Head of service - 111 digital front end

This senior role leads the clinical direction, safety, and transformation of the NHS 111 Wales Digital Front End, including the 111 website, virtual assistants, symptom checkers, and integrated clinical decision support.

The post holder will ensure robust clinical governance, risk management, and regulatory compliance underpin all public-facing digital services, enabling safe innovation, improved access, and optimised patient flow across urgent and emergency care pathways. They will drive the design, implementation, and continuous improvement of digital clinical systems, ensuring alignment with organisational priorities and delivering measurable benefits in quality, safety, and efficiency.

Acting with a high degree of autonomy, the role provides expert strategic advice on digital clinical transformation, capital investment, and system integration, while leading complex programmes of change to embed advanced technologies into frontline care.

The post holder will operate at a national level, building and influencing partnerships with Welsh Government, Digital Health and Care Wales, NHS 111 partners, and commercial and academic stakeholders to shape and deliver a coherent, future-focused 111 digital offer.

The ability to speak Welsh is desirable for this post; Welsh and/or English speakers are equally welcome to apply.

In line with the Trust's Starting Salary Procedure, all applicants will start at the bottom of the band for the position applied for, but can apply for a higher salary if they have previous experience relevant to the position.

Main duties of the job

The post holder will lead the operational delivery and ongoing development of the NHS 111 Wales Digital Front End, ensuring public-facing services support safe, effective patient navigation across urgent and unscheduled care. This includes oversight of digital clinical pathways, triage, and online tools, ensuring they are clinically validated, user-focused, and outcome-driven.

They will be accountable for embedding robust clinical governance and risk management across all platforms, ensuring compliance with clinical safety, regulatory, and data protection standards. The role will oversee complex digital programmes, ensuring effective delivery, performance monitoring, and realisation of benefits aligned to quality, safety, and efficiency.

The post holder will work across organisational and national boundaries to align delivery, build capability, and drive innovation in digital clinical care. They will lead multidisciplinary teams, manage key stakeholder relationships, and support senior leadership, ensuring the 111 digital front end remains sustainable, high-performing, and future-ready.

Person Specification

Qualifications and Knowledge

• Master's degree in a clinically or digitally relevant field (e.g., Digital Health, Clinical Informatics, Advanced Clinical Practice), or equivalent experience
• Evidence of ongoing continuous professional development, especially in clinical digital health, AI, or digital clinical safety.
• Proven track record of leadership and management of transformational change programmes
• Registered clinician with the Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC) or Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC), or General Pharmaceutical Council (GPC).
• Professional certifications in digital transformation, AI, or information governance (e.g., PRINCE2).
• Understanding of digital content accessibility, usability, and user experience (UX) in public-facing health platforms.
• Familiarity with current developments in AI, machine learning, and digital symptom checking in healthcare.

Experience

• Significant experience leading and managing digital clinical system transformation in large, complex healthcare or public sector organisations.
• Strong experience in stakeholder engagement and management, including clinical staff, executive leaders, commercial agencies, technology vendors, and regulatory bodies, with a focus on digital clinical innovation.
• Experience in budgeting, financial planning, and resource allocation for digital health projects.
• Experiences in procurement rules, regulations and processes.
• Experience in leading organisational-level change for digital clinical systems, including change management and digital literacy training.

Skills and Attributes

• Strong leadership skills with the ability to inspire and motivate multidisciplinary digital and clinical teams.
• Adaptable problem-solving skills, critical reasoning, and creative thinking for digital clinical change.
• Demonstrates resilience, confidence, and self-belief under pressure, especially in digital clinical environments.
• Proven ability to identify digital clinical opportunities, develop solutions, and implement effective action plans.
• Flexibility and adaptability to manage rapid change in digital health technologies and public-facing platforms.
• Proactive in exploring and implementing new digital technologies
• Skills in optimising digital processes and systems for maximum efficiency and effectiveness.

Disclosure and Barring Service Check

This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975 and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Baring Service (formerly known as CRB) to check for any previous criminal convictions.