Head of Development and Digital Portfolio

Head of Development & Digital Portfolio Location: London (hybrid - 4 days per week) Salary: Competitive + Performance Bonus and Benefits Package About the Role We are partnering with a prestigious private members’ club seeking a Head of Development & Digital Portfolio to lead its digital product portfolio, development capability and technology integrations. The organisation is continuing to invest in its digital ecosystem to enhance the member experience and improve operational efficiency across the business. This role will oversee a diverse portfolio of member-facing digital products and internal operational systems, ensuring they remain well-integrated, commercially effective and aligned with the organisation’s standards. Combining digital product leadership, SaaS vendor management, technical oversight and people management, you will work closely with senior leadership, departmental heads, developers and external technology partners to shape and deliver the digital roadmap. An understanding of AI and its potential applications within a business environment will be important, particularly in identifying opportunities to improve productivity, enhance digital services and support responsible adoption. Key Responsibilities Digital Product Portfolio Leadership Define and maintain the digital product roadmap, ensuring alignment with business strategy, commercial objectives and member experience.Establish prioritisation frameworks, governance processes and investment cases for new and existing products.Monitor portfolio performance through KPIs covering adoption, engagement, operational impact and total cost of ownership.Identify opportunities to enhance existing platforms and introduce new digital capabilities where appropriate.SaaS Vendor & Platform Management Own relationships with SaaS providers across membership, finance, HR, hospitality, leisure and operational systems.Lead vendor reviews, contract negotiations, renewals, escalations and roadmap discussions.Ensure service-level agreements, data processing agreements and commercial terms remain fit for purpose.Maximise value from existing platforms and lead procurement and onboarding when new solutions are required.Manage third-party delivery partners, ensuring services meet agreed standards and business requirements.Development & Technical Leadership Line manage the in-house CRM and API Developer, providing technical direction, performance management and professional development.Establish standards for code quality, documentation, integration design and change control.Oversee the delivery of integrations between SaaS platforms and bespoke systems.Champion API-first approaches and maintain a coherent integration architecture in collaboration with the wider technology leadership team.Coordinate in-house, vendor-led and hybrid delivery to ensure projects are appropriately planned, resourced and executed.Digital & Member Experience Champion the member perspective across product, platform and vendor decisions.Work with departmental heads to understand business needs and identify opportunities for digital improvement.Oversee user research, feedback and usability testing to ensure digital products deliver a consistent, high-quality experience.Ensure digital touchpoints reflect the organisation’s brand, values and expectations around discretion and personal service.Commercial & Operational Performance Manage the digital product portfolio budget and associated SaaS expenditure alongside senior technology leadership.Develop business cases and investment proposals for digital initiatives.Identify opportunities to increase revenue, improve operational efficiency, reduce friction and rationalise overlapping systems.Report on portfolio performance, vendor effectiveness, risks and opportunities to senior stakeholders and governance groups.Governance, Risk & AI Ensure digital products and vendor arrangements meet requirements for data privacy, security and regulatory compliance, including UK GDPR.Contribute to information security, business continuity and AI governance initiatives.Identify potential applications for AI and productivity tools across digital products and business operations.Support the responsible evaluation and adoption of AI, considering business value, data protection, security and governance requirements.Prepare clear recommendations and decision-ready papers for governance boards and senior stakeholders. Skills & Experience Significant experience in digital product management, development leadership or digital delivery, typically 7+ years.Proven experience managing a portfolio of live digital products and leading development or product professionals.Strong experience owning SaaS vendor relationships, including commercial negotiations, SLAs, renewals, roadmaps and escalations.Demonstrable people management experience, including developing technical talent and establishing engineering standards.Strong technical understanding of modern web technologies, APIs, system integrations and software delivery.Experience overseeing integrations across multiple SaaS platforms and bespoke applications.Commercial acumen, including budget ownership, business case development and investment prioritisation.Understanding of modern product development practices, agile delivery, user research and data-driven decision-making.Existing exposure to AI, including an understanding of potential business applications, productivity tools and responsible adoption.Confidence engaging with senior stakeholders and coordinating delivery across multiple departments.Strong awareness of data privacy, security, governance and compliance requirements. Desirable Experience Experience within hospitality, private members’ clubs, luxury, leisure or another premium consumer-facing environment.Familiarity with CRM, membership management, POS, leisure booking or reservations platforms.Experience integrating finance, HR and operational SaaS platforms into a coherent data and reporting environment.Knowledge of identity and access management solutions, such as Auth0 or Microsoft Entra ID.Experience launching websites and member-facing digital products.Familiarity with AI governance, AI adoption strategies and workplace productivity tooling.Experience operating within a governance-led environment involving boards, committees and cross-functional stakeholders. The Opportunity This is an opportunity to take ownership of a broad digital portfolio within a premium membership environment, combining strategic influence with hands-on oversight of technology delivery, vendor relationships and team development. You will play a key role in shaping the organisation’s digital direction, improving operational efficiency and identifying opportunities to use emerging technologies, including AI, to enhance both member experience and business performance.