success leading digital transformation initiatives
• Strong stakeholder engagement and executive communication capability

Highly Advantageous

• Experience supporting GMP, GxP, ISO, FDA, MHRA, WHO, or similar regulated environments
• Exposure to pharmaceutical or life sciences manufacturing systems
• Experience preparing for and supporting external audits
• Certifications such as CISM, PRINCE2, CISSP, COBIT, or equivalent

Key Competencies

• Strategic leadership
• Commercial and operational acumen
• Strong governance and risk management capability
• Executive stakeholder management
• Decision-making under pressure
• Innovation and transformation mindset
• Strong analytical and problem-solving ability

Ideal Industry Background

• Pharmaceutical manufacturing
• Biotechnology
• Vaccine manufacturing
• Medical or healthcare manufacturing
• FMCG manufacturing within highly regulated environments
• Other compliance-driven production environments

Key Responsibilities

• Define and lead enterprise IT and digital strategy
• Drive cyber security, information security, and operational resilience initiatives
• Lead IT governance, risk management, and compliance frameworks
• Oversee infrastructure, enterprise systems, networks, and business-critical platforms
• Ensure technology environments support regulatory and audit requirements
• Partner with executive leadership to align technology with operational and commercial objectives
• Lead digital transformation and automation initiatives
• Manage IT service delivery, vendors, budgets, and technology investments
• Oversee disaster recovery, business continuity, and incident response capability
• Ensure strong data governance and protection of sensitive operational information

This opportunity is ideal for a senior technology executive who thrives in complex operational environments and can quickly add value within an interim leadership capacity.