Balancing Innovation, Security, and Service: Transforming IT in a Dynamic Workplace

Kayleigh Rough, UKSBS Head of Digital Operations shares what a tech leader’s typical day looks like in UKSBS.

The world of IT is evolving fast—cloud computing, AI, and remote work technologies are reshaping the way we deliver shared business services and it’s an exciting time. In UKSBS, we’re embracing this digital revolution, ensuring our infrastructure, security, and service delivery power hybrid and flexible work like never before.

As Head of IT Operations, my role is a constant balancing act—leading transformational projects while ensuring our technology remains secure, seamless, and innovative. This can involve any manner of things! But first, like many working parents, my day starts early (5am workouts included!), checking in on overnight service performance, juggling school prep for my three children, and diving into strategic meetings and operational challenges. Each day is dynamic, balancing strategy, operations, stakeholder collaboration, and problem-solving—making the role both challenging and rewarding.

As a female leader in IT, I’m passionate about encouraging more women into STEM careers. The fast-paced, problem-solving nature of tech is incredibly rewarding, and I hope to inspire others considering this path.

Our priorities

Our priority is focused on technology as an enabler to providing the best service we can for ourselves and our clients providing an intuitive, user friendly experience whilst safeguarding against the increasingly sophisticated threats emerging. From implementing SaaS ERP platforms to AI-driven chatbots to keeping our services going, my role is making this happen. Supporting users, resolving issues, and improving daily workflows are top priorities.

Whether this is enhancing digital accessibility or implementing solutions like biometric logins, we strive for continuous improvement through small changes and improvements, based on user feedback. Milestones like major system upgrades or seamless migrations onto new platforms are technical successes we are really proud of and becoming more commonplace as UKSBS grows and implements more ERP platforms.

But we don’t just keep the lights on—we power the future! From AI-driven chatbots that instantly assist users to APIs that eliminate tedious manual work, we’re transforming the way technology supports our people. With tools like Co-Pilot, we’re making information more accessible, summarising key insights, and delivering crucial data in formats tailored to different audiences.

I’m privileged to be leading and working with so many colleagues in Digital and Information and across UKSBS who work tirelessly to meet organisational goals.

2 IT colleagues working together on laptop

More about Digital and Information in UKSBS

In D&I we deliver reliable, innovative, and user-friendly services that empower both users and teams. Through self-service solutions and collaboration tools like Microsoft Teams, Power BI, and APIs, we enhance efficiency, accessibility, and connectivity.

Our scalable solutions grow with the business, adapting to ever-changing needs, while data-driven insights fuel smarter decisions and sharper strategies. And when disruptions strike? We’ve got the resilience to keep critical operations running strong. By integrating cutting-edge IT with everyday work, we don’t just keep up with the digital era—we lead the way.