Job Title:    Director of Technology, China

Location:   Shanghai, China

About 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 SN Digital 

Over the past few years, Springer Nature has grown rapidly with SN Technology and SN Digital being a key contributor to our business goals. SN Digital is structured in Domains aligned with the business, with the aim to address scalability issues by uniting teams with a similar goal or focus to work together. 

Domains operate as a “network of teams” with a high degree of empowerment, strong communication, and rapid information flow. Teams within the Domain still have the same autonomy and responsibilities but are part of a wider ‘network of teams with a shared responsibility to collaborate and pull in the same direction.  The team is not only working towards the betterment of the team’s products or services, but in doing so they are also working towards achieving the goals of the Domain.   

About the role 

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 

• Evolve the 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 align with Springer Nature’s global goals. 
• Rapidly evaluate critical gaps in local capabilities and infrastructure. Challenge status quo and define trade-offs required for accelerated delivery. 
• Execute on post-MVP delivery plans, partnering with the Business stakeholders 
• 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. 
• Evolve the roadmap together with stakeholders with clear success metrics and assumptions; begin socialising with senior stakeholders. 

WITHIN 6 MONTHS 

• Deliver a validated, executive-endorsed China-specific Technology & Innovation Strategy—co-created with business, product, and global technology leader – 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 influenced by China 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 relevant business qualification is a strong plus. 
• Fluency in both Mandarin Chinese and English is essential. 

YOUR EXPERIENCE 

• Leadership: Proven experience as Director of Technology or Director of Engineering within a digital product development or technology consultancy environment.  
• Hands-on background: Previously worked as a developer or architect (Java / Kotlin / JVM stack + JavaScript/TypeScript).  
• Technical Expertise: Modern software delivery practices: CI/CD, containerization (Docker, Kubernetes), IaC (Terraform), monitoring, Cloud platforms (AWS, GCP, Alibaba Cloud)  
• Architectural expertise: Deep understanding of modern system architecture — microservices, APIs, cloud-native (AWS / GCP / Alibaba Cloud), CI/CD, and DevOps principles.  
• China specific Architecture and Infrastructure: Strong understanding of infrastructure and architecture challenges in China, including Great Firewall, low bandwidth, and data regulations.  
• Delivery ownership: Demonstrated success in delivering large-scale digital products (web or mobile) from discovery to production in agile environments.  
• Technical strategy: Able to set and communicate technical vision and strategy aligned with business goals and digital product objectives.  
• Team building and scaling: Deep experience in building and scaling cross-functional teams, ideally from scratch, and driving outcomes in matrixed, global organisations. 
• Language: Fluent in Mandarin Chinese and English; capable of translating between strategic vision and actionable technical plans. 
• Communication and Stakeholder Management: Strong communication and stakeholder management skills — comfortable influencing C-level and cross-functional teams.  
• Regional & Cultural fit: Experience working in or with China-based teams — familiarity with local cloud ecosystems, digital platforms (WeChat, Alibaba, Tencent), and regional compliance/regulatory nuances.  
• People: Advocates for team empowerment and freedom within a framework—enablement is viewed as a core leadership output. 

At Springer Nature, our mission is to be part of progress – and that begins with inclusion: of people, perspectives, and ideas. We believe that diverse perspectives drive progress, and we are committed to creating an environment where people and ideas can flourish. If you have any access needs related to disability, neurodivergence or a chronic condition, please contact us so we can make all necessary accommodation. Find out more about our DEI work here https://group.springernature.com/gp/group/taking-responsibility/diversity-equity-inclusion

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

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