Job Summary
We are delighted to offer an opportunity for an experienced and visionary leader to join our team as Head of Digital. This is a full‑time role with occasional on‑call responsibilities, reporting directly to the Chief Operating Officer and working closely with the Senior Information Risk Owner (SIRO) and Caldicott Guardian (CG).
You will lead Cumbria Health's digital strategy, ensuring compliance with national standards while overseeing digital systems, data analytics, and performance reporting to drive innovation and informed decision‑making.
Key Qualifications
* Proven experience in delivering complex digital strategies and transformation in healthcare or other regulated environments.
* Strong understanding of NHS information governance, DSPT compliance, and digital security standards.
* Excellent communication and stakeholder management skills, with the ability to influence at Board level.
* Demonstrated success in leading teams through change and driving continuous improvement.
Responsibilities
* Strategic Leadership and Digital Transformation
o Lead the development, implementation, and continuous improvement of the digital strategy, aligning it with organisational objectives and national NHS digital priorities.
o Provide strategic leadership on all matters related to digital innovation, transformation, and technology adoption, fostering a culture of digital excellence across the organisation.
o Act as the senior advisor to the Board and Executive Team on digital capability, emerging technologies, data strategy, and information governance.
o Champion digital inclusion, accessibility, and user‑centred design principles in the development of new digital services.
o Identify opportunities for digital collaboration and integration with system partners, including NCIC and MBHT digital teams.
o Represent the organisation at regional and national Digital Boards and forums, ensuring the organisation remains aligned with wider system initiatives.
* Performance and Data Management
o Oversee the collection, analysis, and reporting of performance data on a daily, weekly, monthly, and quarterly basis, ensuring accuracy, consistency, and insight‑driven decision‑making.
o Develop and maintain digital performance dashboards for governance structure, including but not limited to the Board, Executive team, Performance Group, Senior Management, Senior Leadership team and weekly operational meetings, providing clear visibility of key metrics and outcomes.
o Proactively identify trends, risks, and opportunities within performance data and make strategic recommendations for improvement.
o Lead on the production of ad‑hoc analytical reports, ensuring timely and accurate data to support operational and clinical decision‑making.
o Oversee analysis and reporting of all organisation KPIs, ensuring compliance with contractual and regulatory obligations.
* Information Governance and Compliance
o Serve as the management lead for Information Governance, reporting to the SIRO and Caldicott Guardian.
o Ensure full completion and compliance of the Data Security and Protection Toolkit (DSPT) at the required level, including oversight of improvement plans and risk mitigation.
o Maintain a robust information governance framework, ensuring all digital and data‑related activities comply with legislative and NHS requirements (including GDPR, DSPT, and CQC standards).
o Provide strategic oversight and assurance that all organisational systems meet CQC and NHS Digital requirements.
* Digital Systems and Infrastructure Management
o Act as organisational asset owner for all digital systems (including Adastra, Attend Anywhere, Power BI, Opex, EMIS, and others), ensuring they are secure, efficient, and effectively utilised.
o Oversee the management and maintenance of IT and telephony systems, ensuring high performance, reliability, and business continuity.
o Lead on all telephony services across the organisation, ensuring up‑to‑date technology, effective voice recording systems, and user satisfaction.
o Regularly review IT providers, contracts, and licences to ensure value for money, compliance, and alignment with organisational needs.
o Coordinate the procurement and purchasing of digital and telephony equipment across North and South Cumbria, ensuring standardisation and cost efficiency.
o Ensure all contracts and service agreements are effectively performance‑managed and deliver against agreed KPIs and SLAs.
* Financial and Resource Management
o Work in partnership with the Finance Director and Finance Department to support annual budget planning and forecasting for digital and performance functions.
o Identify and implement opportunities for cost efficiencies through better use of technology and improved supplier management.
o Review supplier performance to ensure Cumbria Health achieves the best value for digital investments.
* Clinical and Operational Support
o Provide support to the Medical Director to ensure clinician audits are completed on time, to a high standard, and supported by accurate data analysis.
o Collaborate with operational leads to ensure digital tools and data insights are effectively supporting clinical quality, safety, and service delivery.
* Leadership and Organisational Development
o Actively contribute to the development and improvement of professional and corporate standards, policies, and procedures relating to digital, information governance, and performance.
o Take accountability for IT and telephony policies, ensuring they remain current, compliant, and fit for purpose.
o Lead, mentor, and develop the Digital and Performance team, fostering a culture of continuous improvement, innovation, and collaboration.
o Promote digital literacy and capability across the organisation through training, engagement, and partnership working.
* Other Duties
o Ensure all organisational digital systems and practices are resilient, secure, and scalable to support future growth and innovation.
o Undertake any other reasonable duties commensurate with the role and aligned to organisational priorities, subject to training and capability.
Person Specification
* Personal Circumstances – Essential
o Resilient
o Well organised
o Ability to build rapport and effective relationships at all levels
o Demonstrate initiative
* Qualifications – Essential
o Degree level of education or equivalent experience
* Qualifications – Desirable
o Master level qualification in relevant field
o Relevant professional qualification in Digital, IT, or Data Management
* Knowledge – Essential
o Thorough knowledge of a Patient Administration System / data capture processes
o Understanding of data quality issues, identification, correction and prevention of future issues
* Knowledge – Desirable
o Knowledge of interoperability standards and system integration within NHS environments
* Skills and Aptitudes – Essential
o Ability to interpret and convert data to management information
o Ability to design and develop information systems
o Respect confidentiality of patient information
o Problem solving and analytic skills
o Demonstrate excellent organisational skills
o Advanced Microsoft office skills
o Advanced Excel Skills
o Able to prioritise workload effectively
o Demonstrate good attention to detail
o Report writing skills
o Ability to analyse and interpret reports
o Flexible with an ability to multi‑task and work in a fast‑paced environment
o Excellent team player & ability to work autonomously
o Good presentation skills
o Ability to train clinical and non‑clinical staff in the use of information systems
o Proven track record of working under pressure to strict deadlines
o Ability to communicate effectively with staff at all levels
* Skills and Aptitudes – Desirable
o Proven influencing and negotiation skills
* Other requirements – Essential
o Flexible
* Experience – Essential
o Proven leadership experience in digital transformation or IT management within a healthcare or public sector environment
o Strong understanding of NHS digital systems, data governance, and information security standards
o Demonstrated experience in data analytics, performance reporting, and dashboard development
o Excellent stakeholder engagement and communication skills
o Experience managing supplier relationships and digital contracts
* Experience – Desirable
o Experience leading cross‑organisational digital strategies
Closing Information
Closing Date: 30/11/25
Please include your mobile number in your application and check your spam/junk folder regularly, as our emails may occasionally be filtered there.
We encourage you to apply as early as possible as this job may close earlier than the closing date once enough applications have been received.
Please note that we are unable to offer an Employer Sponsored Visa for this role.
Employer Details
Employer: Cumbria Health
Address: 4 Wavell Drive, Rosehill Industrial Estate, Carlisle, CA1 2SE
Website: https://cumbriahealth.co.uk/
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