Associate Director of Digital Development

Job overview

Having established strong digital foundations, we are now focused on using technology, data and innovation to transform care, improve patient outcomes, empower our workforce and deliver the Trust Strategy.

This is an exciting opportunity for a senior leader to influence the future of one of the NHS’s most ambitious digital programmes. As a key member of the leadership team, you will lead the development of the Trust’s digital capabilities, translating strategic ambition into tangible improvements for patients, staff and services.

You will help shape major transformation programmes, drive the adoption of innovative technologies, influence system-wide partnerships and create an environment where digital innovation can thrive.

Key responsibilities include:

• Leading a portfolio of digital development, innovation and transformation initiatives.
• Shaping the use of artificial intelligence, advanced analytics and automation to improve service delivery.
• Building and developing high-performing multidisciplinary teams.
• Influencing strategic decision-making at all levels.
• Working across organisational boundaries to deliver change.
• Improving patient care, staff experience, operational efficiency and performance.

This role offers the opportunity to leave a lasting legacy by helping create a digitally enabled organisation where technology is seamless, data drives decision-making and innovation is embraced.

Main duties of the job

Previous applicants should not re-apply

We are seeking a proven senior leader with substantial experience delivering complex digital transformation within large organisations. You will bring:

• A strong track record of leading major digital programmes.
• Experience developing digital, data and technology services.
• Excellent supplier and stakeholder management skills.
• Expertise in digital innovation, analytics, interoperability and emerging technologies.
• The ability to inspire teams and influence senior leaders.
• A passion for improving outcomes through technology.

The Associate Director of Digital Development is a key senior member of the Digital Data & Technology (DDaT) team, adding value for our patients through improving and developing digital services across the Trust and wider health and care system.

Ensure their teams are an effective component of the Trust’s Digital Data & Technology (DDaT) target operating model, working alongside others, delivering continuous overall improvement.

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

Oversee the move towards the adoption and development of more advanced analytics, and the Trust’s capabilities in understands big data, more leading-edge approaches to harvesting value from data, and working with partners across the system and region to grow that capability further.  • Support teams withing DDaT to be more innovative (ie: adioption of AI and predictive analytics) and take a lead role in unlocking research funding for data science, allowing the Trust to become  more research led.  • Lead the overall approach to digital development with respect to the best mix of solutions for what the Trust delivers in-house, and what is provided through external partners/suppliers.   • Bring together teams within DDaT that have previously worked separately – to drive significant improvement in how digital development is delivered.  • Overall responsibility for transition of legacy digital teams (e.g EPR) from being largely focussed on transactional activities, to becoming more oriented towards developing the full functional use and best value of the systems they support.   • Take a proactive and planned approach to talent management of the teams across DDaT development, ensuring professional growth of our own developers, and access to training and personal/professional development.  • Ensure that subject matter experts across DDaT Development work in a more joined-up way, and develop defined standards and good practice, to improve uer experience and overall performance.  • Oversee team development across the department, with a particular focus on ensuring that members of DDaT are skilled in interpreting and convert vague ideas and desires from clinical area teams into tightly defined and actionable digital changes.   • Improve the Trust’s policies and approach to digital QA and testing, better understanding client needs, user behaviour and intended patient outcomes, to deliver a more rigorous testing and QA service resulting in more effective and reliable implementation of digital solutions.   • Ensure that DDaT teams balance the needs of the Trust with the opportunities presented by suppliers, with a focus on being responsive to user and care group needs.   • Overall responsibility for ensuring effective integration of healthcare data across Trust systems, and the wider health economy, with interface priorities understood and aligned to deliver Trust strategies.  • Overall responsibility to ensure that DDaT Development minimises understands and is responsive to future IT demands of the Trust.  • Overall responsibility for DDaT Development teams to define and execute management processes for digital development, to control and deliver quality improved IT Services reliably, efficiently and effectively.  • Benchmark service costs to demonstrate value for money  • Monitor DDaT development, and ensure that it is governed by DDaT management structures with oversight and assurance from the Digital Services Group  • Ensure that all current and future capacity and performance aspects of the business requirements are provided cost effectively.  • Work closely with the leadership provided by the Digital Hospital Committee to manage delivery and programme streams, in line with the “Top Ten” Digital Programmes and the priority Care Group Digital Projects.  • Scope, mobilise and deliver projects and programmes in conjunction with operational colleagues.  • Make regular reports via the Digital Oversight Group and Digital Hospital Committee.  • Work closely with the DCDIO to provide oversight and assurance of delivery through the revamped Trust Digital Governance, Programme Boards, PMO and DDaT management meetings.  • Work with senior DDaT development and clinical colleagues bringing digital solutions successfully into the Trust to improve patient services.   • Develop relationships with suppliers and Digital seniors in the wider System to share ideas and opportunities for new solutions and mutual benefit.   • The post holder also has budget responsibility for Digital Development (annual value over £10m, including pay and non-pay) ensuring value for money for the Trust.  • Responsibility to drive financial economies and develop tight professional capability across all areas of Digital Development, including data science and advanced analytics, QA management, data architecture and interoperability.    • Identify opportunities through DDaT activities to create cost savings and income generation to support the Trust’s financial strategies. Support benefits achievement against all approved  Digitally based business cases.  • The post holder is responsible for providing inspiring leadership to several areas of DDaT  which are pivotal to the functioning of the Trust.