Virgin Active expands IT function with 12 new roles

CIO Andy Caddy looking for project managers, network infrastructure engineers and application support specialists

Virgin Active is expanding its London head office IT function with the addition of 12 new roles across a range of positions.

The move by the global gym chain reflects the growing emphasis on technology at Virgin Active and across the fitness sector generally.

"The fitness space is a very exciting space to be in right now. The wearables and apps market has exploded and just about all of our innovative products are connected in some way," Andy Caddy (pictured below), CIO at Virgin Active, told Computing.

"Our need to provide a brilliant service in the country's leading facilities means that our back-office systems need to be up to scratch as well. The expectations of our members if that their information, progress and performance is at their fingertips, and after establishing the foundations of a digital strategy last year, 2016 is the year we need to accelerate and move forward," he added.

The roles

The company is looking for a business analyst to manage requests for system change. The business analyst will have to develop effective business relationships with internal IT customers and suppliers to ensure requirements are well thought through and will deliver the expected outcomes.

They will be expected to liaise with the development team to ensure the work is carried out on time and to specification, and will work as part of the project team on larger business system projects, providing the link between the internal customer, development team and any third party regarding software functionality, throughout the development lifecycle.

The selected candidate will earn up to £42,000 per annum and will be based in the company's London Barbican head office on a full-time, permanent contract.

Virgin Active is also hiring a project manager, digital project manager and a senior project manager, who will work together to introduce "just enough" standards for project management and portfolio management to aid more robust delivery without stifling innovation and agility. They will be work together to deliver a portfolio of IT projects, worth an estimated £7m a year.

The senior project manager will earn up to £76,000 per year and the digital project manager will earn up to £59,000 per year. A salary has not been disclosed for the project manager role.

Other roles include a senior application support specialist, a senior network infrastructure engineer and a test lead. All roles can be found here.

Computing spoke to Caddy last year about the company's digital transformation plans.

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