Director of Digital Strategy & Programmes

Job Overview

The Director of Digital Strategy & Programmes provides senior leadership for the development, delivery, and ongoing oversight of the Trust’s Digital, Data and Technology Strategy. They are responsible for strategic planning, prioritisation, investment assurance, and the successful delivery of major digital programmes across the Trust.

Main duties of the job

The postholder will lead the Trust’s Digital PMO, ensuring robust governance, transparent reporting, modern transformation approaches and effective delivery of a multi-million-pound digital programme portfolio. They will oversee capital and revenue planning for digital, ensuring investment decisions align with clinical, operational, and corporate priorities and deliver measurable value.

Working for our organisation

The role forms part of the senior digital leadership triad, alongside the Director of Digital Health Delivery and the Director of Technology & Infrastructure, under the overall leadership of the Chief Digital Officer.

Detailed Job Description And Main Responsibilities

Main Duties and Responsibilities

• Strategic Leadership
• Lead the development, delivery and periodic refresh of the Trust’s Digital, Data and Technology Strategy.
• Ensure alignment with national and regional frameworks, including What Good Looks Like (WGLL), Minimum Digital Foundations, and ICS-wide strategies.
• Provide expert advice on digital strategy, policy, transformation and long-term planning to the Chief Digital Officer and Trust Board.
• Establish a Trust-wide digital roadmap that integrates infrastructure, clinical systems, data, cyber security, and workforce capabilities.
• Ensure the digital strategy is translated into clear, deliverable programmes with defined outcomes and benefits.
• Ensure digital delivery stays in alignment with the Trust’s objectives and wider transformational aims.
• Programme Leadership and Portfolio Oversight
• Lead the Trust’s Digital PMO, ensuring consistent governance, assurance, project and programme management and transformation methodology and prioritisation across all digital programmes.
• Oversee a multi-million-pound capital and revenue digital investment portfolio, ensuring transparency, control, and value for money.
• Ensure all programmes meet NHS assurance standards, including business case requirements, digital technology assessments and gateway reviews.
• Lead benefits management, outcomes reporting, and strategic risk mitigation across the digital portfolio.
• Provide regular reports to the Digital Board, Trust Board, and relevant committees on programme performance, risks, and delivery confidence.
• Strategic Planning, Investment and Delivery Assurance
• Lead strategic planning for digital investment, ensuring alignment with clinical and corporate priorities.
• Develop robust business cases for major digital and data initiatives, demonstrating patient benefit, clinical safety, financial value, and sustainability.
• Lead the prioritisation of digital programmes, ensuring resources are allocated to deliver maximum organisational and system value.
• Oversee digital resource planning, long-term financial forecasting, and external funding opportunities.
• Ensure digital delivery frameworks support high-quality programme and digital transformation execution, assurance and governance.
• Policy, Alignment and System Collaboration
• Ensure the Trust’s digital strategy and programmes support ICS, regional and national priorities.
• Represent the Trust at regional and national digital forums and contribute to system-wide strategy development and delivery.
• Collaborate with partner organisations to enable interoperability, shared care records, and cross-system digital transformation.
• Maintain strategic relationships with key suppliers and partners to ensure effective delivery and value.
• Leadership and Workforce Development
• Provide visible and inclusive leadership across digital strategy, PMO, and strategic planning functions.
• Build and develop a high-performing team capable of delivering complex digital programmes.
• Promote best practice programme management in line with NHS and government standards.
• Support professional development aligned to the NHS Digital, Data and Technology Profession Capability Framework.
• Champion staff wellbeing, diversity, and equality of opportunity.
  
  

Person specification

Education And Qualifications

Essential criteria

• Educated to master’s level or equivalent senior leadership experience.
  
  

Desirable criteria

• Formal qualification in programme/project management (MSP, PRINCE2, Agile)
• Formal qualifications in change management or equivalent
  
  

Experience

Essential criteria

• Extensive experience leading digital strategy, digital transformation, or large programme portfolios in the NHS, ideally across multiple organisations or organisation of a similar size to CNWL
• Experience in strategic planning, business case development, and investment prioritisation
• Experience establishing or leading PMO functions and programme governance frameworks
  
  

Desirable criteria

• Experience working at ICS or regional level on shared digital priorities
• Experience within mental health, community or integrated care settings
  
  

Knowledge and Skills

Essential criteria

• Strong understanding of national NHS digital, data, and technology policy
• Proven track record in delivering multi-million-pound digital or technology programme portfolios
• Excellent communication, influencing, and stakeholder management skills with the ability to engage effectively at Board level
  
  

Desirable criteria

• Knowledge of clinical safety standards and digital assurance processes