Please Note: We encourage candidates to submit their applications as early as possible and not to wait until the published closing date.

CJPI have been exclusively retained by our client, a leading UK based consultancy who specialise exclusively in Linux support and infrastructure in their search for a Managing Director.

Since 2002 our client has been privately owned by the existing founders. The company exists to serve organisations whose IT operations depend on Linux, offering deep technical expertise, strategic thinking, and dependable service. Unlike generalist managed service providers, their entire focus is on delivering robust, secure, and scalable Linux environments tailored to complex operational needs.

The Role

This newly created post forms part of the Company’s succession plan. The Founder is looking to take a step back and transfer his Managing Director responsibilities to an enthusiastic, flexible individual with a strong work ethic and the ability to continue to support a dedicated and long-serving team.

As the Managing Director, you will play a vital role in taking the business to the next stage. This is a true leadership role encouraging a small but highly capable and well-structured leadership team, working in the heart of a responsive business operation. This is a full Managing Director role with responsibility for ensuring smooth daily operations across all functional areas, in addition to contributing towards strategic business planning, and the delivery of corporate goals.

With support from the Founder, you’ll gain an in-depth understanding about the business and its solutions so you can effectively support and empower the highly experienced CTO and associated support function leaders.

Building on a strong foundation the Managing Director will:

Day-to-Day Leadership

• You will be responsible for the smooth daily operations of the business and oversee the daily activity of all departments, who operate remotely.
• As an accountable leader, you will be responsible for delivering the corporate goals set by the organisation.
• Initially, you will consult with the CEO on all material strategic and operational matters and maintain excellent daily communication with them in order to understand the business – gradually gaining autonomy across all functional areas. As part of the company’s succession planning, you will be expected to assume most of the CEO’s operational responsibilities during a handover expected to be around 3-6 months.
• You will be responsible for line management of 4 Reports: Service Delivery Manager, Business Development Manager, Finance & Admin Manager and Chief Technical Officer (CTO).
• You will provide guidance and advice to other members of the team in a supportive role.
• By managing your team workload, you will ensure your team meets their goals and deadlines.
• Throughout your role you will identify operational improvement areas and work closely with your team to identify potential change, for the right reasons – always obtaining buy in from colleagues.
• As mentor to your reportees, you will leverage their respective experience and expertise to maximise organisational effectiveness.
• Represent the company in client meetings and board discussions

Growth

• You will take time to understand what is required to drive continued growth, with a target of £2m revenue by the end of the 2029 financial year. You will plan and execute against this ambition while remaining true to the organisation’s values and commitment to quality.
• Drive business development initiatives with a focus on higher-value, corporate clients

Strategy & Governance

• You will be responsible for overseeing compliance with the ISO standards and similar standards expected of the business.
• You will oversee operational governance and be responsible for its application and development.
• You will work with the CEO and other board members such as Non-Executive Directors in strategic business planning and agreeing strategy and growth objectives, budgets and other metrics.
• Ensure departmental readiness to scale while maintaining service excellence
• You will attend monthly board meetings (which are in-person quarterly).

Financial

• With full P&L ownership, you will work with the CEO to prepare budgets.
• Report on profit and loss and other organisational reports as needed to the board and CEO
• Identify areas where efficiencies or investment may be necessary, putting together reasoned and well-considered proposals for the board.

The Candidate

As the ideal candidate, you will have experience as a Managing Director, with a particular emphasis on reporting to a Board of Directors or working closely with founder(s). Your background in business-to-business services, as well as your understanding of the solutions delivered by the company will serve you well as you play a vital role taking the business to the next stage.

Collaborative and consultative, you have a proven track record in developing exceptionally strong mutually beneficial relationships and partnerships across a variety of key stakeholders. You approach business with an entrepreneurial mindset and have effectively articulated your vision to engage and influence a wide range of stakeholders.

An outstanding communicator and collaborator, you possess a high level of diplomacy, tact and judgment – empowering and supporting those who you lead in a remote business environment.

Experience

• You will have 2 years or more Managing Director experience, preferably within the business-to-business services sector.
• You will be able to demonstrate your experience and your ability to lead all functional areas within an organisation across legal, HR, finance, operations, service delivery, sales and technical.
• You will have experience of P&L ownership of a business or full unit of an organisation.
• Your excellent problem-solving skills, gained through your collaborative leadership approach will be both agile and reasoned.
• With experience working in a business-critical solutions environment, often under pressure with shifting key variables you will be experienced in responding and adapting to challenges.

Knowledge, Skills & Abilities

You will have...

• General non-technical knowledge of the role Linux plays for organisations
• Skills to provide support and guidance to those you lead
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills
• Effective and well-developed interpersonal skills
• Computer literacy level to manage the organisation
• Experience in strategic planning, development, and evaluation
• Confidence and consistency in decision-making skills
• Resourcefulness and flexibility to meet the needs of the organisation and demands of the position
• The ability to work independently and as a team member to achieve outcomes and deadlines
• The ability to balance demands/priorities and manage effectively
• The ability to be a positive role model to the wider team
• Well-developed negotiation skills, together with the ability to tackle performance effectively
• Ideally a high degree of political sensitivity and experience of dealing with a range of issues
• The ability to lead within a remote team environment
• The ability to communicate and obtain buy-in at all levels of the organisation
• Resilience under pressure

Key Benefits

• £80k - £100k basic salary
• 35 Days annual leave (including bank holidays)
• Pension
• Remote working

If you wish to apply for this role, we respectfully ask that you please use the form on this page to submit your interest.

We treat each application in the strictest of confidence and with the highest degree of sensitivity, however, if you would like to arrange a confidential discussionprior to applying or to discuss the role further, please contact:

Anthony Graves

Email: anthony@cjpi.com

Call: +44(0)333 242 2404