Applications Lead
itsu is the healthy eating, Asian inspired quick service retail & grocery brand with over 80 stores in the UK and a leading grocery business across Europe and beyond. Renowned for its best-in-class food made fresh in every shop every day, itsu has huge global ambitions with a commitment to continue to open many more stores and intensify the growth of its already thriving grocery arm. With its best-is-class healthy food, latest technology, innovation, and talented workforce, itsu is the future of fast food.
itsu [grocery], which this role falls under, takes the itsu brand into supermarkets, health food stores, online, wholesale and internationally with products such as crispy seaweed thins, frozen gyoza & bao, brilliant’broth, rice’noodles & miso’easy to name a few…
D&I statement:
itsu [grocery] is committed to building a diverse, equitable and inclusive organisation. We encourage applicants from a wide range of backgrounds to apply for all of our opportunities.
When applying for a role with us, please remove your: full name, name of University/School, address, email address and any photos of you on your CV and covering letter. non-anonymised CVs may not be reviewed.
role responsibility
- Manage the daily operation and ongoing improvement of ERP, Anaplan, and other core business systems from an IT perspective
- Maintain application integrity by ensuring consistent and accurate masterdata across platforms
- Assume the role of IT expert for [grocery] business systems to ensure that all Enterprise Application decisions consider the needs and implications on the Grocery business users
- Own system configuration and integration touchpoints (EDI, FTP, APIs) and troubleshoot where required
- Coordinate and define user access rights and security roles across Grocery systems in accordance with IT policy and support the administration of access where required
- Act as Anaplan system administrator, managing user provisioning, data loads, and minor UX updates (escalating more complex changes to partners or the group team)
- Liaise with software vendors and integration partners for issue resolution and system changes
- Provide internal support and guidance to [grocery] users on the appropriate use of business applications
- Produce and maintain technical documentation and configuration records, with the adoption of DevOps standards and tools
- Support testing and change control processes for system upgrades or new functionality
- Participate in and influence future platform decisions, ensuring fitness for purpose and alignment with group standards, of [grocery] architecture and application ecosystem
- Ensure compliance with IT policies around access, data security, and software lifecycle management
- Ensure that all changes, enhancements, or new implementations are aligned with the application lifecycle and roadmap owned by the Enterprise Applications Manager
- Work as part of the wider Enterprise Applications Team to share knowledge and promote a consistent approach to masterdata, user access, and integrations
- Contribute to system planning and decision-making, offering visibility into grocery- specific requirements while upholding group-wide governance and platform design
- Focus on ensuring data quality, system readiness, and robust integration of applications to enable self-service reporting and analytics by the business
scope of the role
The role of the Applications Lead is to own and manage the core business applications used across itsu [grocery] – with a focus on stability, integration, governance, and scalability. It will have two key stakeholders within a matrix structure: the Enterprise Applications Manager, in Group IT, who the role will report in to, and itsu [grocery] Financial Director. The successful candidate will ensure that the design, implementation, and management of applications such as ERP, Anaplan, and related systems are consistent with itsu’s cloud-first, security-led, and data-driven approach.
- Business applications ownership: Take responsibility for the applications used within the Grocery business with consideration of the stability, integrations, and technical upkeep of key business platforms including ERP, Anaplan, and related tools.
- Application governance: Ensure masterdata, configuration, and usage standards are maintained across systems, aligning with best practice and group-wide guidelines.
- Integration and lifecycle management: Manage application integrations (e.g. EDI, FTP), user access controls, and coordinate enhancements or changes with external vendors.
- Strategic alignment: Work closely with the Enterprise Applications Manager to ensure that new systems, updates, or configurations for [grocery] applications align with the broader Group technology roadmap.
- User support and documentation: Act as second-line support for [grocery] application-related issues, own internal documentation, and lead on systems onboarding and guidance.
the ideal candidate
- Some hands-on experience or a strong interest in working with Microsoft Azure, Office 365, and associated administrative tools
- Awareness or working knowledge of access management, device management tools (such as Intune), and cloud governance principles
- Interest in or exposure to cloud-based file sharing and collaboration tools such as SharePoint and Azure Blob Storage
- A logical thinker with strong attention to detail and a willingness to learn through hands-on experience
- Basic knowledge of bespoke business systems or databases hosted in the cloud is an advantage
- A team player who communicates clearly and works well with internal and external stakeholders
- Experience or interest in the retail or FMCG industry would be beneficial
- A proactive, self-motivated individual with a passion for technology and customer service
- Eager to grow and develop a career in cloud infrastructure and IT operation
- Customer focussed/obsessed
perks and benefits
- Competitive salary
- Competitive bonus scheme
- 25 days holiday+ bank holidays (two bank holidays are interchangeable for other religious holidays)
- Hybrid working (2 days wfh)
- Health insurance
- Company pension scheme
- The chance to work directly with the co-founder of itsu & Pret
- 50% employee discount in itsu shops
- Free itsu lunch
- Discounts at major retailers
- A sizeable training budget to support your ongoing development