Job Description
Reporting directly to the Chief Digital & Information Officer, as Director of Digital, you will lead Arts Council England's digital products and platforms, including Grants Management, CRM, Museum and Cultural Property services, the digital workplace and new AI-enabled capabilities. You will be accountable for the strategy, investment decisions and governance that ensure these services are reliable, secure, accessible and meet public-sector requirements.
These services are essential to how we fund and support the sector, meet our obligations, and serve applicants, funded organisations, staff and partners.
You will work closely with the Technology Director to align product direction with architecture, operational resilience and service performance, and you will be the senior voice representing business needs in digital delivery decisions.Key accountabilities:
1. Set a clear vision and strategy for digital products and platforms.
2. Lead and govern delivery across "run and improve" services and major transformation programmes.
3. Ensure services meet standards for value for money, accessibility, security, data protection and assurance.
4. Build strong relationships with senior stakeholders, the Executive Board and delivery partners.
5. Develop a high-performing team, and create an inclusive, values-led culture.
Key responsibilities:
6. Own the digital product and platform portfolio, setting priorities and balancing day-to-day service needs with longer-term change.
7. Set direction for product roadmaps and investment, based on user needs, evidence and organisational priorities.
8. Provide clear governance for design and change decisions, ensuring the right controls and pace of delivery.
9. Be accountable for service performance, resilience and risk management, working with Technology to meet agreed service levels.
10. Lead major digital change, including modernising legacy systems and improving integrations and data quality.
11. Sponsor innovation where it adds value (including AI and automation), running controlled trials and scaling what works.
12. Manage budgets and suppliers, ensuring strong contract performance, good commercial discipline and value for money.
13. Lead, coach and develop the Digital team, planning capacity and building succession for key roles.
14. Represent digital at senior forums, building alignment across Operations, Funding, Data & Insights and corporate functions.
Key relationships:
15. Chief Digital and Information Officer
16. Technology Director and Digital, Data & Technology leadership team
17. Chief Data Officer and Data & Insights colleagues
18. Executive Board, transformation governance groups and peer Directors
19. Operational leaders across Funding and corporate services (., Finance, HR, Procurement)
20. External suppliers and delivery partners