Head of Digital and Technology Solutions

Main purpose of the role

CIFF aims to be more productive, data-driven and operationally agile through responsible use of technology, automation, artificial intelligence and stronger knowledge management. The vision of the Operations team is to: “PROTECT, CONNECT and EMPOWER CIFF and its partners to deliver greater impact for children by enabling the foundation to turn ambition into action, as effectively and safely as possible”. This role is responsible for implementing this vision from a digital and technology perspective, providing organisation-wide leadership for the digital and technology operating model needed to realise that ambition.

The role is accountable for CIFF’s IT service delivery, technical platforms, enterprise architecture and integrations, cyber security, reliability and technical service performance. It has overall accountability for the resilience and effectiveness of CIFF’s technology estate, technology investment, and associated enterprise technology risks.

Of particular importance is the responsible adoption of AI throughout CIFF’s operations and wider work. It enables business owners to own system purpose, outcomes, priorities, controls, processes, data definitions and outputs, while ensuring agreed changes are technically feasible, secure, integrated and sustainable.

Working through the Systems Steering Committee and in partnership with senior system owners as part of the committee, it will enable CIFF programme teams to further develop and enable data capability in strategic grantees, directly supporting sustainable delivery of CIFF’s objectives and strengthening the field. This role also oversees CIFF’s cyber security systems and culture, which is one of the top risks facing CIFF, ensuring the continuity of our operations and the security of our data is a key responsibility. A key component of the role is developing proposals and approaches for the use of technology to protect the organisation, from cyber security infrastructure to programmatic due diligence and monitoring.

The role reports to the Chief Administrative Officer and provides strategic advice to the Executive Team and Board, partners with programme and operational leaders, and develops the technical and human capability required to use technology, data and AI effectively. It also supports programme teams and selected partners on data, technology and cyber security where this advances CIFF’s missions.

The role leads the Digital & Technology Solutions (DTS) function and works closely with the staff responsible for IT Service Delivery and AI and Business Intelligence, ensuring that CIFF’s technology estate remains secure, resilient, well governed and responsive to users.

Role responsibilities

Strategy & planning

• Set and maintain CIFF’s digital and technology strategy, operating model and enterprise roadmap, aligned to CIFF’s strategic scaling approach (i.e. increasing our impact, while not increasing the operational footprint) and the organisation’s priorities for productivity, data, automation, AI and knowledge management.
• Own the technical roadmap for CIFF’s IT service delivery, shared platforms, architecture, integrations, security and reliability, and present strategic developments and material risks to the Executive Team and relevant Board committees as necessary.
• Act as the senior technical lead to the Systems SteerCo, supporting the Chair and Executive Sponsor to implement the OPS vision across systems. Provide transparent pipeline management, technical advice and prioritisation across business owners, escalating unresolved enterprise trade-offs to the Executive Sponsor or Executive Team where required.
• Provide compelling, consistent, and united leadership which creates clarity for all staff in the team across all locations and builds a sense of shared accountability for its success and that of the organisation.
• Develop and maintain excellent external relationships within the sector specialism, always acting as an ambassador for CIFF and its missions, to help build the organisation’s reputation and profile as a professional, visionary, and collaborative philanthropy, using the best technology responsibly to increase the impact of its missions for children.
• Ensure continuity of service, technology resilience and data security which supports and enables CIFFs hybrid working approach, including appropriate recovery and continuity arrangements for critical systems and services. Ensure high standards for operational performance, customer satisfaction and cyber security, and effective preparedness, escalation and response to major cyber or technology incidents. The role reports annually to the Executive Team and the Finance, Audit, and Investment Committee on cyber security, or more frequently if required as a result of incidents or specific risks.

Delivery & performance

• Work closely with and support the Head of IT Service Delivery to ensure the highest standards of IT service delivery, ensuring staff are enabled with the most effective and efficient technology products, from systems through to hardware.
• Work with the Head of AI and Business Intelligence and business owners to establish responsible AI governance, identify high‑value use cases, build organisational capability, and ensure that AI tools, automation, analytics and data products are secure, ethical, well controlled and aligned to business priorities, all of which is documented and maintained in CIFF’s AI Norms of use which will be regularly reviewed and updated. Drive responsible adoption of AI and automation across CIFF, with clear measures of adoption, productivity, quality and organisational value.
• Represent CIFF with peer organisations, including COOs, CAOs and IT leads for other funders as well as our strategic grantees. Leveraging knowledge to co-create capacity building programmes for the sector, for example as part of the OPN.
• Partner with business and system owners to translate agreed outcomes, process designs, controls, data standards and service requirements into secure, integrated and deliverable technical solutions, with clear accountabilities for change approval, risk, supplier performance, continuity and decommissioning.
• Manage the enterprise pipeline and support the Systems SteerCo to prioritise system changes across business owners, with decision‑making at SteerCo level and escalation to the Executive Team where required.

Leadership of the team

• Offer inspiring and motivational leadership that role models CIFF’s values and leadership behaviours and empowers and enables staff across all locations to deliver excellence.
• Adopt a coaching approach with colleagues which instils a culture of openness and trust, embraces diverse thinking, and encourages continuous improvement and learning.
• Provide ongoing support to all direct reports, ensuring high performance is enabled through objective setting, clear accountabilities, and regular review.
• Design and maintain a clear DTS operating model spanning enterprise architecture, cyber security, technical platforms and integrations, service delivery, data and business intelligence, AI enablement and system change delivery, with effective interfaces to business owners and Operations.
• Lead the DTS team and provide clear direction and accountability across the wider technology leadership structure, including the staff responsible for IT Service Delivery and AI and Business Intelligence and with the leaders of enterprise architecture and system change delivery.

Stakeholder and partner management

• Work closely with the CAO, Executive Team, Director of Operations, London, senior members of the Programme teams and forums such as the Employee Forum to keep up to date on issues, opportunities and strategies to ensure that the views of all relevant stakeholders are represented as best as possible as part of the DTS operating model and executable plans.
• Oversee strategic technology suppliers and shared technical contracts, ensuring that CIFF’s systems remain secure, resilient, highly available and cost effective. Clarify where business owners are accountable for supplier value and performance, while DTS manages technical relationships, incidents, releases, integrations and operational risk.
• Advise and support DTS team in identifying, negotiating with, and managing appropriate vendors / partners (as required), to enable CIFF to maximise its philanthropic impact through effective collaboration.

Skills & Experience

• Significant experience leading digital and technology strategy and operations in an organisation of comparable complexity to CIFF, including systems governance, enterprise architecture, cyber security, service delivery, business change, data and responsible adoption of AI.
• Excellent interpersonal and relationship building skills, including at executive and board level, programme/sector senior leadership.
• Line management experience, able to manage an international team as a coherent unit to deliver round the clock support and security as well as get the best out of the whole team in a multi‑faceted operating model.
• Strong technical grounding, with the credibility to oversee architecture, integrations, cloud and workplace platforms, cyber security, data and AI governance, service resilience and complex supplier ecosystems.
• Expert in strategic management of third‑party service providers.
• Experience working internationally in highly professional organisations.
• Excellent English written and oral communication skills.
• Self‑starter with the ability to work and prioritise activities without supervision.
• Ability to prioritise well and manage business expectations.
• Passionate about and eager to contribute to the work that CIFF does.
• Capacity to work in a range of cultural and socio‑economic contexts, adapting style and approach appropriately and in a culturally sensitive manner to maximise effectiveness.

Management dimensions

• Total staff numbers within the DTS team: approximately 12 across CIFF's office
• Contributes to the effective performance of the Operations and Programme Support portfolio and provides technical leadership across CIFF’s system‑owner community.

CIFF operates a hybrid work policy across all locations, which means employees work in the office and some of the time from home. We are happy to provide more information on this as part of the recruitment process.

Alongside a competitive salary we offer a generous benefits package here at CIFF that includes, but is not limited to the following.

• Annual leave - 25 days per annum. Increasing by 1 day after each year of service to a maximum of 30 days.
• Bonus - CIFF currently operates a discretionary bonus scheme.
• Training allowance
• Wellbeing allowance
• Life insurance
• Medical insurance

CIFF reserves the right to close the job advert early if we receive a high number of suitable applications.