At a Glance
- Tasks: Lead digital products and platforms, driving major digital change for creativity and culture.
- Company: Arts Council England, the national agency for creativity and culture.
- Benefits: Competitive salary, generous leave, hybrid working, and extensive wellbeing support.
- Other info: Join a diverse team committed to inclusivity and professional development.
- Why this job: Make a real impact on the cultural landscape while leading innovative digital transformations.
- Qualifications: Proven strategic leadership in digital product delivery and strong stakeholder management skills.
The predicted salary is between 80000 - 85000 £ per year.
Responsible for leading digital products and platforms. Lead major digital change.
About Our Client
Arts Council England is the national development agency for creativity and culture. We help people in every corner of the country to experience and benefit from creativity. We do this by investing in artists and organisations that make and deliver exceptional, inspirational work for our communities. We set out our strategic vision in Let's Create that by 2030 we want England to be a country in which the creativity of each of us is valued and given the chance to flourish, and where every one of us has access to a remarkable range of high-quality cultural experiences. We invest public money from the Government and the National Lottery to help support the sector and to deliver this vision.
Job Description
Reporting directly to the Chief Digital & Information Officer, you will lead Arts Council England's digital products and platforms, including Grants Management, CRM, Museum and Cultural Property services, the digital workplace and new AI-enabled capabilities. You will be accountable for the strategy, investment decisions and governance that ensure these services are reliable, secure, accessible and meet public-sector requirements. These services are essential to how we fund and support the sector, meet our obligations, and serve applicants, funded organisations, staff and partners. You will work closely with the Technology Director to align product direction with architecture, operational resilience and service performance, and you will be the senior voice representing business needs in digital delivery decisions.
Key accountabilities:
- Set a clear vision and strategy for digital products and platforms.
- Lead and govern delivery across "run and improve" services and major transformation programmes.
- Ensure services meet standards for value for money, accessibility, security, data protection and assurance.
- Build strong relationships with senior stakeholders, the Executive Board and delivery partners.
- Develop a high-performing team, and create an inclusive, values-led culture.
Key responsibilities:
- Own the digital product and platform portfolio, setting priorities and balancing day-to-day service needs with longer-term change.
- Set direction for product roadmaps and investment, based on user needs, evidence and organisational priorities.
- Provide clear governance for design and change decisions, ensuring the right controls and pace of delivery.
- Be accountable for service performance, resilience and risk management, working with Technology to meet agreed service levels.
- Lead major digital change, including modernising legacy systems and improving integrations and data quality.
- Sponsor innovation where it adds value (including AI and automation), running controlled trials and scaling what works.
- Manage budgets and suppliers, ensuring strong contract performance, good commercial discipline and value for money.
- Lead, coach and develop the Digital team, planning capacity and building succession for key roles.
- Represent digital at senior forums, building alignment across Operations, Funding, Data & Insights and corporate functions.
Key relationships:
- Chief Digital and Information Officer
- Technology Director and Digital, Data & Technology leadership team
- Chief Data Officer and Data & Insights colleagues
- Executive Board, transformation governance groups and peer Directors
- Operational leaders across Funding and corporate services (e.g., Finance, HR, Procurement)
- External suppliers and delivery partners
The Successful Applicant
About you:
You are a strategic, credible leader who can work at the executive level and stay close enough to delivery to remove barriers and make good decisions. You communicate clearly with both technical and non-technical colleagues and can explain complex issues in plain English. You understand modern digital product and platform delivery, including user-centred design, integrations, data and good service management. You can lead and improve supplier performance and contracts, and you take a disciplined approach to value for money, risk and assurance. You lead collaboratively and invest in building a high-performing, inclusive team.
Essential requirements:
- Strong evidence of strategic leadership, delivery and commercial judgement.
- Senior leadership experience owning a portfolio of digital products/platforms across live service, improvement and transformation.
- Proven people leadership, including developing leaders and building a high-performing, inclusive team.
- Experience setting strategy and turning it into clear roadmaps, priorities, governance and measurable outcomes.
- Strong stakeholder management, able to influence Executive and Board-level decisions and build trust across the organisation.
- Commercial and financial management experience, including managing significant budgets (typically up to £5m) and leading supplier/partner performance.
- Good working knowledge of modern delivery and service approaches (e.g., agile/hybrid delivery, DevOps, continuous improvement) and when to use them.
- Experience ensuring services meet security and data protection requirements, with a working knowledge of recognised standards (e.g., ISO 27001 / NIST and UK GDPR).
Desirable requirements but not essential:
- A relevant degree or equivalent experience.
- Relevant professional qualifications (e.g., programme/project delivery, enterprise architecture or service management).
What's on Offer
- Salary: The role will pay a competitive salary up to £85,000 per annum.
- Pension scheme: The Arts Council retirement plan is a final salary scheme with contributions on a sliding scale.
- Annual leave: 25 days, plus bank holidays and an additional three days leave at Christmas. All staff also earn one additional leave day per full year of service (up to five days), and we offer a scheme to buy and sell annual leave. There is also a winter closure of three days between Christmas and New Year for all colleagues. We offer generous sick pay, paid maternity, paternity and adoptive parental leave, as well as up to five days a year for personal and religious reasons.
- Hybrid working: 1 day per week in the Manchester Office (factoring in flexibility when required).
- Life assurance: All staff members are automatically provided with life assurance cover.
- Wellbeing support: Our internal wellbeing strategy launched in 2021, and colleagues have access to a range of resources to support their wellbeing, including: Unmind: a workplace mental health platform. The Employee Assistance Programme: a confidential 24/7 telephone counselling service which offers impartial external advice and support on personal, legal, financial and line management issues, plus up to six counselling sessions per year. A fully trained team of internal Mental Health First Aiders.
- Learning & development: We invest in the growth and development of all our staff, including professional qualifications, in-house and external training courses, conferences, e-learning, apprenticeships and more. We encourage individuals and teams to keep learning and developing - as a gold standard Investor in People, we provide flexible and adaptable learning and development opportunities for staff at all levels.
- Shopping discounts: Exclusive savings on high street and online shops, holidays, cinema tickets, gym membership, dining out and more.
- Relocation support: Newly appointed staff who need to move residence are eligible to apply for up to £5,000 support.
- Travel loans: Interest-free loans for travel season tickets, as well as bicycle, car and motorbike loans for those who regularly use them for commuting.
Disabled, D/deaf and/or neurodivergent people and those from Black, Asian and Ethnically Diverse backgrounds are underrepresented in our workforce, so we particularly encourage applications from people in these groups. If you are disabled and your application meets the essential criteria for the post, we guarantee you an interview. Candidates who wish to apply under this scheme should indicate this on their cover letter under 'Candidate Personal Information' and then demonstrate within their cover letter how they have met the essential criteria for the role.
Contact: Rutesh Shah
Quote job ref: JN-
Job summary
Function: CIO & IT Leadership
Subsector: CIO & IT Leadership Subsector
Industry: Public Sector & Not-For-Profit
Location: Manchester
Contract type: Permanent
Director of Digital in Manchester employer: Page Executive
Arts Council England is an exceptional employer that champions creativity and culture across the nation, offering a dynamic work environment in Manchester. With a strong commitment to employee growth, we provide extensive learning and development opportunities, a supportive hybrid working model, and a comprehensive benefits package that includes generous leave, wellbeing resources, and competitive salaries. Join us in making a meaningful impact on communities while being part of an inclusive and values-led culture that prioritises collaboration and innovation.
StudySmarter Expert Advice🤫
We think this is how you could land Director of Digital in Manchester
✨Tip Number 1
Network like a pro! Get out there and connect with people in the industry. Attend events, join online forums, and don’t be shy about reaching out to folks on LinkedIn. You never know who might have the inside scoop on job openings!
✨Tip Number 2
Prepare for interviews by researching the company and its culture. Understand their digital products and platforms, and think about how your experience aligns with their goals. This will help you stand out as a candidate who truly gets what they’re about.
✨Tip Number 3
Practice your pitch! Be ready to explain your vision for digital leadership and how you can drive change. Keep it concise and engaging, so you leave a lasting impression on interviewers.
✨Tip Number 4
Don’t forget to apply through our website! It’s the best way to ensure your application gets seen. Plus, we love seeing candidates who are proactive about their job search!
We think you need these skills to ace Director of Digital in Manchester
Some tips for your application 🫡
Show Your Passion for Digital:When you're writing your application, let your enthusiasm for digital products and platforms shine through. We want to see how you can lead major digital change and make a real impact in the arts sector!
Tailor Your Experience:Make sure to highlight your relevant experience in digital leadership and strategy. We’re looking for someone who can set clear visions and priorities, so don’t hold back on showcasing your past successes!
Be Clear and Concise:We appreciate straightforward communication, so keep your language clear and to the point. Explain complex ideas in simple terms, just like you would to a non-technical colleague. It’ll help us understand your thought process better!
Apply Through Our Website:Don’t forget to submit your application through our website! It’s the best way for us to receive your details and ensures you’re considered for this exciting opportunity with Arts Council England.
How to prepare for a job interview at Page Executive
✨Know Your Digital Stuff
Make sure you brush up on the latest trends in digital products and platforms. Be ready to discuss your experience with user-centred design, integrations, and service management. This role is all about leading digital change, so showing your knowledge here will definitely impress.
✨Showcase Your Leadership Skills
Prepare examples of how you've successfully led teams and managed digital portfolios in the past. Highlight your ability to develop high-performing, inclusive teams and how you've navigated complex stakeholder relationships. This will demonstrate that you're not just a strategic thinker but also a doer.
✨Be Ready for Scenario Questions
Expect questions that ask how you would handle specific challenges related to digital transformation or service delivery. Think through potential scenarios beforehand and have clear, structured responses ready. This shows you can think on your feet and are prepared for the complexities of the role.
✨Align with Their Vision
Familiarise yourself with Arts Council England's strategic vision, 'Let's Create'. Be prepared to discuss how your experience and ideas align with their goals for creativity and culture in England. Showing that you understand and resonate with their mission will set you apart from other candidates.
