dnata is more than a global air and travel services provider. We connect people with possibilities and opportunities across 130+ airports in 34 countries through ground handling, cargo, travel, and catering & retail services. Our purpose is clear: to deliver on the promises our customers make. We are powered by a bold vision to be the world’s most admired air and travel services provider, which guides our strategy, culture, and every role across our teams. Our core values fuel everything we do: we are safe, we play to win, we respect everyone and work together as a team, and we are future thinking. At dnata, we foster diversity, nurture ambition, and celebrate achievement. If youre inspired by purpose and motivated to be part of a global team shaping the future of aviation and travel, we’d love to have you onboard.

dnata Catering Ireland is part of dnata, a leading global air and travel services provider. We deliver high quality inflight catering and innovative onboard retail programmes to airline partners across Ireland, with a culture anchored in dnata’s values.

As a Head of IT, you will operate within the dnata Catering and Retail Ireland business unit, a mid-sized operation within the global dnata network, ensuring technology effectively supports a complex, multi-site environment spanning commercial kitchens, bonded warehouses and airline-facing operations. You will enable the seamless delivery of end-to-end inflight catering and retail services by supporting core activities including meal production, flight packing, fleet and driver management, procurement and supply chain, as well as a significant inflight retail programme—holding direct accountability for the technology platforms that power both point-of-sale and back-office retail operations. While leveraging group-wide services such as Microsoft 365, cyber security and IT governance, you will retain full ownership of all locally managed systems, infrastructure, vendors and end-user services, ensuring reliability, performance and alignment with operational demands.

In this role, you will

• Own the ERP and core business systems (finance, supply chain, WMS, inventory), ensuring stability, performance, integrations, releases and user access
• Oversee catering production systems, supporting accurate scheduling, recipe management and kitchen workflows
• Manage HR, time & attendance and payroll systems, ensuring integration with group HR and compliance with Irish legislation
• Manage fleet and vehicle tracking systems to support logistics planning, driver management and compliance reporting
• Identify and deliver system enhancements and automation to improve efficiency across operations and back office
• Act as the IT owner for the end-to-end inflight retail technology platform
• Manage POS/back-office vendor relationships, including contracts, SLAs, performance and roadmap alignment
• Oversee full service lifecycle: change, testing, releases, incidents, problems and reporting
• Govern system changes including requirements sign-off, UAT, go/no-go decisions and post-implementation reviews
• Ensure accuracy and integration of retail data (sales, payments, inventory, reconciliation) with ERP/finance systems
• Own crew commission system configuration, data integrity and calculation accuracy
• Manage all local IT infrastructure (networks, servers, storage, telecoms, OT endpoints) across sites
• Oversee end-user device lifecycle (procurement, provisioning, support) across operational and office environments
• Ensure infrastructure resilience, availability and disaster recovery aligned to operational needs and group standards
• Manage infrastructure vendors and MSPs against SLAs and performance expectations
• Act as primary interface with Group IT for shared services (M365, IAM, cybersecurity, governance)
• Ensure compliance with group IT standards, GDPR and regulatory requirements
• Represent the business in group IT forums and align local needs with group strategy
• Translate group IT roadmap and mandates into local implementation plans
• Own vendor management across applications, infrastructure and services, including selection, negotiation, performance and renewals
• Maintain vendor risk register with contingency and exit plans for critical services
• Lead and develop the IT team, promoting service excellence and continuous improvement
• Own and manage the IT budget (capex/opex), ensuring cost control and transparency
• Define and deliver the IT roadmap aligned to business strategy and operational priorities
• Advise senior leadership on technology risks, investments and business impact
• Ensure robust IT change, incident and problem management processes across the organisation

To be considered for the role, you must meet the below requirements

• Bachelors degree and 8+ years’ experience in IT with 5+ years in a senior IT leadership role
• Proven experience in multi-site, operational environments (e.g. catering, aviation, logistics, manufacturing)
• Strong leadership and team management with senior stakeholder influence
• Experience managing enterprise systems across HR, Payroll, ERP, Finance, and Supply Chain (e.g. Dayforce, QAD or similar)
• Solid understanding of IT infrastructure (LAN, WAN, datacentres, cloud, end-user tech)
• Experience managing third-party vendors and aligning with Group IT frameworks
• Strong track record in IT governance, risk, cybersecurity, budgeting, and service continuity
• Experience supporting 24/7 operations including rostering, time & attendance, payroll, and compliance systems
• Hands-on in resolving critical system issues impacting operations or payroll
• Strong understanding of system integrations, data flows, and payroll compliance
• Experience with ERP modules (finance, procurement, inventory) and audit controls
• Proven support during audits, year-end, upgrades, and data migrations
• Understanding of procurement processes (POs, invoicing, approvals)
• Ability to ensure data integrity and deliver meaningful reporting (SLT, operational, compliance)
• Strong analytical, problem-solving, and decision-making capability
• Multi-site experience essential; international exposure advantageous
• Proficient in Microsoft Office (advanced Excel)
• Proactive, adaptable, and willing to travel at short notice

You’ll have an edge if you have

• Highly organised with the ability to manage competing priorities and adapt quickly
• Effective communication and stakeholder management across functions and vendors
• Collaborative, team-oriented with cross-functional experience

At Emirates Group, we’re committed to providing our employees with opportunities to grow and develop in their careers. So if you’re looking for a challenging and rewarding opportunity, apply today and join our team!

Recruitment Process and Timeline

Emirates Group, is an international organisation with employees from over 170 nationalities, we encourage applications from across the globe. Your application journey begins by applying via the Emirates Group Careers website. Please ensure your CV is up to date for our talent acquisition team to review your profile. If you meet the criteria of the role, you will then be invited to complete a HireVue video interview, to share more about your experience and your career aspirations. If you are shortlisted, you will then be invited to interview with our hiring managers. If you are successful, your recruiter will reach out to you with an offer and then our Onboarding team will ensure a smooth transition to your new role at Emirates Group.

Join our growing team and enjoy a competitive remuneration package.

At Emirates Group we are committed to providing our employees with opportunities to grow and develop in their careers, so if youre looking for a challenging and rewarding opportunity apply today and join our team.