Director of Digital Government for Business Programme - Department for Business and Trade - SCS2

Location: London, Darlington, Salford, Birmingham, Cardiff, Edinburgh, Belfast.

The Department for Business and Trade (DBT) is leading a cross‑government programme to radically improve how businesses interact with government digital services. This work will provide a single digital platform and simpler, proactive and more joined‑up way to access those services, via GOV.UK and its channels. The programme is central to DBT’s role in driving economic growth and improving the UK’s business environment. It also supports wider government ambitions to modernise public services and strengthen digital government. This is a high‑profile, system‑leading Director role, operating at the heart of government transformation.

You will work across departmental boundaries and with senior leaders in policy, delivery and digital functions to shape and deliver this major reform. As Director, you will act as Senior Responsible Owner (SRO) for the programme, leading delivery of one of government’s most significant and complex digital transformation initiatives. This is a unique opportunity to shape how millions of businesses engage with government.

Job Description

• Strategic leadership and ownership: Set a clear, compelling vision for a unified digital experience for businesses, aligned with DBT and wider government priorities. Act as Senior Responsible Owner, accountable for strategic outcomes, business case, delivery confidence and benefits realisation. Provide visible, inspirational leadership across departments to maintain alignment, pace and ambition.
• Programme governance and delivery oversight: Establish robust governance, ensuring effective assurance, risk management and decision making in a complex, cross‑government programme. Act as an intelligent client to digital delivery partners (including Government Digital Service), ensuring requirements are clearly defined and delivered effectively. Ensure the programme is strategically controlled, with appropriate programme management, reporting and performance oversight.
• Cross‑government leadership and engagement: Build and maintain effective relationships with senior leaders across government, including DSIT, Cabinet Office, HM Treasury, HMRC and Companies House, to secure commitment and alignment. Engage confidently with Ministers, Permanent Secretaries, Directors General, senior stakeholders and business representatives providing clear advice and securing decisions. Broker solutions across organisational, policy and delivery boundaries.
• Delivery mobilisation and capability: Design and mobilise a sustainable delivery model, ensuring the right skills, capability, structure and governance are in place over the Spending Review Period and beyond. Lead workforce and resourcing strategy across multiple organisations and delivery partners. Ensure long‑term capability building, value for money and scalable service delivery.
• Benefits, Value And Outcomes: Ensure delivery of measurable benefits for businesses, government and the wider economy. Champion user‑centred design, inclusion, security and trust. Embed evidence‑based decision making and continuous improvement.
• Leadership and culture: Build and lead an inclusive, high‑performing team across organisational boundaries, creating an inclusive, high‑performing culture that supports collaboration, accountability and innovation. Role model Civil Service Leadership Standards and DBT values. Contribute to DBT’s senior digital leadership and broader transformation agenda.

Person specification

• Strategic and Systems Leadership: Demonstrable ability to operate at a senior executive level (Director or equivalent), setting clear strategic direction, turning ambitions into plans and leading complex, cross‑organisation systems or portfolios to deliver large‑scale outcomes.
• Delivery of Major Complex Programmes: Significant experience leading large‑scale, high‑risk programmes as an SRO or equivalent, with a strong track record of delivering outcomes in complex environments.
• Digital and Transformation Leadership: Experience leading digital, data or service transformation, with a strong understanding of modern delivery approaches (including agile) and working effectively with technical delivery partners.
• Stakeholder and Political Leadership: Proven ability to influence and build alignment with senior stakeholders in complex multi‑organisation environments, including experience communicating at executive or board level (e.g. Ministers, senior officials, or equivalent) to articulate complex issues clearly, navigating political, commercial or organisational complexity.
• Governance, Risk and Financial Accountability: Strong experience of programme governance, assurance and risk management, alongside accountability for significant budgets and delivery of value for money.
• Inclusive Leadership and Organisational Capability Building: Evidence of building high‑performing, multi‑disciplinary, inclusive teams and developing organisational capability and culture to deliver sustained outcomes.