Job Title:    Director of Technology, China

Location:   Shanghai, China

About the Springer Nature

Springer Nature is one of the leading publishers of research in the world. We publish the largest number of journals and books and are a pioneer in open research. Through our leading brands, trusted for more than 180 years, we provide technology-enabled products, platforms and services that help researchers to uncover new ideas and share their discoveries, health professionals to stay at the forefront of medical science, and educators to advance learning. We are proud to be part of progress, working together with the communities we serve to share knowledge and bring greater understanding to the world. For more information, please visit about.springernature.com and @SpringerNature. 

About US 

This role is in our Springer Nature Technology division - a diverse group of over 700 people across our main locations in Germany, India, the Netherlands, Portugal, the United Kingdom, and the United States.  Visit https://group.springernature.com/ to learn more about who we are and what we do. 

The Department 

Join the Portfolio & Governance Office of our CIO, where our mantra is simple yet powerful: "Do the right things. Do things right." Our team is dedicated to building a strategic, consistent, and transparent approach to how information and technology empower our entire enterprise. We focus on two essential objectives: fostering a unified vision for IT across the organisation and ensuring our IT organisation consistently delivers value through efficiency and clarity. If you're passionate about driving meaningful changes at the intersection of technology, information, and business strategy, we’d love for you to be part of our mission! 

The Team 

The Business Architecture & Integration (BA&I) team, part of the Portfolio & Governance Office reporting to our CIO, is at the forefront of shaping and delivering transformative strategies that power Springer Nature’s success. We are a dynamic group of forward-thinkers, strategists and analysts who collaborate across the organisation to unlock opportunities, optimise processes, and drive meaningful change. 

As a key player in enterprise-level transformation, we bridge the gap between business aspirations and technology solutions. Our team defines and executes global

business architecture strategies, partners with stakeholders to discover customer-centric solutions and ensures seamless integration of acquired organisations into our ecosystem. Whether leading technical due diligence during M&A activities, orchestrating enterprise-wide business change or mentoring a thriving community of Business Analysts, our mission is clear: to create tangible business value, every day. 

By joining us, you’ll be part of a team that thrives on collaboration, embraces challenges, and is committed to delivering impactful outcomes. We value strategic thinking, curiosity, and a customer-first approach. Together, we’ll shape the future of Springer Nature by turning complexity into opportunity and ideas into action. 

At Springer Nature, we believe that diverse teams drive innovation and better outcomes. We are committed to creating an inclusive environment where all individuals feel welcomed, valued, and empowered to thrive. 

If you’re ready to be part of a team that drives strategic transformation, fosters innovation, and sets the standard for excellence, we’d love to hear from you. 

Job Summary 

Springer Nature is seeking a highly skilled and dynamic Director of Technology to lead our technology hub in China. This is a pivotal leadership role to enable our Chinese market strategy by adapting global products and platforms to local end-users and internal stakeholders. You will define and execute a China-specific technology strategy, drive innovation and compliance, and align local execution with global strategic goals. 

The role requires a strategic, pragmatic, and adaptive leader who thrives in complexity, navigates ambiguity with confidence, and actively pushes for the right things to happen—despite constraints. You will build a high-performing team, establish delivery foundations, and serve as a key voice shaping Springer Nature’s global technology footprint through the lens of local market needs. 

Key Responsibilities  

DAY-TO-DAY RESPONSIBILITIES 

Serve as the most senior technology leader for the China market, accountable for delivering local outcomes while ensuring alignment with global strategies. Build and lead a cross-functional technology team, instilling a culture of ownership, collaboration, and high performance. Foster clear, strategic communication across internal and external stakeholders; create compelling narratives to engage decision-makers. Oversee digital infrastructure and ensure scalable, cost-effective, and compliant systems in line with local and global requirements. Lead local IT operations, support, and vendor management to ensure business continuity and alignment with governance expectations. Continuously surface local constraints, risks, and opportunities to global partners, offering actionable recommendations. Champion adaptive leadership, fast learning, and a culture of safe experimentation. Manage the local technology budget, procurement, and vendor partnerships, ensuring cost-effective resourcing and compliance with global governance standards. 

FIRST 3 MONTHS 

Establish a local technology hub with key hires and organisational structure definition. Conduct a deep dive into China’s business goals, market dynamics, and user behaviours to deliver a 5-year China Tech & Innovation Strategy that also aligns with Springer Nature’s global goals. Rapidly evaluate critical gaps in local capabilities and infrastructure. Challenge the status quo and define the trade-offs required for accelerated delivery. Begin pressure testing existing global systems for local suitability and raise concerns with clear escalation paths. Build internal coalitions with China business leadership, product teams, and global Tech leaders. Establish yourself as a trusted partner. Share an early roadmap draft with clear success metrics and assumptions; begin socialising with senior stakeholders. Proactively shape communication channels and narratives across global teams to clarify the China tech hub’s role, purpose, and value proposition. 

WITHIN 6 MONTHS 

Deliver a validated, executive-endorsed China-specific Technology & Innovation Strategy—co-created with business, product, and global technology leaders – that also aligns with Springer Nature’s global goals. Establish operating model foundation: team structure, interfaces with global platforms, decision rights, and local delivery capabilities. Lead at least one high-impact local tech initiative tied to customer experience or product launch, demonstrating the value of local investment. Propose a clear approach to “build vs. Integrate" decisions for local capabilities, with supporting data and stakeholder input. Activate a communication plan and begin delivering regular updates and insights to global and local stakeholders. Push forward regulatory, infrastructure, and architectural decisions to remove delivery bottlenecks—balancing urgency with compliance. 

WITHIN 12 MONTHS 

Show measurable progress in local customer experience, product adaptability, and internal operational efficiency enabled by local tech. Embed a cross-functional delivery rhythm between local and global teams; clarify delivery responsibilities and roadmap staging across functions. Launch the first version of a “China Tech Hub Playbook” and strategic artefacts that ensure internal alignment and stakeholder confidence. Drive visible changes to global product and tech roadmaps that are influenced by China's needs. Demonstrate strategic influence beyond implementation. Adapt the hub’s resourcing and execution model based on learnings, maintaining progress while navigating geopolitical uncertainty. Role-model adaptive leadership: respond effectively to shifts in business needs while sustaining clarity, pace, and alignment across teams. 

About YOU 

YOUR QUALIFICATIONS 

Bachelor's or Master's degree in computer science, information technology, or a related field.  MBA or a relevant business qualification is a strong plus. Fluency in both Mandarin Chinese and English is essential. 

YOUR EXPERIENCE 

Proven senior technology leadership experience (8+ years), ideally in academic or digital publishing, with significant exposure to China market dynamics. Strong understanding of infrastructure and architecture challenges in China, including the Great Firewall, low bandwidth, and data regulations. Deep experience in building and scaling cross-functional teams, ideally from scratch, and driving outcomes in matrixed, global organisations. Fluent in Mandarin Chinese and English; capable of translating between strategic vision and actionable technical plans. Strong communicator and storyteller, capable of confidently engaging senior stakeholders and aligning diverse perspectives. Skilled in leading through ambiguity and organisational change; able to build shared understanding and clarity where none exists. Track record of challenging assumptions, influencing delivery models, and holding peers and partners accountable to outcomes. Adaptive and pragmatic: comfortable with shifting plans, yet persistent in pushing for long-term progress and enabling conditions. Committed to inclusive leadership, psychological safety, and championing diversity, equity, and belonging. Comfortable with risk-based decision-making, learning through experimentation, and moving forward in uncertainty. Advocates for team empowerment and freedom within a framework—enablement is viewed as a core leadership output. Actively supports diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI); committed to making Springer Nature Technology a more inclusive workplace. 

At Springer Nature, we value the diversity of our teams and work to build an inclusive culture, where people are treated fairly and can bring their differences to work and thrive. We empower our colleagues and value their diverse perspectives as we strive to attract, nurture and develop the very best talent. Springer Nature was awarded Diversity Team of the Year at the 2022 British Diversity Awards. Find out more about our DEI work here https://group.springernature.com/gp/group/taking-responsibility/diversity-equity-inclusion

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For more information about career opportunities in Springer Nature please visit https://springernature.wd3.myworkdayjobs.com/SpringerNatureCareers/

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