Strategic Leader — Digital, Data & Technology in Bristol

Digital, data and technology are central to how we deliver safe, reliable and joined-up care for our communities. We're recruiting an Interim Head of Digital, Data and Technology on a fixed-term basis to provide senior leadership across our digital and solution architecture, data capability, cyber security, information governance, operational IT foundations and team development. This is a senior, high-autonomy role with organisation-wide accountability. Reporting to the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) and sitting on our Extended Leadership Team, you'll provide clear direction, assurance and professional leadership across digital, data and technology.

This role will suit someone with strong senior leadership across digital architecture, solution architecture, data, information governance, cyber security & operational IT. It is less likely to suit candidates whose experience is mainly broad business transformation or change delivery without senior accountability for digital architecture, data governance, solution design or information risk.

You’ll bring:

• Significant senior leadership experience across digital, data and technology, with organisation-wide accountability.
• Proven ability to define, own & maintain a digital, data and technology architecture across systems, infrastructure, data and integrations.
• Strong understanding of solution architecture, including how systems, integrations, data flows, cyber security, user needs and operational requirements fit together in a safe and supportable design.
• Strong operational IT leadership experience, including responsibility for service continuity in complex or 24/7 environments.
• Experience building, developing or reshaping high-performing digital, data or technology teams, with clear standards, accountability and a supportive leadership style.
• Experience leading or providing senior direction to data capability, including data governance, reporting, analytics, business intelligence and/or data engineering.
• Strong understanding of information governance, data protection, cyber security and information risk requirements in regulated environments, including the role of the SIRO.
• Confidence operating at, or closely with, SIRO-level responsibilities, including assurance to senior leaders and/or Boards.
• Experience providing clear assurance on performance, risk, compliance and resilience to senior leaders and/or Boards.
• Excellent communication and influencing skills, including the ability to explain complex technical issues to non-technical audiences.

You’ll provide organisation-wide leadership for digital and technology, including:

• Defining and maintaining a clear, coherent digital, data and technology architecture across systems, infrastructure, data, applications and integrations.
• Establishing clear solution architecture principles and design governance, ensuring new systems, integrations and digital changes are safe, supportable, secure and aligned to BrisDoc's wider architecture.
• Developing a realistic, costed roadmap for digital, data and technology improvement, aligned to BrisDoc's organisational priorities and future growth.
• Leading BrisDoc's data capability, including data governance, reporting, analytics, business intelligence and data engineering.
• Providing senior leadership to a growing data team, including a Senior Data Engineer, Senior Business Analyst and Data Scientist.
• Leading our digital/IT support function, including first and second line support, service levels, escalation routes and supplier support.
• Building and developing a high-performing Digital, Data and Technology function, with clear roles, standards, priorities and ways of working across support, data, suppliers and governance.
• Keeping BrisDoc's digital infrastructure secure, reliable, scalable and resilient, supporting 24/7 service delivery.
• Acting as BrisDoc's Senior Information Risk Owner (SIRO), with oversight of information risk, information governance and data protection arrangements.
• Providing clear assurance to the CEO, Directors and Board on digital risk, cyber security, information governance, data protection and service resilience.
• Leading cyber security arrangements, including relevant accreditations, incident preparedness and proactive cyber risk management.
• Ensuring data is collected, stored, processed, shared and reported lawfully, securely and effectively.
• Overseeing the maintenance and development of applications, ensuring they remain supportable, secure and aligned to operational needs.
• Working closely with the Business Transformation Lead to make sure wider change is digitally safe, data-informed and operationally sustainable.
• Managing digital, data and technology budgets with the Commercial and Finance Director, ensuring value for money.
• Leading suppliers and contracts as an intelligent client, holding providers to account and advising on internal versus third-party delivery.
• Supporting Emergency Preparedness, Resilience and Response (EPRR), making sure data, digital and technology arrangements enable safe and responsive services.
• Building strong working relationships across clinical, operational, corporate and leadership teams.

Person Specification

Essential:

• Significant experience operating at a senior professional or leadership level within digital, data and technology functions.
• Proven track record of leading and delivering digital, data and technology improvements with organisation-wide impact.
• Proven ability to define, own and maintain a digital, data and technology architecture across systems, infrastructure, data and integrations.
• Strong understanding of solution architecture, including how systems, integrations, data flows, cyber security, user needs and operational requirements fit together in a safe and supportable design.
• Strong operational IT leadership experience, including responsibility for service continuity in complex or 24/7 environments.
• Experience building, developing or reshaping high-performing digital, data or technology teams, with clear standards, accountability and a supportive leadership style.
• Experience leading or providing senior direction to data capability, including data governance, reporting, analytics, business intelligence and/or data engineering.
• Experience of applying recognised service management and project delivery frameworks, for example ITIL, PRINCE2 or equivalent, pragmatically.
• Ability to translate organisational strategy into clear, prioritised digital, data and technology plans.
• Demonstrable experience managing digital, data and technology budgets, contracts and supplier relationships.
• Strong understanding of information governance, data protection, cyber security and information risk requirements in regulated environments, including the role of the SIRO.
• Confidence operating at, or closely with, SIRO-level responsibilities, including assurance to senior leaders and/or Boards.
• Experience providing clear assurance on performance, risk, compliance and resilience to senior leaders and/or Boards.
• Excellent communication and influencing skills, including the ability to explain complex technical issues to non-technical audiences.

Desirable:

• Experience of digital, data and technology leadership within healthcare, primary care, urgent care, the NHS or another regulated public service environment.
• Understanding of NHS or NHS‑adjacent digital, data, contractual and regulatory contexts.
• Experience with the NHS Data Security and Protection Toolkit, Caldicott principles, information asset ownership or similar governance arrangements.
• Experience establishing or strengthening digital governance, such as architecture boards, design authority, solution review processes, risk reporting, policies and assurance routes.
• Experience leading blended teams across in‑house digital/IT colleagues, data specialists, suppliers and managed service providers.
• Experience reviewing legacy systems and creating a realistic roadmap for rationalisation, resilience and improvement.
• Experience strengthening cyber security arrangements, incident response, disaster recovery and business continuity.
• Experience supporting EPRR through robust digital, data and technology arrangements.

Personal Attributes

Essential:

• Demonstrates confidence, integrity and sound professional judgement when operating with high levels of autonomy and organisational impact.
• Resilient and composed under pressure, able to manage challenge and uncertainty without loss of focus or credibility.
• Adaptable and pragmatic, able to adjust approach in response to organisational need while maintaining clear priorities.
• Collaborative and inclusive in style, building trust and effective working relationships across professional and organisational boundaries.
• Clear and constructive when challenge is needed, balancing risk, pace, cost and operational need.
• Develops people and creates the conditions for a high-performing team.
• Outcome-focused and accountable, taking ownership for delivery, risk and organisational impact rather than personal activity.

This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975 and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service (formerly known as CRB) to check for any previous criminal convictions.

Employer name: BrisDoc Healthcare Services

Address: Unit 21 Osprey Court, Hawkfield Business Park, Whitchurch Bristol BS14 0BB United Kingdom

Employer's website: https://brisdoc.co.uk

Contract: Fixed term

Duration: 24 months