Head of Digital Portfolio

The Digital Technology and Security (DTaS) directorate is responsible for delivering our ambition to make the FCDO the world’s most technologically integrated and innovative foreign ministry. This means harnessing digital, data, technology, IT security and information management to deliver our diplomatic, development and consular aims, all while keeping our people and information safe, especially from hostile actors.

Main purpose of the job: When you join us in this important role, you’ll provide strategic oversight of our digital, data and technology portfolio as you lead a collaborative team of portfolio professionals, and inspire a culture of continuous improvement, collaboration and delivery excellence. Shaping and maintaining a robust governance framework, it will be your task to ensure effective prioritisation, resource allocation and risk management across a complex, high-value portfolio of products, services and programmes. Working closely with our senior stakeholders to maintain evidence-based investment decisions, we’ll also expect you to ensure benefits are clearly defined, and the portfolio adapts to changing priorities. Acting as a key advisor to your senior leadership colleagues, you’ll be committed to providing clear, data-driven insights and recommendations to inform decision-making at the highest levels of our organisation. Championing best practice in strategic portfolio management will be key to your success, as will supporting the development of business cases and ensuring reporting mechanisms are in place to track progress, manage interdependencies and deliver successful outcomes. You’ll have a number of additional day-to-day responsibilities – these include identifying, categorising and prioritising new demand for inclusion in service groups and the portfolio, establishing a clear governance framework and reporting system, coordinating reporting from service groups, and analysing performance at portfolio level.

Who we’re looking for: To be a success in this significant position you’ll have well developed experience of managing large-scale, complex digital and technology projects, and of using strategic portfolio management as a tool for organisational change. With proven practical knowledge of strategic risk management, agile planning cycles, problem solving and the ability to administer multiple interdependencies, your strong leadership skills will see you inspiring cross-functional teams and engaging, motivating and coaching on best practice processes. Candidates will ideally possess a Chartered Project Professional (ChPP), Managing Successful Programmes (MSP), or Management of Portfolios (MoP) certification, or demonstrate significant experience in successfully managing complex programmes or work or portfolios. Able to adopt a proactive approach to your work while focusing on the continuous improvement of yourself and the service, you’ll have the communication skills to identify, analyse and engage with stakeholders through a range of channels, ensuring that investment proposals align with our ambitious transformation objectives.

Please be aware that you must be a British Citizen at the time of application and be required to attain Developed Vetting (DV) security clearance. We value diversity and inclusion and actively encourage and welcome applications from all communities. Everyone here gets the support to develop their skills and capabilities as well as benefits that help to make the most of life in and out of work, including a Civil Service pension. Use your talent and experience to shape our nation’s future, and deliver tangible improvements to millions of lives, including your own. Apply before 11:55 pm on Monday 29th June 2026.